[cpw]

On another forum I saw the following comment:


"Wanemacher raised the table price to $125 for this show because he said it was a special show...a NRA Collector Show. He said the price would go back down for the next show. It DID go down. Tables at the next show are $120. He has been quoted as saying that he will continue raising table prices until there are empty tables."


I can understand his theory - If there is a waiting list then charge more.

 

[Radom]

Rumor is there hasn't been a waiting list for a couple of years. And, there were some empty tables.....

 

[7.62x54r]

Yes, I saw a good number of empty tables.

 

[tojones]

Sounds like a promoter trying to run out the small guys and just keep the full time dealers. Of course, it could just be greed. Empty tables don't bring buyers. Less buyers make the table price harder to eat. Sellers quit going. The cycle continues. The show suffers and goes away. Once it's gone, it's gone.

 

[7.62x54r]

I'd rather they run off the airsoft and "fantasy knife" dealers myself.

It's a fine line that the promoter is trying to walk. Hopefully he'll find the middle ground and maintain a good show, unlike the GA promoter who crossed the line a couple of years ago and has continued to run things into the ground.

 

[cpw]

I know Joe and he is really a nice person. But he is business minded. He took over that show from the local gun collectors organization and ran it for them for a few years. Techinically it was their show, but it soon became his. If it were not for Joe, it would still be a small local show.

Now he has his son helping him, who will probably take over some day.

He realizes the advantages of his show and s taking advantage of them. But, as said, he is walking a fine line .

The Ohio Gun Collectors used to have shows of around 2000 tables years back and it was "the" show to go to. Now they are down to about 600/700 tables and a lot of the better known dealers do not always set up.

.

 

[Radom]

Yeah, I don't want to complain too much about anything to do with this show. I hope that, somehow, it will continue on forever. I'm sure it is a monster to keep going.

 

[wjneal]

I noticed this year that a number of the dealers in clips, parts and other miscellaneous small items were not there but there seemed to be more tables with non-gun crap...

 

[USMCsean]

I have been toying with the idea of putting on a show myself. I don't know what kind of background you have to have to put one on, but I am sure that networking and knowing a few people will go a long way. I am serious about it though. There needs to be a good show in NW Ohio. There are a couple of okay ones, but there really needs to be one super show. Toledo is a prime location for several states.

 

[cpw]

As I recall OGCA used to have a show there until they moved it to Columbus.

 

[tuco In Memoriam]

Big issue on putting on a show are the costs in regards to location and insurance. They are killers.

 

[ogcaman]

Did anyone hear about the mayor of Tulsa and her venue for the Tulsa show? Talk is about the annexation of the expo building (county property) into the city. I heard this at the show last weekend. If this is true, it could possibly have serious consequences one year from now. This is one of the current techniques being used by large cities to hinder, or cause the cessation of our private and public firearms shows that we attend.

With firearms pre-emption being the current law in Ohio, I believe this means the individual cities cannot pass new anti-gun laws, or enforce their own anti-gun laws that were previously on their books. It is evident they are circumventing this through selective usage/rental of buildings within their cities boundaries. Sounds like discrimination to me. I have a feeling that Tulsa does not have restrictive gun laws currently on their books, but possibly going about this in the same manner as other large cities.

This is what happened to the OGCA in Columbus and Brookpark, Ohio. In Columbus (Vet's Memorial), they used their cities gun laws to run the club out. In Cleveland (I-X Centre) they eliminated the OGCA's usage of the I-X Centre through annexation of land and buildings from Brookpark to Cleveland ownership. That is one of the reasons the OGCA is in a new location.

Every time you move a show to another location, the show takes a hit on membership and attendance, along with tableholder participation. This is a fact that has proven itself out over the past 25-30 years. It takes a long time to rebuild participation and interest. A major factor is the lack of younger collectors, both female and male to take up where we leave off. Another factor is a location with large enough facilities that are user friendly (rest rooms, building configuration), hotels, restaurants,and ample parking. Another factor is the insurance industries willingness to provide liability insurance and whatever else is required.

Hope everyone who attended Tulsa had a great time. Don't forget OGCA is the weekend of November 10-11, 2007 in Wilmington, Ohio. Best regards, Bob

 

[7.62x54r]

Bob, the big difference between Ohio and Oklahoma is the Mason-Dixon Line. I would be very surprised to learn that any effort by a single politician in Tulsa would make any headway toward shutting down that show. The simple fact is that it draws a huge amount of money into the local economy and Southern politicians know that they people that vote for them own guns.

When you can walk into the hotel lobby carrying an uncased rifle and nobody bats an eye you know you're in a gun friendly area.

Ask Vic about the difference in boarding a plane in MI and OK when you're checking rifles.

BTW, I'm sorry I missed you at the show. Somebody said you were there and I got busy and didn't take the time to look you up.

 

[cpw]

I have left Tulsa with firearms handguns0 and everyone is bored and pays little attention. In the north, they act like I am trying to put something over on them.

 

[wjneal]

Taxes

The mayor wants to annex the fairgrounds because it is county property and outside the city so vendors don't pay the additional 3 cents sales tax. Our current mayor didn't ever see a penny that she didn't want to spend.

 

[cpw]

Typical politicians, they never get enough money