Vote evokes unanimity
By Maria Weiskott -- Gifts and Dec, 4/21/2005 12:00:00 AM
NEW YORK—The industry spoke to itself and listened carefully.
In its unanimous vote Tuesday to keep the American International Fall Toy Show in New York City, the Toy Industry Association’s board of directors came to terms with what its organization as a whole needed, as well as what a piece of itself needed too.
“And that’s a really good thing for the industry,” one insider tells playthings.com, noting that now the International Toy Center’s tenants association and the TIA will have to work together more closely.
“We’re pleased that we reached a result,” Arnie Rubin, TIA board chair told playthings.com following the day-long meeting in Los Angeles, noting the vote was unanimous.” And it’s one that meets our strategic plan as well,” he added. “What we want is to have the best possible show for our industry,” said Rubin, who is also CEO and president of Funrise Toy Corp.
The ITC tenants, many of whom are also TIA members, were facing "homelessness," at the same time the TIA was researching moving the fall show out of New York for lack of a venue following sale of the ITC.
Thanks to negotiations with the building’s new owner—the Chetrit Group—this year’s fall show, scheduled for October 24 and 25, will remain in the toy building, while the TIA and the tenants association will work together to keep the fall show in New York indefinitely.
Housing for future shows—which would include a building with showrooms for current ITC tenants and prospective tenants—is now on the front burner.
Tom Arbuckle, managing director, MHP Commercial Brokerage Services—which is representing the tenants association with Cushman & Wakefield—tells playthings.com that there are several options.
“There are at least three developers that are willing to develop a new center from the ground up,” he says, noting that the locations include areas halfway from Hudson Yards to the downtown district.
Additionally, Arbuckle says there are nine landlords “willing to make a deal,” and requests for proposals have been sent to them. Originally, there were 10 landlords with appropriate locations. All the properties are on the West Side below 40th Street to the downtown area of the city.
The location of the TIA’s February show—American International Toy Fair—beyond 2006 is still on the table.
“This should be a very interesting ToyCon,” said one observer, noting that the issue of the February show will be discussed. The annual event will be held next month, May 20-21, in Phoenix. To date, New York City, Orlando, Fla., and Atlanta have been named as possible locations.
Over the past year, under the leadership of Barry Shapiro—the TIA’s director of trade shows—the association has been exploring possible venues. The idea to possibly move the February show out of New York City was announced at ToyCon last year.
“This will probably be the most important and exciting ToyCon in TIA history,” Arbuckle said. “The TIA has demonstrated that the tenants were heard. Now it is up to everyone else to show up and make sure their ideas are collected.”
—With reporting by Brent Felgner
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