Jim, maybe I can help Jess answer your question about the cost of entering a
vehicle at the gun show this weekend. Actually $15 is pretty cheap in the
gun show circuit for a display only item. I'm the past president of the
Alabama Gun Collectors Association, one of the oldest in the southeast. We
sponsor three shows annually in Birmingham at the civic center. The cost of
the hall rental and insurance for events of this nature has gone up
exponentialy. Our February 1999 show cost us $6,000 to rent the hall; the
July 99 show cost $9,000; the October 99 show $12,000; the February 2000 show
$16,000; July 2000 show $20,000 and our most recent show in October 2000 we
had to pay a $16,000 "deposit". They'll let us know the final cost later.
This is just for the rent of the civic center and the table rental. These
are all shows of basically the same size 700-800 tables. Display Only Tables
(where you can not sell anything - just display for education) have risen
from $8 each to $20 each (and will probably have to go up yet again). Sales
tables have gone from $25 each to $45 each (and will probably have to go up
yet again).
The general attitude and environment is "against" the gun show - militaria
groups. the cost is getting totally out of hand on these events. The AGCA is
considering buying our own building just so we can host shows and events of
this nature.
We of the Dixie Division MV Club attend the gun show with at least one of our
groups HMV on display. We always get a good crowd and interest from the
public. Last October we had a M422A1 Mighty Mite on display.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 01 2000 - 21:37:51 PST