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Reed Axes BookExpos in D.C and Vegas
BookExpo America has announced that it is moving the show to New York City where it will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center through 2012. The show was previously scheduled to take place in Washington DC in 2010 and Las Vegas in 2011. In so doing, show organizers are also re-shaping the convention so that it will now occur on a shortened schedule during the work week.The next BEA, which had already been scheduled to take place in New York City in 2009 and which will include all the leading publishers, will take place, as has been announced, on Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31. It will not be affected by the strategic change in scheduling. As always, there will be a full day of conference on Thursday, May 28 before the exhibit floor opens.
The new schedule means that BEA will have New York City as its home for the next four years in a row. BEA Show officials note that they are keeping their options open with regard to dates and location after 2012. The dates for BEA through 2012 are as follows:
2010: Conference/Special Events and Show Preview Tuesday May 25th (exhibit hours 4-6pm), Wednesday, May 26th (9-6 show hours), Thursday, May 27th (9-5 show hours).
2011: Conference/Special Events and Show Preview Tuesday May 24th (exhibit hours 4-6pm), Wednesday, May 25th (9-6 show hours), Thursday, May 26th (9-5 show hours).
2012: Conference/Special Events and Show Preview Wednesday May 30th (exhibit hours 4-6pm), Thursday, May 31st (9-6 show hours), Friday, June 1st (9-5 show hours).
“We feel that this is a move that is timely and responsive to industry needs,” notes Lance Fensterman, Industry Vice President and Show Manager for BookExpo America. “It makes sense on a multitude of levels, not the least of which is that it will provide the majority of our exhibitors with a cost reduction, as well as more flexibility in managing their presence at the show. We wanted to take decisive action in setting our future course and this is our first major step towards a new vision for BEA for years to come. New York City is also the publishing capital and we are anxious to build a strong identity between New York and BEA. There is a significant media presence in New York City and we would like to take advantage of this, not only by building media attendance, but by involving the media in a substantive way in our programming.”
Organizers note that the other critical factor in announcing the new venue location is a shift in dates to reflect a more condensed show which will take place in the middle of the week. “To put it simply, our goal in planning the show this year and beyond has been to focus on quality, not quantity.” Fensterman continues. “This has become a theme for us and shortening the show dates and trying to make the show fit into people’s schedules conveniently and without being a burden is a positive step in this direction. We want to increase the quality of our programming by stripping away unnecessary sessions, and we want to extend some programming to the show floor so that we have a thoroughly interactive and engaging atmosphere from the moment the show begins to the moment it concludes.”
Show officials acknowledge that they have been in considerable discussion with a cross section of book industry executives and professionals about what type of change is most necessary to make BEA relevant in the years ahead. These discussions will continue at an accelerated pace to ensure that new initiatives and programs reflect broad industry consensus. “Our recent announcement about our joint efforts with the ABA to coordinate our programming and activities at Javits is certainly an indication of the direction we’re going,” Fensterman concludes. “We want everyone under one roof, in a highly charged and stimulating atmosphere where there is enormous potential for creating influence, buzz and general excitement about books. I am confident that we have the basic game plan in place and now we need to move forward in a number of directions to make it work.” Organizers note that several more announcements which will reflect BEA’s strategic plan will be expected in the near future.