Archive for category IBEX 2010

If you are on a tight budget, save a few dollars, and register for the IBEX Seminar Series, and the two new IBEX Special Sessions before Friday, August 20th, the final day for the discount rates. If you pre-register before August 20th, you receive up to $100 off a full-conference program, or $15. off individual conference sessions. If you miss this date, you can still register for seminars, but at normal rates.  Click HERE to register NOW! Please remember, it’s FREE to walk the exhibit halls, as long as you are a qualified marine industry professional.

IBEX is having an Opening Night Party in the streets of downtown Louisville, and the entire marine industry is invited. We have good reasons to celebrate. Phones are ringing and booths are selling at IBEX. We already have more than 60 NEW, never-been-to-IBEX-before exhibitors, with more signing on each day. This is especially good news because last year last at this time no phones were ringing. It was silent. Last year was challenging for all of us in the boating industry, but this year there seems to be a steady return of business. Booth sales and new exhibitors at IBEX are a strong indication that our industry is on the rebound which is a damned good reason to celebrate. That’s why we are having a party, and YOU are invited! After the close of the first day of IBEX, Tuesday, September 28, 2010, plan to head downtown to Fourth Street LIVE, Louisville’s premier entertainment and retail district located in the heart of historic downtown Louisville, KY. Fourth Street is just a short walk from most of the downtown hotels on the IBEX list. Bring along your colleagues and customers, enjoy a casual marine industry gathering, and have dinner at one of the many restaurants on Fourth Street. Drink and dinner specials are being offered if you wear your IBEX 2010 exhibit hall badge. Outdoor live music by The Louisville Crashers begins at 6:30 p.m. Please join us, and thousands of your fellow marine industry friends, and associates at IBEX, and let’s keep the momentum going.

One of the best perks about moving IBEX to Louisville is working with the capable staff at the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) They are OUR new BF’s in Louisville, and like a good friend, they are happy to advise you on where to eat, where to stay, advise & assist with party planning, and suggest area attractions, and other visitor information. No matter what it is, the staff at the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau is ready to help you make the most of the endless possibilities in Louisville. Simply e-mail ibex@gotolouisville.com or call 1-800-743-3100 or 502-561-3100 for personal assistance.

You can even become a Friend of Lou before you arrive. Sign up at www.friendoflou.com for Louisville updates. Check your e-mails for special Lou-Tips and Lou-Trivia to help you become more acquainted with Louisville!

Louisville is a new experience for ALL of us, and it’s good to know we have friends on the inside. If you are familiar with Louisville, please share your favorite restaurants, bars, or whatever with the rest of us by offer a comment. Thanks. Anne D.

The New Official IBEX 2010 Hotel Service is onPeak.
To assist you with our transition to Louisville, Kentucky, we have contracted “onPeak” as the NEW official IBEX 2010 Hotel Reservation Service. Using “onPeak” you have an excellent selection of name brand hotels at a wide variety of room rates. Book your room now to get the best selection.

You have two location options when considering your IBEX stay in Louisville.

OPTION 1 - Stay in downtown Louisville.
-10-15 minute drive (or cab ride) to Kentucky Expo Center.
-KEC offers plenty of convenient parking on-site for only $6.00 per day.
-Shuttle service from downtown hotels available all three show days. (No shuttle service during move-in/out.)
-Easy walk to downtown attractions, a wide variety of restaurants, and plenty of nighttime activities, especially Fourth Street LIVE.

OPTION 2 – Stay out by the Kentucky Expo Center & airport
-Walk to the show, or grab quick hotel shuttle to the Kentucky Expo Center, or airport.
- All name brand hotels, many of them new, or completely renovated.

Which hotel?
The IBEX 2010 downtown co-headquarters hotel is the Hyatt Regency Louisville. You can’t go wrong with a Hyatt, Hilton or Marriott. Another option is The Galt House, a large local hotel that was recently renovated. The Galt House “Suite” level is an excellent choice if you are planning to have small meetings, or use your room for entertaining. The Galt House also has a spectacular gym.
The Brown is a “grand” historic Four Diamond, AAA hotel in downtown Louisville. Stunning English Renaissance architecture, and an opulent two-story lobby has a hand-painted, coffered ceiling, Bottocino marble flooring, finely carved mahogany furnishings and Palladian-style windows. If you want old world elegance, and an exceptional atmosphere when having a nightcap in the lobby bar, this is where you should stay. The rooms are lovely and available at at reasonable rate.

The airport/convention center co-headquarters hotel is the Crowne Plaza which is conveniently located across the street from the Kentucky Exposition Center. All of the hotels near the convention center are name brands, and many are recently built.

Click HERE to go directly to the IBEX 2010 hotel information page.

If you are familiar with Louisville, please comment on this blog for others who are first timers. Thanks! Anne Dunbar, IBEX Marketing

I might be dating myself here, but what was the name of the TV game show that the host would shout, “ Survey says!?” I’ve been stealing his line lately. We recently sent out via email an extremely comprehensive IBEX and MAAT survey. Pretty much anyone that attended IBEX, or MAATS, in the past few years was sent the survey. PLEASE take the time to complete it. We value your opinion and will use the information gathered to make sure IBEX continues to be valuable to you. If you are not a survey taker type of person, feel free to post all your thoughts here. We are listening. Oh, and if you can remember the name of that game show, let me know.

Yes, Tina and I have started to assign booths for IBEX 2010. If you are a 2009 exhibitor who has NOT sent in a 2010 contract then Uh OH! The process is the same as always. Tina and I contact each exhibitor based on earned show points combined with NMMA member points. Everyone has to wait his or her turn. The process is slow going, but worth the effort because each exhibitor is allowed to select their own booth location. This is the perfect method because if an exhibitor picks their own location then two things happen.
1) The exhibitor is in control, and has selected a location that makes them happy.
2) We eliminate any complaints on-site about booth location.
There is nothing worse than an exhibitor who is unhappy with their booth location. Trust me, I know. I’ve been one! Our booth location at METS (our second favorite marine trade show) totally sucked this year! Our friends at METS stuck all the magazines in the new Elysium area, and didn’t think about traffic flow therefore, we had ZERO traffic. During METS we normally give away hundreds of Professional BoatBuilder magazines, but not this year. We had BOXES left all over, all because of this horrid location. We are hopeful that our friends at The RAI will correct this situation. So, be thankful YOU get to pick your location! It’s a nice privilege.

We just returned from another enjoyable trip to Louisville, Kentucky. My flight was only $200. on Southwest airlines. The shorter travel time to and from KY is wonderful. It took twice as long, and cost twice as much for me to get to Miami. Each time I visit Louisville, I like it more, and I am confident you will, too. This visit was for the annual meeting of the IBEX Planning Committee. The committee is made up of exhibitors and boat builders. This year we included the Maats Planning Committee as the shows will now be held at the same time. We had great discussions and many ideas were shared on how to make IBEX and Maats the best possible value and experience for everyone. If YOU have any thought on how to improve your IBEX or Maats experience, please post a comment here, and let us know. If you are going to complain about moving IBEX to Louisville, I suggest you wait until after IBEX 2010. You can’t knock it until you’ve tried it, and I am pretty confident you are going to like it. Anne D.