2008 Pumper & Envir. Show-Louisville

[Darcyo]

Hello!

Just a note to say the Expo Center part of the show was good. I don't
exactly know where the balance of communication went from there!
The Louisville Visitors group failed badly in doing there part of communicating
to the businesses that we were a large group coming to town for the
1st time. We experienced bad service all over & 95% of the other show
visitors that we talked to said the same. The restaurants - bars ran out
of basic type foods - beers - not to mention lack of staff to wait on the
paying customers. Most businesses said they were told that approximately
7,000 people would be here for this event - wrong! We had to wait for
over 1 to 2 hrs. to get food. The skywalk system was locked at 9:45 pm
in a 3 block area as we left the downtown area to head back to our hotel.
We then had to walk outside. The signs showed the skyway would be open
until 10 pm daily. In general most of the restarants-bars were ill prepared & the general feeling was they didn't want to hear about it. Many people
got up & left as the service was so slow with the lack of waitresses or waiters
also compound with the attitude (if you don't like it leave!). Many
visitors had to wait well over an hr. to get rides back to their hotels
after the Jeff Foxworthy show downtown (their hotels were by the airport area). Everything was too spread out!

We got so frustrated that we spent extra money to get our flights changed
from Sun. am to Sat. am to get out of there. I know we won't go back
to Louisville! We can call our suppliers & still get the best pricing.

Please send in your feelings on the 2008 Show in Louisville!

Darcyo

[sewerdude1]

I agree with everything that has been said so far! Some of the things that put a foul taste in my mouth was the busing. We missed more than half the Foxworthy show because we went back to the motel to unload all the bags of goodies we got at the show. By the time we got back the fancy yellow buses were done runing and no one could tell us what to do. We were among several groups of people with the same delema. We finnally went way over to the place where the Big & Rich show was and at least some one there could tell us how to get a taxi. $25.00 taxi ride got us there in time to hear the red neck jokes.

I go to the show to go on vacation too! This was no vacation! We had to eat in a great big dirty hall. As opposed to the nice resteraunts at Nashville. I still had to pay the big money to eat lunch but I had to wait in line get a stupid token and eat cold food at a dirty table. YUK!

Standing in line for Big & Rich could have been really bad if it was raining or much colder. The Nashville experiance is so much better. I took a key employee to the show this year... To impress him with our industry... He was no more impressed with it than any of the many that he talked to.

I say go back to nashville or go someplace warm! Don't think I will be going back to Louisville any time soon.

[yspring]

Wow... makes me glad I missed it this year!

[Trent]

I'd bet they are locked into a contract for the hall for a few years at least. I'm glad I didn't go too.

[COLE_Jeff]

I appreciate all of the feedback we've gotten on the show so far. Realize the new venue was a change for all of us.

The basic misunderstanding seems to be that we chose to leave Opryland. The truth is, the show simply will not fit in that facility. It started when the Opryland made the decision to make the exhibit hall smaller by converting more than 25,000 sq.ft. of prime exhibit space into meeting rooms. With exhibit halls and Ballrooms we had 380,000 sq.ft. of available exhibit space in Nashville. We used 640,000 square feet this year. That leaves us 260,000 square feet short. The Opryland has 2,700 rooms. Our exhibitors and attendees utilize more than 9,000 rooms. That means every year 5,000 companies stay somewhere other than Opryland.

The Opryland is a small community within itself. Lending attendees an experience that never gets them outside the doors of its facility. You don't see crime or cold weather, because you never leave. You don't have bad service at a particular restaurant (though I have) because they know what to expect based on room capacity. For the past several years, long lines and waiting lists were the norm during peak show. I can guarantee you there were several years when the Opryland had some of the poorest service of any hotel in the nation. Many of the long-time attendees should be able to recall those days.

Most if not all stayed in the Opryland and never visited downtown Nashville. I submit that Louisville and Nashville share very similar downtown attractions and atmospheres. I'd like to hear from past attendees who stayed in downtown Nashville.

In Louisville we offered free bussing. I promise we will work on making the bussing a better service in upcoming years. There is always the option of a rental car, your own car, or a taxi. The bussing was included with your $40 pre-registration. All of the alternatives would certainly cost you more over the course of the whole show, or even for a single day.

We offered a show by Jeff Foxworthy for the same $40 pre-registration rate. Jeff's next public performance will be in May, in Toronto, Canada. The least expensive ticket is $153, the most expensive ticket is well over $200.

Big & Rich gave a private concert for everyone on Saturday evening. During last summer's national tour, the average ticket price to see Big & Rich was more than $80. Some of these were events where more than 50,000 people may have been in attendance. Our venue was private seating for 8,000. Again, all for the $40 pre-registration rate.

We offered 640,000 square feet of exhibits in Louisville. The WEFTEC show coming up this October in Chicago offers a one day admission pass for $60 -- if you purchase it in advance. This event shares similar equipment to the Pumper & Cleaner Expo. The pass for exhibits only, for the full show is $135. Again, our $40 pre-registration rate got you into the exhibit hall for the full show.

The 2008 Pumper & Cleaner Expo offered more than 60 educational sessions included with your $40 pre-registration. At WEFTEC, a full pass that will allow you to attend educational classes will be $725 in advance or $825 at the door. The WEFTEC show offers limited transportation, no concert, no comedians, yet cost 20 times more. WEFTEC is considered a leading show in this industry.

Fortunately most of the 17,000 plus people who were at the show in Louisville had an overall good experience, and though they may have had some issues, they appreciate the effort and value that this show represents.

We have always taken the opinions of our exhibitors and attendees VERY seriously. It took nearly 30 years to make Nashville the experience we all remember. This was our first show in Louisville. We won't stop until we get it right. We need your feedback, we want your feedback, and we promise to continue to make the Pumper & Cleaner Expo an event you will all feel is a great value and an important part of this industry.

[graywater8]

The show was different. We stayed at the executive west no wait for the food, it was also good. I do still prefer nashville but change is good. It is always a vacation when i do not have to answer the phone for a few days. One thing i noticed was that in nashville at times exhibitors only talked to u if u had a suit or i should say made more of an attempt to talk to u. This year it felt that i had more time to talk and exhibitors came to u. Maybe just that many people did not come. Made some changes and added more service to the company got good feedback from others. That is the reason i go every year well hope everyone has a better time next year. The music shows are always a wait werever u go. It did alright for a first time can only get better. Nashville i had to wait for the food, crowded. louisville got a token got the food, miss the scenic opryland. Louisville will learn how to accomodate us.

[port-a-jon]

sorry yall had a bad experience. My wife, son and daughter in law, and their two kids all went up on sunday to make a vacation out of it. only had one bad meal overall.we stayed at the springhill suites and had outstanding rooms compared to opryland. they shuttled us over in their van so the grandkids didnt have to stand in the cold, even picked us up. the exhibit hall made the show.sure there was a problem with the $$$ of the food at the show,but have you went to a rodeo,baseball game or football game lately. all the concessions are extremely high in any venue. yes there needs to be some improvement at the show. we went to several museums,shopped, and even went snow skiing( for folks from texas this was great).

john

[garrison]

We had a great time at the show, yes it was spread out but we preplanned to get back to the hotel then go to the shows. When we had to wait two hours we went to the next resturante if we did not want to wait just like did in Nashville. All the places we went to downtown were very friendly & knew we were coming and happy to have us.

I think with the larger venue it spread out the crowd so the vendors weren't overwhelmed by us.

I do empathize with those that always went ever year and were able to get a room at Operyland and had a plan year after year. We alternated with other vacations so we were last minute on making the trip to Nashville and where used to shuttles or driving around. Nashville will always be my favorite town of the two but we found many neat things to do outside the show in Louisville.

[Envirodon]

Jeff, you've made a great point that needs not be ignored. Cole Publishing has over the years provided a great venue and value in hosting the International Pumpers and Cleaners Convention. The point that it is a great comparative value in not in dispute over the Louisville show. I hope you and others at Cole are not turning a deaf ear to what is being expressed in these posts.

Yes we had a great deal more space for exhibitors. At what cost? The patrons had to pay with additional time to see less exhibits. The greatest value to patrons (to me) is in the networking I am able to do in the non planned show events (lunch, drinks after the show, sitting over coffee in the AM with colleagues) The Louisville event by the nature of it's layout actually subconsciously discouraged this.

The education day was again plentiful... At what cost? The decision had to be made what classes to attend. (A great problem to have) The presenters were faced with untrained audio visual personnel. Hearing in most of the back area of classrooms was almost impossible. The rooms were set up for very close seating, making access and egress difficult at best. When between classes of interest, no relaxation places near classrooms were available. Going back to ones room, was a challenge at best and the show floor was unavailable.

The entertainment was great I am a big Jeff Foxworthy fan, but I come to the show to see the industry and it's changes. If the show is going to become a party only atmosphere, count on me attending other events and saving my $1,000.00 per attendee I have to spend to get us there.

All in all I would rate this show a "C-" We can do better. I left early too. I do miss Nashville JMHO

[rolfejr]

As a fairly new member of the community ( 4th Expo ) I saw Nashville at it's finest. All the bugs were worked out and everyone knew where to go and when to be there. Not everyone stayed at the Opryland, I personally stayed at the Hilton downtown two of those years, not wanting to drink and drive, and found it to be quite a change from the overpriced drinks and food at the Opryland.

What I heard in Louisville was a lot of people comparing, unfairly, the two venues on their first visit to Louisville.

A few of my observations, first on the Exposition center

1. The show venue is far superior from a show only standpoint. Easier to navigate, easier to walk, and easier to remember where your at.

2. The show venue was far from superior for comfort surrounding the show, food court disastrous, bathrooms atrocious (and we are experts in this field), and availabilty of comfortable areas to network limited. These items can easily be rectifed, as now we can see our challenges

3. The proximity of hotels and convenience of access is simply not up for change or discussion. There are very few, if any, hotels that can accomodate a show of this size with floor space and hotel rooms. Something has to give, the attendees will decide in the long run.

4. Food. The nice thing about the Opryland was the availabilty of so many food choices, at all times, in so many places. There were waits and lines there as well, but it was so spread out you did not have a reference point. This will be tricky at the Exposition Center and will require a bit of imagination. But the Token program has got to go. To wait in two lines to get food is out of the question and we would not do that. Thank goodness for the overpriced brats! Most of the attendees do not expect a sit down meal so maybe more food booths around and within the show and the lobby would create the same type of atmosphere.The limited availabilty of breakfast type foods and hot tea on education day in Louisville had the boss a bit antsy.

5. Education Day, 5 minutes to sit down, 5 minutes to settle down, 5 minutes to sound check the wireless, 30 minutes of high speed power points, 5 minutes of others gearing up to grap a certificate of attendance on a subject they could not possiby have absorbed because they spent 5 minutes turning off their cell phones !!! Not quite that bad but you get the picture.

PLEASE, fewer subjects with more substance. Thank you !

Louisville

Whenever you go to a new town you ask the same questions, where is the best local food, how about the live music, museums, brothels, etc .....

A better guide to the local spots with a proximity map would helpful. One mans 1/2 block is another mans MILE ! Perhaps a show sponsored guide with some specials at the locals. The guide to Louisville that the Convention folks passed out is nothing more than and advertisement and very difficult to maneuver in a new city. With a bit of effort everyone can find the Irish pubs on Bardstown Rd.

We stayed on 7th and Main downtown at one of the best hotels we have ever been in, The 21 C, and had to eat there everynight because we weren't familiar with the area. Awesome food though ! Later found out that Fourth St Live had more than a mechanical bull !
We were fortunate to know our way around Nashville and many of the attendees had their favorite haunts from over the years, this will take some time in Louisville.

Louisville is not that different from Nashville. We simply need to learn from this year and make next year better. That's how the Nashville show got to be the jewel that it was and Louisville can be.


Thanks to Cole for this forum and the show !!!!
Rolfe Garrett
Robyn's Septic Service

[COLE_Jeff]

You can be assured we are certainly listening to these comments. That is how we continually improve the show. Before we even returned from Louisville we were aware of most of these problems and already had changes and plans in place to make 2009 better. Keep them coming, we are CERTAINLY listening!

Thanks!
Jeff

[yspring]

To clarify my (brief) post earlier, this year was just a bad year and I wasn't able to go. I did miss seeing all the exhibits and was very sorry I missed Jeff Foxworthy! I've been involved with planning events (although not NEARLY this big) and any time there is a change, folks complain. In fact, no matter what you do, folks complain. All you can do is learn from mistakes and make it better next year. Sounds like the folks at Cole have a list to go from already. Better than that, it sounds like they're already working on those problems.

I know how hard you folks work to put this on. Thank you and I hope to see you next year.

[Trent]

Now if you could just move Kentucky closer to Oregon......:D

[graywater8]

after reflecting the two, Nashville the inside atrium was nice other than that i remember waiting out side to get back to the room or going to the show was a wait everytime upto 25 min, louisville waited 6 min bus went directly to motel everytime easy to get to louisville not like nashville road construction. also at nashville stores ran out of things food, beer.dirty areas even a toilet that was overflowing in a area with 10,000+ cleaner and pumpers I think louisville will make a good home for us pumper cleaners. For a first time they did pretty good and I think it will be much better in time to come. I am not much into the entertainment but i heard someone mention a time for owner operators to get togeather and talk and share ideas that would be something interesting other than that good show thanks cole pub and the city of louisville see u next year...

[Jason@Excel]

While this was my first year for the Pumper Show, I have seen my share of conventions. And considering this is our industry and everyone will automatically be attached and bias about feeling "their" convention is the best, I would have to say there is certainly room for improvement. Maybe it the fact that this was the first year in Louisville... I'm not sure.

I had no issues with food outside of the show, but inside it was terrible. Period, end of story. Terrible.

Secondly, I was scared to go into the bathroooms. I'm pretty sure I developed hepatitis even though I did all I could to avoid them. I know I wasn't the only one who considered just hopping in and taking care of business in one of the porta-potties across from our booth.

Lastly, the town is extremely spread out and it takes away much of the opportunties to do what you'd like. We didn't get to partake in any of the entertainment activities because there wasn't time to go from the show, back to the hotel, and then to see something before it started. Where we stayed, just wasn't happening.

I'm partially biased, but if a new location is considered, Indianapolis would be a fitting location, and close to where it's been held before. The current convention center is large enough to hold this group, and the new center currently under construction would be bigger and better. Everything in downtown is within walking distance, it's only 5 minutes to get from the convention center to the mall downtown, which has many of the restaurants and entertainment right there. The expo area in Louisville was at least a 10 minute drive to downtown Louisville, and that's if you have a car. Who knows how long it took some people who rode the busses. Busses would be eliminated in Indianapolis. As well as the concerns for bad services because it is a town built for conventions. They can handle Final Four's, FFA conventions, and soon a Super Bowl. I think it could easily manage the Pumper Show, and the Pumper Show would fit right in.

[KPToilets]

I considered going to the Nashville conventions a family event. We used it as our vacation for the year. If/When I go back to Lousiville, it will be a business trip and I will go alone, and probably for one day only.

Also, it was hard to find my way around the convention center itself. Even with the map, I kept having to backtrack. It was more exhibitor oriented and not attendee oriented. The buses took much longer than in Nashville, I generally had to wait the entire 30 min, and I have a hard time believing I jsut kept missing the bus. It was difficult to break your day up between the convention and anything else, like activities with my family.

Any of the activities in the liturature we were given we either 21+ or for families with older (like teenage) children or outside. Who is going to the Zoo at the end of Feb? It was 45 degrees and raining. I dont expect you to plan my vacation, but a little help in a new town would be great :)

Basically the way I feel is that it was set up so that until the doors closed for the day, the only real option was going to the convention and that made me feel almost trapped(good for exhibitors). The area is so scattered that finding something else on our own was almost impossible or took to long to get there it wasn't worth trying to go.

I understand that there will be more than a few growing pains with this switch, and I have faith in Cole Publishing to fix most of them.