May 2003

From the nation’s capital to the Canadian border, exhibitions are big business in the Northeast, bringing millions of dollars to the region’s economy as attendees and exhibitors reserve hotel rooms, buy meals and pay laborers to help set up booths. Whether in the Big Apple or the Baltimore harbor, the region hosts an estimated 1,674 exhibitions annually, ranging in size from mega shows to smaller hotel events. These events attract an estimated 3,345,964 buyers — all ready to do business.

These exhibitions occupy approximately 55,047,747 square feet of net exhibition space a year, and the Northeast offers plenty of top-notch facilities to accommodate the millions of exhibitors and attendees that pass through the region annually. In fact, some of America’s most popular show destinations are in this region.

New York, for example, is 7th in the country for hosting the most net square feet of shows. The city ranks 8th nationwide for hosting the largest number shows. It isn’t just the mega shows that are drawn to this region. Organizers of shows that occupy less than 25,000 square feet of space take advantage of the myriad of facilities the region offers. Washington DC is ranked 9th in the country for hosting the most shows under 25,000 square feet, and New York is ranked 10th. Massachusetts is ranked 5th
for holding the most shows in conference or seminar centers. Washington DC is ranked
7th for holding the most shows in hotels, and New York is ranked 10th.

While traditional Northeastern industries have largely relocated overseas,
they have been replaced with a burgeoning technology and biotech industry. Pharmaceutical companies flock to the area to take advantage of a region rich with their competitors, investors and venture capitalists, as well as top-notch research universities producing some of the greatest scientific minds in the country.

New York is the largest city in the country, and just a day trip from any of the 10 surrounding states. It’s home to the movers and shakers in industries such as entertainment, publishing and fashion. New York’s convention center and many other alternative venues give show managers plenty of options to host their events in the middle of it all.

Not far away is Atlantic City, a playground for attendees, offering ocean views, the boardwalk and some of the country’s best gaming.

Meanwhile, Washington DC is home to more associations than any other city and offers proximity to thousands of potential government employees and suppliers. The city’s many museums, galleries and sites of patriotic significance are perfect to establish an event of influence. Other major destinations in the region — such as Baltimore, Boston, or Philadelphia — offer show managers not only excellent facilities and hotels, but also the best in nightlife, easy access and historic sites to attract attendees.

By the end of 2003, the region will feature 1,055,000 square feet of new exhibition space, and by the end of 2004, another 714,000 square feet of space will be available.
Among the new spaces available is the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Raised from the remains of the previous convention center, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center offers more than 330,000 square feet of exhibition space of which 236,000 is column-free. The center, located on the river, is the first certified “green” convention center in the country.

Washington DC also offers a new convention center. Stretching over six city blocks and occupying 17 acres, the center is the largest building in the capital, offering show managers 2.3 million square feet of space. Shows will enjoy 725,000 square feet of column-free prime exhibit space and 150,000 square feet of meeting space.

Heather Kirkwood is Senior Editor for EXPO. She can be reached at 913-344-1376 or e-mail: hkirkwood@ascendmedia.com.