Cleveland's IX Center to Close - Home to the National

[Exhibitman]

The ramp-up to putting on a major show is steep.

Even just running a local show is expensive and time-consuming. It isn't just decorating the barn and puttin' on a show. Minimally, if you assume a venue with its own supplies (tables, chairs, etc.) you have to locate and book the venue, secure insurance, plan marketing and execute, draft vendor contracts, secure required business licenses, get vendors and all required documents from them. The day of the show you have to make sure everything is good to go, arrange an orderly move-in and set-up, staff and run the show, then coordinate move-out and break-down, all of which is like herding cats. If you go for autograph guests or other special stuff you need to arrange, market and pay for that too. And you will bleed money for a while trying to get things going unless you have access to a venue at little or no cost.