The WSA Show announced the decision to maintain existing dates and locations for the February 2008 show. The show, in the three-day format which will begin in August, will take place as scheduled Feb. 21-23, 2008 at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center and The Sands Expo Center.

The Collections at WSAtm will be held at The Venetian Resort Hotel, as usual. Research is still underway to determine whether this luxury show-within-a-show will remain at four days or change to the three- day format of the rest of the show.

Recently, the company indicated it was reviewing alternatives that would allow the show to occur earlier in the season, but lack of anchor sites made any change impossible.

“The conflicts in site arrangements were overwhelming. If we had changed the dates, we would have had to scatter the show across Las Vegas, and that would be unacceptable for both our exhibitors and our retailers,” confirmed Diane Stone, chief operating officer of The WSA Show. “We explored virtually every alternative, including a ‘trade or buy’ with other show managers. Considering all the moving pieces, we had no choice but to operate on the existing dates.”

Stone noted that the company had also surveyed major retailers and independents to determine reactions; the vast majority did not find the later dates a problem.

“The independents told us they foresee no impact from the later dates,” Stone reported. “For the majors, we had a variety of responses: One said ‘the late date does not worry me’ while another said “we will still come to WSA because…your show gives us the opportunity to see what’s new and fresh.’ Retailers believed the late dates would prove beneficial to the market for juniors, comfort and potentially other market segments.

“While we recognize that some sectors, such as athletic, may find the Feb. 21-23, 2008 dates more difficult, we hope there will be some balance struck with those sectors for which the later dates are a plus. We will certainly do everything possible to ensure that the show is as vibrant – if not more so – as the one that just completed. This is a one-time issue. We also want to remind our community that our February 2009 dates and beyond are more in line with the desired time frame in future years.”

The next WSA Show, scheduled for July 30 through August 1, will bring participants under one roof at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the first time. The Collections at WSA, running concurrently, will continue to reside at The Venetian in the four-day format, July 30-August 2.