As the first day of the 1997 SIA show is neatly tucked away, it’s obvious that it has been a quiet start in spite of the fact that over 23,000 people filled the Las Vegas convention center yesterday. Perhaps the mellow feel of the show is due to the minor booth shake-up which manufacturers and retailers are adjusting to this year.

Scenes from outside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In an attempt by the SIA and ski companies to create more foot traffic in the ski side, the traditional snowboard area (which was once known as the ghetto) is no longer. Instead larger companies like K2, Burton, Sims, and Mervin Manufacturing are now sharing the aisles of the convention center which was formerly dedicated to ski areas.

The SIA reported that the first day brought in 7,334 buyers, which was only a slight increase from last year. However, this must have been expected as a good number of buyers were able to get a lot of those first day appointments out of the way by attending the pre-show in Salt Lake in January.

This year there are 825 exhibitors total with 486 journalists covering it (that’s a lot of media hype). The SIA is expecting a showing of around 10,000 retailers. The SIA also reported that retailers are having a good season this year. Sales are up 18 percent (at least for the stores that SIA is able to audit) from last season, which they attribute to shaped skis. Could it also have something to do with how many ski shops are now carrying snowboards?

Well, whatever the reason, many snowboard manufacturers are happy to be receiving business as this year is rumored to be a crucial one for the future of many companies. Check out Snowboarding Online all week as we update you on the happenings live from the show.

SOL | Vegas Restaurant Guide 3.3.97

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