Off-Price Show Moves to Sands
MAGIC International has a new neighbor in Las Vegas—the Off-Price Specialist Show.
The show has moved from its temporary tented location outside of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino to the Sands Expo & Convention Center, where it will remain for at least the next four years, according to Tom Metsa, senior vice president and general manager of the Off-Price Specialist Center.
“The response from the exhibitors has been extremely positive,” said Metsa. “Being in a major indoor facility and running three days concurrent with the WWDMAGIC show in the same facility is exciting for everyone. Finding a permanent indoor facility has been an exhibitor request for some time.”
The Off-Price show’s new location is the first floor of the Sands, just one floor down from where WWDMAGIC takes place. Metsa said that such close proximity to MAGIC International will help draw buyers.
“Buyers are very enthusiastic,” he said. “It will be very easy for the buyers who attend MAGIC to now spend more time at the Off-Price show. We have seen a dramatic increase in buyer pre-registration since the move was announced, and everyone is expecting a large attendance increase due to the proximity of MAGIC.”
The former location of the Off-Price show was near the WWIN (Womenswear in Nevada) show and shared some of the foot traffic with that show. The move will benefit the Off-Price show by providing it with a permanent facility. Still, WWIN organizers see no downside for their show.
“It won’t affect our traffic,” said Jeff Yunis, owner of Specialty Trade Shows, which produces WWIN. “It didn’t help out traffic [and] it won’t detract from our traffic. If anything, it will keep the sightseers out.”
WWIN held successful shows at the Rio for two years without having the Off-Price show nearby, said Yunis, who added, “We knew all along it was a temporary deal at the Rio, because they were in a tent.”
Yunis underscored the difference in the two shows and the different buyers each show attracts. According to Yunis, Off-Price show buyers often stopped by the WWIN show but inquired about discounted merchandise.
“Our show is like MAGIC,” he said. “It’s not people looking for bargains; it’s people looking for current merchandise, and they are willing to pay full price for it.”The Off-Price Specialist Show will open on Feb. 17, two days prior to MAGIC’s opening, and will run through Feb. 21.
The Off-Price show is also working with the Rio to move the room block to the vicinity of the Sands. Organizers will run shuttles between the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands during show days that coincide with MAGIC.
The Off-Price Specialist Center produces the Off-Price Specialist Show twice a year in Las Vegas and twice a year in New York.
