Since announcing AIMExpo’s move to Columbus, Ohio for the 2017 show, we’ve been fortunate to have received a LOT of feedback about it. To no one’s surprise, powersports as an industry is not afraid to share what it’s thinking, and we appreciate your input!
At its core, AIMExpo is the place for the entire powersports industry to gather. It’s for companies that make and distribute powersports products or provide services to the industry; the dealers that sell those products; the consumers who buy the products and the media that reports on all of it.
As THE Powersports Expo, it’s the one place and time in North America that all those groups have invaluable face time with each other to network and conduct commerce.
So why the move? Orlando was chosen to launch this new national platform in 2013 because it provided many things we learned the industry was looking for: warm weather; fall timing; a great venue to showcase the industry; and honestly, a fresh start after the industry’s legacy show failed to energize the troops anymore.
Heading into year five, AIMExpo wants to keep the industry invigorated and remain fresh, which is one part of the answer to ‘Why Columbus.’ But there are other key reasons, as well.
Central to the move is that Columbus is, well… Central! Motorcycle Industry Council research reports that 41% of America’s powersports dealers are within 500 miles, or a day’s drive, making it easier for more dealer staff to affordably attend. Road trip!
For everyone else, there’s 150+ daily non-stop flights from 33 destinations across the USA. The downtown show location, an area of the city that has been completely revitalized, is only 10 minutes, or a $10 Uber ride from the airport.
A key aspect of the downtown Columbus location is the ease of networking after show hours. One of the challenges of Orlando’s large convention ‘campus’ was finding where the industry was hanging out after the show.
Directly related to that was having the hotels spread over a wide footprint requiring shuttles. With more than 2,000 hotel rooms connected to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and a total of 4,000 rooms less than a 10-minute walk, no shuttles are required.
Immediately adjacent to the convention center is Columbus’ Short North Arts District featuring a wide range of restaurants, bars, artisan coffee and boutique shops. They all are easy walking distance, including a craft-brew trail!
In Orlando, AIMExpo was usually one of a number of different conventions taking place at the same time. The modern Greater Columbus Convention Center is perfectly sized for AIMExpo to fill up the entire exhibition space, meaning there will be no other conventions in town competing for restaurant tables or bar stools!
In other words, the powersports industry is going to OWN THE TOWN! If there was one aspect about prior years in Indy that attendees said they missed, owning the town was it. (Weather, not so much…)
The new dates of September 21-24 assure the best weather yet for AIMExpo. Average day/night temps of 77/56, and September being the year’s second driest month mean low humidity and great opportunity for test rides at AIMExpo Outdoors!
It also means great weather to ride to AIMExpo, for both dealers and consumers. Mid- to late-September dates also eliminate conflicts with Biketoberfest and Monster Energy Cup.
Finally, with Ohio and surrounding states being large powersports vehicle ownership states, AIMExpo will host a large consumer audience over the weekend dates of September 23-24.
If you’re a dealer and want to gain some market intelligence, be sure to visit the show on Saturday and Sunday to see which products are garnering the most interest from consumers.
With so many compelling reasons for Columbus as 2017’s AIMExpo location, the real question becomes – ‘Why Not Columbus?’ Don’t forget to register. Free dealer registration is now open at www.aimexpousa.com.
See everyone in Columbus in September!
