Terror strikes prompt LV conference cancellations

Friday, Sept. 14, 2001 | 10:21 a.m.

The International Vision Expo West, a convention that was expected to draw 18,000 people to Las Vegas next week, has been canceled, organizers said.

The show is the largest event yet to cancel its Las Vegas meeting after Tuesday's terrorist strikes. About 18,000 people were expected to attend.

"Due to the circumstances arising out of the recent tragic events, International Vision Exposition regrets we have no choice other than to cancel the IVE West, scheduled for Sept. 18-23 in Las Vegas," said a statement posted on the association's Internet site.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority officials are expected to learn later today whether a large jewelry convention scheduled later this month would be canceled.

Managers for the Professional Jeweler Show in Las Vegas, scheduled Sept. 23-25 at the Convention Center with more displays at meeting facilities in other hotels, planned to give LVCVA officials a final decision about the status of the show, which is expected to draw about 6,000 jewelry industry professionals to the city.

LVCVA spokesman Rob Powers said many of the exhibitors scheduled to show their goods at the show are based in New York where much of the commerce has come to a standstill in the wake of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Tuesday.

The show would have a nongaming economic impact of more than $6 million on Las Vegas.

The jewelry show is the largest meeting on the LVCVA's cancellation list so far.

At least three other meetings and shows planned in Las Vegas have been canceled following the high-profile terrorist bombings earlier in the week.

The Northwest Imaging Forum, which was to have wrapped up today at the Luxor hotel-casino, was canceled earlier in the week. The event was to have begun Wednesday, the day after the nation's air traffic was grounded by federal authorities.

The show, which was to have drawn 300 participants, would have had a nongaming economic impact of $306,000 on the city.

Powers said Nelson-Thomson Learning, a gathering of 20 people from Nov. 19-24, was canceled. That event would have had a nongaming economic impact of $20,000 on the city, he said.

Earlier this week, the Nevada Commission on Economic Development postponed its fifth annual economic development conference planned Thursday and today at the Stardust hotel-casino. About 300 to 400 people were expected to attend the event.

The fall months are a traditionally busy convention period for Las Vegas, culminating with the monstrous Comdex computer industry show in mid-November. The Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, a car products exhibition attended by 85,000 people, is scheduled to begin Oct. 30.

Through the rest of September, more than 81 shows are the LVCVA's convention calendar.