Lawsuit sends gun trade show to LV

John Wilen

Friday, Jan. 22, 1999 | 11:18 a.m.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation's Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Tradeshow -- known as SHOT -- is coming back to Las Vegas next year.

The show had been planning to hold SHOT in New Orleans next year, but it canceled those plans because of a lawsuit that city filed against the firearms industry.

"It's a done deal," said Doug Painter, executive director of the NSSF, based in Newtown, Conn. "We'll be at the Sands Convention Center Jan. 17 through Jan. 20."

The NSSF told New Orleans city officials and hotels throughout the Big Easy this week that it was canceling its plans to hold SHOT at a New Orleans convention center next January.

Last October, a coalition led by the city of New Orleans filed a product liability suit against 15 gun manufacturers, accusing them of failing to market safer weapons. Chicago filed a similar lawsuit in November, and several other cities have said they are considering their own suits.

The lawsuit is the reason the SHOT show is being moved, Painter said.

"It was not exactly a welcome card to our visitors," Painter said.

Instead, SHOT's 30,000 attendees are coming to Las Vegas, a city that has declined to join lawsuits against the gun manufacturers. Las Vegas and Metro Police officials have said they believe tax money can be better spent on education and prevention programs than on lawsuits against the gun industry. Officials here have also noted that Las Vegas does not suffer the same levels of gun violence as that of other cities.

Regardless of Las Vegas' attitude toward the gun industry, Painter said the city is always at the top of the NSSF's list for its SHOT convention.

"Las Vegas has always been the most successful town for our show," Painter said.

That's not because Las Vegas has a pro-gun attitude; it's because there are lots of things to do, Painter said.

"We have our best attendance in Las Vegas because it is Las Vegas," he said. "Our attendees really look forward to coming to Las Vegas because of all the things Las Vegas has to offer."

The SHOT show brings its host city about $50 million in overall economic impact, Painter said. The convention attracts 1,400 exhibitors from 37 countries who use 450,000 square feet of convention space, he said.

In the past, SHOT has been held at the Las Vegas Convention Center several times. It's moving to the Sands Convention Center next year because that was the only place available on such short notice, said Painter.

SHOT will most likely return to Las Vegas again after next year's show, Painter said, but no future dates have been set. He said the show moves around the country every year.