<html><head><style type="text/css"></style></head><body><div style="font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt">Jurgen,   FWIW, I would do whatever it takes to get to the exhibits--no matter where they are located!  This will be my first convention and, while I've already charted out full days of sessions to attend, the exhibit hall is virtually primary on my list to visit.  I am so sorry you and others will not be able to exhibit.  One of the selling points of this convention is the opportunity to see and discuss materials/tools that I don't have access to regularly.    You may pass this email on.   Richard Morgan <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: garamond, new york, times, serif"> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Original Message ---- From: Jurgen Goering <pianoforte@pianofortesupply.com> To: pianotech@ptg.org Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 2:06:11 AM Subject: Kansas City <DIV>Piano Forte Supply will not be exhibiting at the National Convention in Kansas City this year. The exhibit hall was sold out in 19 hrs, about 4 months before the event, and anyone who came later came too late.  I among others.  I am sorry for the many of you on this list who were counting on visiting my booth.  Needless to say, I am also disappointed at not being able to show all my new items. Responding to exhibitor complaints that not enough technicians were making their way over to the exhibit hall in 2005, the decision was made to move the exhibit closer to the main  convention activities.  However, the only room available is 40% smaller than the hall previously used.  I haven't yet fully understood how this can contribute to the biggest and best ever 50th annual convention. Home office told me that 120 booths could have been sold, but the exhibit hall only has room for about 70 booths. (The size of every booth had to be reduced by 20% to accommodate even this small number.)  So, at over $600 per booth, that amounts to a lost potential revenue of around $30,000 (!) for the convention.  I could imagine that with $30,000 a lot of enticements could have been afforded to draw technicians across the way into the the exhibit hall.  Let me see:  free food? how about caviar canapes, or perhaps a $1,000 door prize every hour of the exhibit?.... Maybe a grand piano as a prize?   I can't help but wonder if enough thought was given  to the drawing technicians to the large exhibit hall, instead of opting for the poor compromise of the smallest exhibit hall in years. (The breaks between sessions in '05 were far to short, for example) I don't know why there always seems to be such a huge problem surrounding the exhibit hall in the last few years.  I don't want to bring up past mistakes, but they were surely made, and one important lesson doesn't seem to sink in: a good exhibit hall is vital for the success of a convention - it draws technicians to attend.  I cannot count the number of technicians who were full of disappointment at the Rochester convention, saying to me that they would not have attended if they had known there would be only one tool and parts supplier from whom to purchase. I know many will be disappointed with the exhibit hall again this year.  It is a real pity. Oh, well, here's hoping for Burbank in 2008.  See you there! Jurgen Goering Piano Forte Supply <A href="http://www.pianofortesupply.com/" target=_blank>www.pianofortesupply.com</A></DIV></DIV> </DIV></div> <hr size=1>Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48245/*http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE1YW1jcXJ2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3LWNhcnM-">new cars at Yahoo! Autos.</a> </body></html>