BENTONVILLE, Ark. (BRAIN) — The industry will return to Las Vegas for a trade show for the first time since the 2017 when CABDA hosts its West event in the Nevada city next March.
CABDA's Jim Kersten said CABDA West, to be held at the Expo at World Market Center, will complement CABDA's shows in Chicago and the New York City area. But Kersten didn't sound opposed to turning CABDA West into something like a national show replacement for Interbike, which held its last Las Vegas show in 2017, followed by a 2018 show in Reno.
"I'd love to put on just one show, believe me," Kersten told BRAIN at the National Bicycle Dealers Association Retailer Summit in Bentonville on Wednesday, where he announced the Las Vegas show.
Still, Kersten said typically 90% of the attendees at CABDA's shows are from within a 5-hour drive of the venue. But it's not unusual for retailers from farther afield to fly in, and Las Vegas is a convenient flight destination from virtually anywhere.
"Las Vegas has been on my radar for years, it was a matter of finding an affordable way to hold it there. The World Market Center is a non-union event — key for keeping costs low. It's located off The Strip, between The Strip and the Las Vegas Downtown area.
While Kersten said he'd like to produce just one event, he remains a proponent of regional shows, which evolve to suit their regions — brands choose which show to attend based on their resources, market presence, and product emphasis. "I didn't see a single studded fat tire at the West show," Kersten said. "And I didn't see any beach cruisers at the Chicago event."
The 2025 CABDA calendar swaps directions: instead of progressing west to east as the series has in recent years, it will kick off January 15-16 with CABDA East in Meadowlands, New Jersey, followed February 12-13 by CABDA Midwest in Chicago, and then CABDA West in Las Vegas March 26-27.
Kersten said CABDA will release an official announcement with more details early next week, and will open exhibitor registration in mid-June.
Last week, LVSportsBiz reported that Emerald Expositions is talking to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority about potentially hosting an event there next May along with the L'Etape Las Vegas consumer event.
