Some Comdex shows canceled

Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

The organizers of Comdex Chicago, at one time one of the largest technology trade shows in the nation, announced Wednesday the show's cancellation because of declining interest.

Besides the show in Chicago, Key3Media Group says it will no longer hold shows in Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta and New York. It will continue to hold shows in Las Vegas, Toronto and San Francisco. The company also plans to close one of its largest offices in Needham, Mass., on Dec. 18.

"Our customers have told us that what would help them the most is for us to concentrate on a single show national strategy," said Fred Rosen, chairman and CEO of Los Angeles-based Key3Media Group.

Comdex Chicago's exhibitors and crowds have dropped off rapidly since the tech industry's collapse in 2000 and the 2001 terrorism. A Key3Media spokesman said the April show attracted 200 exhibitors and about 25,000 people, significantly less than the 350 exhibitors and 70,000 attendees reported at the previous year's show.

Except for its shows in Canada, Key3Media has no plans to cancel any of the other 60 events it hosts in 17 countries, the spokesman said.

Key3's four major North American shows in 2003 will be: Comdex Fall Las Vegas, Nov. 16-21, 2003; Comdex Canada and NetWorld+Interop, Toronto, Sept. 16-18, 2003; NetWorld + Interop Las Vegas, April 27-May 2, 2003; and Seybold San Francisco, Sept. 22-25, 2003.

"Our flagship brands will continue to evolve and provide value to the marketplace. As the industry we represent changes we must change with it," Rosen said.

The remaining Key3Media events scheduled for 2002 will be held as previously announced including Comdex Fall, which runs Nov. 16-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the MGM Grand Conference Center.

BioSecurity 2002 is also planned Nov. 18-20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.