Greenberg/GTS/Great Midwest shows are back

[pedro]

“GATS” is back! Apparently some ownership/managerial changes:


https://www.trainshow.com/


Starting in July:

https://www.trainshow.com/show-schedule

[C855B]

Really good to hear, but I suspect it's going to be a fraught rebuild of the business. As mentioned in a couple of other threads on TRW, venues lost essentially 100% of their business during 2020, and many could not span the outage. Part of the recent pandemic recovery legislation was money for venues, but too many smaller ones simply don't exist any more beyond a derelict property; a new operator under a different name is unlikely to qualify for the rebuild money. Then there's the extra demand pressure on the remainder. Tough biz to start with (I indirectly managed a very small one for a while), but now? Wow.

Locally, there were three GTS shows in our area in 2019. There are currently none on the new schedule.

[Philip H]

I'm going to make a SWAG that the venues listed are local governmental in some way.  Which means they have seen minimal maintenance if not some use for the past year.  These folks - and others wanting back in this game - would do well to search out such venues initially.  Most counties and parishes have them.

[C855B]

Quasi-government, it looks like. Large fairgrounds and "expo centers" are sometimes controlled by an authorized authority, sometimes handed-off to a private contractor, and sometimes a wholly-owned for-profit enterprise. But you're right, most of those appear to be semi-government.

One of the handful I know firsthand is the Pomona "Fairplex", which may have been fully privatized since my experiences there. It was originally the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. It's very large, probably something "too big to fail".

[peteski]

Hopefully Greenberg will have a show in the Fall at the Shriner's Auditorium in Wilmington, MA.

[mu26aeh]

Really good to hear, but I suspect it's going to be a fraught rebuild of the business. As mentioned in a couple of other threads on TRW, venues lost essentially 100% of their business during 2020, and many could not span the outage. Part of the recent pandemic recovery legislation was money for venues, but too many smaller ones simply don't exist any more beyond a derelict property; a new operator under a different name is unlikely to qualify for the rebuild money. Then there's the extra demand pressure on the remainder. Tough biz to start with (I indirectly managed a very small one for a while), but now? Wow.

Locally, there were three GTS shows in our area in 2019. There are currently none on the new schedule.

Plus those that managed to make it thru are looking to recoup what they lost, so they will charge more for their venue space.  The folks at Timonium just figured that out.  Guy was into the shop over the weekend that helped organize the show, said they managed about 1000 people over 2 days (venue allowed 350 per session).  They managed to cover their costs and have some leftover to start planning October show.  They are hopeful by then the Cow Palace will be rid of the mass vax site that it currently holds and can host a larger show/crowd.  Most vendors did well and were thankful for them putting on the event they could muster.  Onward and upward from here !