Rosemont, IL – The Chicagoland Outdoors Show has been sold to Show Manager John Lewinski who plans to take steps to expand the annual event. Lewinski acquired the show from Reed Exhibitions last month and will keep it at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
“This is a great suburban location that serves the Chicago area and southern Wisconsin,” Lewinski said. “The show has been running here for years and has always been the big show for this market.” The event lately has been heavy on exhibitors from the sportfishing industry, and an early order of business for the new management will be expanding its other categories for outdoor enthusiasts. “It is primarily a fishing show that once had a more significant hunting and camping component,” Lewinski said. “We are going to try to bring those segments back in.”
The show has been slipping in size in recent years, and Lewinski said he wanted to offer some different attractions to the show in order to draw a wider audience. He was in the process of talking to exhibitors to “find out what the issues are.” Another change will be moving the dates for the 2008 show to Jan. 16-20 so it doesn’t conflict with other outdoor events in the area earlier in the month.
Reach John Lewinski (203) 402-7255 or jlewinski@chicagolandsportshow.com
