Baltimore Riots Cancel Access Tradeshow

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Brian Rhodes
Apr 28, 2015
IPVMU Certified

The ongoing riots in Baltimore have forced the Door and Hardware Institute to cancel the group's biggest convention tradeshow of the year, originally scheduled from April 29th - May 1st:

While not an inconvenience to many (at least on the scale of ISC West or ASIS), this has been a big show for the door/door hardware market in the past. It's easy to imagine that a fairly sizable amount of money has been lost as a result.

Do you think this is a panicked, or justified move for DHI?

JH
John Honovich
Apr 28, 2015
IPVM

I was just thinking about this for ESX, which is in Baltimore this June.

My gut is that DHI had to do it. Just too dangerous and lots of people would have cancelled anyway. You risk having a show with poor attendance and those that do attend getting hurt.

Cancel this way and they might even have some form of insurance to partly cover.

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Brian Rhodes
Apr 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

ESX2015 in Baltimore is trying to stave off doubts. Here's the email they sent today:

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JH
John Honovich
Apr 29, 2015
IPVM

That's a reasonable stance to take. It might be better by the end of June. If it is not, they can always cancel closer to the show.

This will likely have a negative impact on Baltimore conventions for many years to come.

U
Undisclosed #2
Apr 29, 2015
IPVMU Certified

It might be better by the end of June....

Agreed.  There are several thousand Sheriffs coming to town June 26...

Bucking the negativity, attendance is said to be skyrocketing... 

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JH
John Honovich
Apr 29, 2015
IPVM

Wow, the National Sherriff's Association is coming to Baltimore the same week as ESX!

Yikes, that's just asking for protests / riots....

U
Undisclosed #1
Apr 28, 2015

No comment on the whole mess.

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JH
John Honovich
Apr 28, 2015
IPVM

Probably not a place one wants to have a convention right now:

"He described how he and some Bloods members stood in front of stores that they knew were black-owned business, to protect them from looting and vandalism. He said they made sure no black youths, or reporters, were injured by rioters.

Instead, he said, they pointed the rioters toward Chinese- and Arab-owned stores."

U
Undisclosed #2
Apr 28, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Probably not a place one wants to have a convention right now.

Agree, though Baltimore is not a place one wants to have a convention ever.

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MW
Mike Weymer
May 17, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Ya, Ill pass on that volitility and drama.

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