CBA Decides Less is More

By Lynn Garrett -- Publishers Weekly, 9/11/2007 12:11:00 PM

CBA, the association of evangelical Christian retailers, has unveiled plans for a winter meeting to replace the former CBA Advance, which was scrapped this past summer in response to protests over the expense of a second annual trade show. Called CBA Industry Conference, the two-and-half-day event will be held January 28-30 at the Indianapolis Marriott.

Unlike previous years, there will be no exhibit floor, and no retailer training sessions, which had traditionally preceded the opening of the exhibit floor. The Future of the Industry Conference, which had followed the close of the exhibit floor at the former CBA Advance, has been eliminated. All of this will result in a much smaller meeting.

There had been speculation in the Christian publishing community not only about the format of a revamped winter meeting, but also its location, since Indianapolis is not seen as an ideal location in January. “[W]hile we look forward to holding this event in warmer locations such as Miami, Phoenix, Austin, Houston, or San Antonio in future years, we needed to fulfill the commitments we made in Indianapolis several years ago for 2008,” CBA president Bill Anderson stated. He noted that the decision to hold the 2008 event in Indianapolis helped to reduce cancellation fees with hotels, since the scaled back show will mean needing fewer hotel rooms.

CBA said that in place of an exhibit floor, there will be a New Product Gallery of displays as well as hospitality suites for meetings and product presentations. “Retailers have consistently told us that their number one reason for attending any of our events is the opportunity to see new product,” Anderson said. Applications for suites and meeting spaces open October 1. Though program details have yet to be finalized, a statement issued yesterday by CBA said plans include presentations by “noted business experts” and opportunities for interaction and discussion by attendees.