Interbike is considering bringing the blueprint for its Las Vegas Outdoor Demo to the East Coast next fall. Show management hopes an East Coast Demo would attract retail stores and store employees who do not attend Interbike. Interbike has set tentative dates of Oct. 16-18, 2008, for the regional event. The first two days, Thursday and Friday, would be trade-only; Saturday would be open to the public.

Its proposed venue is Roger Williams Park, outside of Providence, Rhode Island. The location is easily accessible for retailers throughout the Northeast. The park features a historic casino built in 1897 that could host event registration, bag check, networking functions and NBDA seminars.

“I’m always trying to add a lot of menu options to the show; we want it to be meaningful to lot of different people,” said Lance Camisasca, group show director. “The East Coast Demo will have professional seminars, technical clinics, networking opportunities-a lot of the core things we do at the big show, but in a much more loose and inexpensive way.”

While the park doesn’t offer epic riding, Camisasca said it will allow retailers to test multiple categories, including utility bikes. Its convenient location also will draw consumers for the public day.

“If we do choose to do the public day, that location is going to play into that much better,” Camisasca said. “My only concern with this new event is making sure retailers aren’t going to feel uncomfortable with the consumer day. There is a bit of paranoia about the public actually knowing too much, even though all of that information is online anyway. We’re putting that question pretty strongly into the survey,” he added.

Interbike is gathering feedback from retailers and suppliers about the concept. It sent out a survey yesterday to retailers in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions to gauge interest. “The results we’re anticipating will be favorable to this event, but we don’t want to do anything without this survey,” said Camisasca, emphasizing that plans still are tentative.

But Camisasca said initial response from key customers has been positive. If industry support is strong and the event budget works, Interbike will commit to the regional event. If it decides to move forward, it will provide exhibitor materials and pricing information by Feb. 1.