The Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) is backing out of the Golf Industry Show after the 2010 event in San Diego, which will be held Feb. 10-11.
The move is due mostly to show partners’ selection of Las Vegas as the site of the 2012 event, according to a letter sent yesterday to CMAA members from president Michael Leemhuis, CCM.
GIS officials also announced the Las Vegas site selection yesterday. CMAA joined the GCSAA and NGCOA as a GIS presenting partner in 2007.
The decision to move the 2012 show to Las Vegas came after the 2009 show in New Orleans, said Jeff Bollig, GCSAA managing director of marketing and communications. After the 2009 show leaders from GIS's three presenting partners, GCSAA, NGCOA and CMAA, traveled to Las Vegas to review the location as a potential replacement for New Orleans.
“The partners came to an agreement to pursue Las Vegas, and shortly thereafter the CMAA expressed some concerns,” Bollig said. “They had to make a business decision, and we realize that.”
According to Leemhuis’ letter, the GCSAA board of directors this summer moved to cancel its 2012 conference and show scheduled for New Orleans despite penalties for breaking contracts, and asked CMAA to do the same. Breaking these contracts could have cost CMAA $300,000, the letter said.
GCSAA’s board believes the move will be better financially for the organization despite any penalties, Bollig said, though he declined to put a number on the anticipated penalties.
“We will more than make up for any financial penalties by our ability to negotiate down any contracts we’ve been able to arrange in Las Vegas,” he said.
“CMAA will not absorb such a large and unnecessary financial penalty,” the letter said. “Nor does it believe that a partnership can be built upon a lack of collaboration and cooperation,” it said, pointing to allegations that the GCSAA board was unwilling to meet in person with CMAA leadership before deciding to move its 2012 event.
“GCSAA in fact initiated a request for a face-to-face meeting with the CMAA board that was never responded to,” Bollig said, adding the GCSAA never received a request for such a meeting from the CMAA.
In a joint statement released yesterday, presenting partners GCSAA and NGCOA, and participating partners GCBAA, ASCGA, NGF and USGA noted their solidarity for the Golf Industry Show, support of the site selection process and enthusiasm for Las Vegas.
“We are excited to be heading to Las Vegas. The city has been identified as a desirable venue for the event by attendees and the exhibitors. We are firmly committed to the show and the process we’ve followed to make it a world-class event. We would be remiss if we did not express our appreciation to the CMAA for partnering to create the Golf Industry Show and collaborating to develop it into a key event for the golf industry. All the Golf Industry Show partners will continue to work with the CMAA on initiatives that make the game stronger."
The CMAA expressed a similar sentiment: “We will not let this separation adversely impact any other area of possible cooperation.”
The 2011 Golf Industry Show will be conducted in Orlando, Fla., as will be the CMAA’s World Conference and exposition.
What about 2013 and beyond – will Las Vegas permanently replace New Orleans on the GIS rota? “I don’t think anyone can say,” Bollig said. “In this climate the days where you plan conferences years and years out are over.”
