1881 – International Cotton Exposition
The first exposition to celebrate the U.S. cotton industry, the 1881 International Cotton
Exposition set its highest attendance mark during the Dec. 7 “Planters Day” event when more than 10,000 people poured through the event gates. The International Cotton Exhibition in part was put on to show how much Atlanta had changed since its destruction during Union Gen. Tecumseh Sherman’s controversial “march to the sea” some 17 years earlier during the Civil War. The exposition also was held from October through December to demonstrate advancements in the cotton industry, and cotton mills erected for the event remained in use until 1969. The exposition was held on the grounds of Atlanta’s Oglethorpe Park, and fewer than 200,000 attended. The initial cotton exposition and subsequent runs are credited with helping Atlanta become an industrial and economic center in the Southeast U.S.
1901- South Carolina opens Inter-State and West Indian Exposition
Designed to boost trade with Latin America and Caribbean nations, the South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition opened its gates on Dec. 1, 1901, and ran until June 20, 1902. The South Carolina General Assembly appropriated $50,000 to help put on the fair, and a private citizen allocated 250 acres of his property along the Ashley River to be used to host the event. Poor weather, funding shortages and exhibits that were late to open hampered early attendance, but the fair eventually saw about 675,000 visitors during its run. A Spanish Renaissance theme was chosen for exhibition buildings, which included a 320-foot long Cotton Palace. Buildings were painted a shade of white, earning the site the moniker of “Ivory City.” Fairgrounds were divided between a nature area and an arts area. President Theodore Roosevelt presided over the event in April 1902, and parts of the exhibition grounds became a local park and the site for the The Citadel’s new campus.
1959 – Dismantling of buildings completed for Seattle World’s Fair
Rainy weather could not stop the dismantling of hundreds of buildings to clear the way for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair as the wrecking ball began taking its toll in October 1958. Local real estate mogul Henry Broderick released the first wrecking ball during a pouring rain, which tore down a home built in 1895. Hundreds of homes, buildings and even a school were condemned to clear the way for the World’s Fair site on which a permanent civic center would be built along with many other structures, including the iconic Space Needle. By December 1959, the last of hundreds of local homes, businesses and other structures were demolished. A final 70 structures were torn down by the end of December 1959, and the futuristic 1962 Seattle World’s Fair would begin less than two years later.
1999 – Modern Display named exclusive supplier for 2002 Winter Olympics
Officials for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) have named Utah-based Modern
Display the event’s exclusive supplier of exposition and event services for the 2002 Winter Olympics scheduled in Salt Lake City. “The Salt Lake Organizing Committee is delighted that another local corporation is stepping up to help the SLOC make the 2002 games a success,” said Mitt Romney, president and CEO, SLOC. “Modern Display has left a visual imprint on many events in this community, including the 2002 mascot debut. And their work will be a key element in setting the scene for the Games. We welcome them on board.” Modern Display contracted with Olympic Properties of the United States to provide tent and temporary-structure consulting and management services for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
2008 – Las Vegas finishes year with the most top 200 tradeshows
Las Vegas once again hosted more of the Tradeshow Week 200 (TSW 200) largest trade shows in North America in 2008 than any other destination. Las Vegas hosted 49 of the 200 shows on the list, which are ranked by the amount of square footage the show floor encompasses. Among the Las Vegas shows was the Conexpo-Con/Agg construction industry show, which encompassed the most square footage of any tradeshow in North American history at 2.3 million square feet. Annual stalwarts the International Consumer Electronics Show, MAGIC, National Association of Broadcasters and SEMA helped Las Vegas stay No. 1 for the 15th consecutive year. Annually, Las Vegas hosts 22,000 meetings, conventions and tradeshows that inject $8.5 billion into the local economy and provide employment for 46,000 Southern Nevadans. Las Vegas topped list with Chicago, 20 shows, coming in second and Orlando, 19 shows, third.
2011: IAEE debuts ‘Click Here First’ PR campaign
The Las Vegas Convention Center hosted the IAEE’s 2011 Expo! Expo! annual event, where the international exhibitions association unveiled its “Click Here First” public relations plan designed to create more awareness of the long-term benefits of face-to-face exhibitions and events. The three-year-long campaign focuses on communicating the strengths and relevance of face-to-face opportunities, increasing the favorable impression of events, compiling real stories about the power and uniqueness of tradeshows, differentiating tradeshows from other forms of engagement and leveraging new media and digital opportunities to expand reach and build an online presence. “I am thrilled by the support from hundreds of our colleagues and their organizations,” said Vinnie Polito, chairman, IAEE. “Never before, in IAEE’s 83-year history has there been such a collaborative effort to achieve one goal. As a result, we are now well-positioned to launch and support a vital campaign that will benefit our own industry and the customers we serve.”
