The fate of next year's Golf Industry Show in Las Vegas is still undecided thanks to Covid-19, but another green industry conference has been canceled because of the virus and the country's largest trade show, scheduled for the same venue as GIS, will be all virtual in 2021.
Scheduled for Oct. 21-23 in Louisville, Kentucky, the Green Industry Expo, the largest conference and trade show for the lawn and landscape industry, was canceled July 29.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and continued regulatory uncertainty, GIE/OPEI, LLC announced that the 2020 show will be postponed until next year. The show will resume Oct. 20-22 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Likewise, the Consumer Electronics Show, the country's largest trade show with more than 100,000 attendees, will be online only next year. The show, which is scheduled for Jan. 6-9, was to be the first event in the new convention center in Las Vegas. The Golf Industry Show is scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 4 in the same building. The GCSAA has not yet announced how the virus will affect GIS, but the association is considering several options, one of which still is a traditional in-person trade show, according to CEO Rhett Evans.
According to a release from GIE, "show ownership and management (GIE/OPEI, LLC) of GIE+EXPO, the Green Industry Equipment and Exposition, have been monitoring the situation closely, and have been working with state and local authorities to put on the safest show possible. Unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of such a rapidly evolving environment prohibited this year's show from taking place safely."
"The health and safety of our attendees and exhibitors is critical, and it is with profound regret that we announce the cancellation of our 2020 event. We're looking forward to 2021 and already gearing up to make our next show a dynamic and engaging experience for the entire industry. I encourage exhibitors and attendees that have already registered or secured exhibit space to roll those monies forward to the 2021 show."
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on July 27 issued a mandate prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people. The cancellation comes on the heels of the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show earlier this month.
Next fall, attendees and exhibitors will experience several updates to the Kentucky Exposition Center grounds. The facility is undertaking $8 million in outdoor improvements and enhancements, including:
GIE+EXPO has been held in Louisville since it was founded nearly 40 years ago. Registration is currently open for next year's event.