SHOT Show 2003 - 25th Anniversary Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show

Shooting Industry, Dec, 2002 by Carolee Boyles

The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show And Conference

The industry's largest trade show celebrates 25 years!

Manufacturers Roll Out Finest For Dealers And Buyers Worldwide!

The shooting sports' largest industry show will mark its 25th anniversary in February with a spectacular celebration in Orlando, Fla. The National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) 2003 SHOT Show will take place Feb. 13-16 at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center.

More than 1,400 manufacturers will cover nearly 500,000 square feet of the center with exhibitors' booths -- all to present their newest and best to buyers from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries. If it is used in hunting, shooting and the outdoors, it will be on display.

"We think Orlando is one of the most exciting venues in the country for trade shows," said Doug Painter, NSSF president. "In a sense, it's the Las Vegas of the East, with tremendous attractions, huge availability of airline flights, and a great variety of lodging and restaurants."

With the number of headliner attractions and the usual good weather for February in Florida, Orlando is seen as one of the best sites for the show, according to Painter.

"It's an all-around great package for a trade show, offering people a first-class venue for the show, and the opportunity before or after the show to visit some of the great attractions in the country," Painter said.

Although no future SHOT Shows are scheduled for Orlando, Painter said, if all goes well this year, the industry may have other opportunities to return to Florida in the winter.

"We'll wait and see about the success of this show," Painter says. "But it certainly looks very good so far."

With the show still two months away, there are no solid registration numbers available. However, early indications promise a strong attendance. Last year, total attendance at the show in Las Vegas, Nev., hit 31,038.

"Many hotels are already 100 percent booked, and three or four others are getting close to filling their room blocks," Painter said. "Those are prime indicators for excellent attendance at the show."

Added Security

Show attendees who are concerned about security at the show will be pleased, according to Painter, with the precautions taken by SHOT Show officials.

"We've spent a lot of time with the security people at the Orange County Convention Center," Painter said. "We're impressed by their professionalism, and by the way they work closely with the law enforcement agencies in the city. The security force them is well-equipped to deal with a whole range of issues, and we expect no particular problems."

Despite many security concerns, Painter said the SHOT Show is one of the few trade shows in the country that hasn't had a decrease in attendance since Sept. 11, 2001.

"I think the reason is the extraordinary commitment of people in our industry to our future and to all of the traditions we represent," Painter said. "There's a huge commitment here on everyone's part. I'm very impressed by that and very thankful."

Silver Anniversary

The first SHOT Show was held in 1979 in St. Lewis, Mo. Since then, the show has been held in San Francisco, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; New Orleans, La.; and Las Vegas, Nev. Today, it is the largest show of its kind in the world.

To celebrate the 25th show, the NSSF is planning a major event on February 13.

"The big thing we're doing is holding a special anniversary reception and dinner on the first evening of the show," Painter said. "It includes a concert with Travis Tritt."

Painter said the entire event is designed to say "Thank You" to the thousands of people who have supported the show so strongly over the past 25 years.

"The celebration will be at the Orange County Convention Center," Painter said, "Tickets are $90 each for a cocktail reception, a dinner, and the concert."

Information on the event, which begins at 8 p.m. in the Valencia Ballroom, is included in the SHOT Show information packet sent to all exhibitors.

RELATED ARTICLE: SHOT Show Focuses On Education To Boost Dealers' Businesses

On February 12, the day before the SHOT Show opens, dealers will have the opportunity to attend the National Association of Firearms Retailers' SHOT Show University.

According to John Badowski, NSSF director of retail partnerships, the SHOT Show University is designed to enhance the professional skills of firearm retailers. It was developed in response to requests from retailers for help with their businesses, and retailers have provided a lot of input into the classes.

While the final schedule for the university wasn't available at this writing, the classes will include the following topics:

"Sales Floor Analysis, or, Am I Making Money Yet?"

"Winning Sales Techniques For Your Staff."

"Hiring, Firing and Retaining Good Employees in a Litigious World."

"Retail Information Technology: I Didn't Know My Computer Could Do That!"

"An Ounce of Prevention: Implementing Sound Inventory and Record-Keeping Practices."

"A Customer For Life: Adding Direct Database Marketing Into Your Marketing Mix."