Boston, MA – The divestiture of events by dmg world media continued into August with the announcement that the venerable Boston Gift Show had been acquired by Urban Expositions.
Terms of the transaction between Urban Expositions and GLM, a division of dmg, were not revealed, although the deal announced August 1 took effect immediately.
The 161st annual Boston Gift Show will take place March 28-31, 2009 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. The event is expected to draw roughly 500 exhibitors and 7,000 attendees. The 2008 show had an exhibit area of 59,625 net square feet according to dmg.
The announcement came a week after the blockbuster sale of the dmg portfolio of 38 home shows in the U.S. and Canada to Marketplace Events, a newly created division of Stephens Capital Partners LLC, an affiliate of the Arkansas investment banking firm Stephens Inc. The shows had been on the block since last Fall.
Alan Steel, executive vice president of dmg, said the new management had plenty of experience in the industry and would ensure that the Boston exhibitors would be in good hands. “Their nearly 15-year history within the industry represents trade show management expertise, in-depth knowledge of the gift industry and a proven track record of superior customer service,” Steel said.
Urban Expositions was founded in the Atlanta area in 1995 and organizes gift shows in Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Orlando and other cities. It also runs the National Lawn & Garden Show in Wheeling, IL, Birdwatch America, Material World and Technology Solutions in Miami Beach.
“We are looking forward to extending our regional market niche to Boston and the New England area,” said Doug Miller, president of Urban Expositions. He added that his company’s sales, marketing and buyer relations staff would ensure a smooth transition and additional product offerings for their Boston customers.
Reach Alan Steel at (914) 421-3200 or alan_steel@glmshows.com; Doug Miller at (678) 285-3976 or dmiller@urban-expo.com
