Newton, MA – Questex announced the acquisition of Oxford Publishing, Inc., the Mississippi company that produces The Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show, a major Las Vegas event that is known informally as The Show. It is billed as the fastest-growing food and beverage show in the Western Hemisphere.
It was the eighth acquisition for Questex, which was founded in April 2005. Terms of the deal were not announced.
Oxford’s executive team will remain located in Mississippi and will continue to manage the operation of The Show as part of the Questex Hotel & Hospitality Division. “We are looking forward to combining our resources and working together to drive the growth of the business in the beverage, food, nightclub, bar and restaurant industries through trade shows and live events, print, digital and mobile media,” said Questex CEO Kerry Gumas.
Gumas said The Show will be co-located next year with Questex’s HotelWorld Expo and Conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center Feb. 24-27, 2008. The Show draws around 800 exhibitors annually and more than 38,000 attendees, according to Oxford. It consists of three events: the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show, the International Restaurant Show–Las Vegas and the International Coffee and Tea Expo.
In addition to ,The Show Oxford has published Nightclub & Bar Magazine for more than 20 years and also operates the Nightclub.com Web site. Its event portfolio includes a version of the Nightclub & Bar Convention in Atlantic City and Nightclub & Bar Expo Mexico.
Questex media properties include 81 magazines and e-newsletters; 84 websites; and 45 conferences, trade shows and events.
Reach Kerry Gumas at (617) 219-8300 or kgumas@questex.com; Oxford CEO Ed Meek at (662) 236-5510 or ed@oxpub.com
