Showfloor Buzz – June 15, 2020

EACA News

Clarifications/Next Steps with PPP. On Friday, June 19, the EACA will webcast a dicussion with our panel, including Tim Heffernan of T3 Expo, on the most recent developments with PPP.

The Payroll Protection Program (PPP) was initially signed into law on March 27 as part of the CARES Act.    The language in the legislation left many more questions than answers and has made it very challenging for companies to decide how to make best use of the funds obtained.   On Friday, June 5 the Payroll Protection Program Flexibility Act was signed into law to make adjustments to the original legislation.  But like in the case of the original law, this federal legislation also creates confusion and questions.

Today’s program will review all aspects of the PPP with Tim Heffernan of T3 Expo who was directly involved in the crafting of the legislation and who has much of the inside information as to what updates and changes may be in store.

Panelists include Tim Heffernan of T3 Expo, David Holloway of Eagle Management and Chris Griffin of CREW XP.

EACA Webcast Program. The EACA is webcasting weekly panel discussions with industry leaders on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Events Industry.   These programs take place every Friday at 1pm ET, 12pm CT and 10am PT.  All programs are live-streamed on the EACA Facebook page for those who want to attend live.  All programs are also recorded and posted to the EACA web site.  For more information on upcoming programs see the EACA Events Calendar.

Titles of past programs are:

EACA Message from LVCC.  Due to the current pandemic the Las Vegas Convention Center is suspending all EAC permit activity (renewal, insurance) until August 1, 2020.   Please contact the Convention Services department at 702-892-2860 should you have questions.

EACA Member Support

EACA Publishes Suggested Health & Safety Practices for Re-Opening Events.  As part of the collaborative effort with the IAEE Task Force, EACA developed its Health and Safety Suggested Practices for EACs which informed IAEE’s final document.   Click on the link provided to download the document.

Employco Webinar Offerings to Navigate the COVID-19 Crisis  Employco USA has put together additional webinars to assist EACA members as we all look to navigate the pandemic.  Offerings include:

  • PLANNING TO REOPEN YOUR WORKPLACE AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS SHUTDOWN
    • Review of federal, state, and local guidance
    • Guidance on a risk assessment of your building and processes
    • Tips to evaluate your workforce including an identification of returning and new employees
    • Key management tasks after reopening
  • MANAGING AND ENGAGING A REMOTE WORKFORCE
    • Best practices for employee logistics and technology
    • Guidance on the use of update policies
    • Recommendations for engaging and motivating remote workers

US Travel Assn. Releases Guidelines for Travel in the ‘New Normal’  <TSNN>  Taking a big step to chart a course forward, the U.S. travel industry recently submitted to the White House and governors a document containing detailed guidance for travel-related businesses to help keep their customers and employees safe as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Industry News

Kemp Issues Plan to Re-Open Conventions in Georgia.    Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia recently provided details on when and how conventions in Georgia can resume.

Effective July 1, a  convention may occur if it meets twenty-one specific safety, sanitation and distancing requirements established by the state in addition to the requirements for non-critical infrastructure entities.   The definition of convention ‘shall include exhibitions, trade shows, conferences and business retreats.”  The new rules come after Republican National Convention officials toured Savannah as a possible site for the party’s 2020 nominating convention, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

ExhibitorLive “Postponed”.  Citing public health and safety concerns, ExhibitorLive will not be holding its annual event at Mandalay Bay this August and has chosen to call the new dates (Feb 28 – March 4, 2021) for the ExhibitorLive2020 event a postponement.   All monies ExhibitorLive received (registration, sponsorships, exhibiting) for the 2020 event will be rolled over to the new dates.

IAEE Task Force’s Essential Considerations for Re-Opening Events.   On June 5, IAEE released its Essential Considerations for Safely Re-Opening Exhibitions and Events This document was the result of a collaborative effort of an industry Task Force that included EACA, EDPA, ESCA, IAVM, SISO, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.  These suggested guidelines were also greatly informed by the work of the CDC and the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) and their scientists and epidemiologists.

  

A Brief of List of Events Still on the Schedule.  While trade show professionals are all to painfully aware of event and exhibition cancellations there are, as of this writing, some events that are still on the schedule:

  • TX State GOP Convention            July 16-18                   George R. Brown, Houston
  • NMFT                                            Aug 11-12                    Baltimore CC, Baltimore
  • Clean Building Expo                      Aug 11-12                    Baltimore CC, Baltimore
  • Nat’l Hardware Show                     Sept. 1-3                     Las Vegas CC, Las Vegas
  • Seafood Expo/N.A.                        Sept. 22-24                  BCEC, Boston
  • ISC West                                        Oct. 5-8                        Sands CC, Las Vegas
  • SEMA                                             Nov. 3-6                        Las Vegas CC, Las Vegas
  • Pack Expo                                      Nov. 8-11                      McCormick Place, Chicago

All Upcoming Shows in the USA

But Significant Cancellations Continue.  Unfortunately the indication from Governor Kemp that conventions in Georgia can re-open as of July 1 it wasn’t in time to prevent the cancellation of the Int’l Woodworking Fair which had been scheduled to take place August 25-28 at the Georgia World Congress Center.   Other significant recent cancellations include:

  • ASAE           Aug. 8-11                        Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
  • IMTS           Sept 14-19                       McCormick Place, Chicago
  • IMEX.          Sept. 15-17                      Sands CC, Las Vegas
  • RSNA          Nov. 29 – Dec. 4               McCormick Place, Chicago