 Outside the Las Vegas Convention Center buyers will get an up-close look of the vehicle and market trends that currently resonate with automotive enthusiasts. |
By Jason Catullo
The halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center are pushed to capacity each year as the products, vehicles and people that drive the specialty-equipment industry come together at the SEMA Show. While there is an abundance of innovative new products and top-level manufacturers within the halls, outside the convention center provides buyers a glimpse of the vehicle and market trends that currently resonate with automotive enthusiasts.
The 2013 Show will also feature an expanded floorplan that extends exhibit space into the Las Vegas Hotel (LVH). Here is what buyers can expect as they walk the new areas in the LVH and explore the outside parking lots of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Las Vegas Hotel
- First-Time and Featured Exhibitors
The SEMA Show features two First Time & Featured Exhibitors sections—one in the South Hall of the LVCC and the other in the LVH. The sections were created for first-time exhibitors as well as exhibitors displaying products typically found in other sections of the Show. Product categories found in this section cover the entire range of products found throughout the entire Show but with the added convenience of being located in one area. Buyers looking for new business opportunities and to get connected with companies they may not be as familiar with should set time aside to visit this section of the Show.
- SEMA Show Registration
Online registration for the 2013 is available at www.SEMAShow.com/register. Those buyers who register now save $50 and will have their badges mailed to them in advance of the Show, for buyers who did not plan ahead, the first stop will be SEMA Show Registration. The fee for onsite registration is $75. The SEMA Show badge permits you to enter both AAPEX and the SEMA Show.
- Toyo Treadway
When heading between South and Central halls, take advantage of the Toyo Treadway. It is the most convenient path between South and Central halls, placing buyers in the middle seciton of each. The Toyo Treadway is designed to keep traffic moving and help buyers experience more of the SEMA Show.
- Ford Out Front
Ford's crop of star drivers and racing vehicles heat up the pavement at the Ford Out Front exhibition, providing buyers with a look at various forms of motorsports and driving styles that put the latest equipment—from both Ford and specialty-equipment manufacturers—to the test in this interactive performance setting.
- GM Proving Grounds
For additional dynamic racing action, the GM Proving Grounds between the Central and South Halls includes the Chevy Drive feature, where buyers can hitch a ride with professional drivers. This outside attraction is yet another way that buyers can get interactive and witness today's products under the stress of real-world action.
- 2013 DUB Show Tour
The DUB Show Tour brings the image and the lifestyle trends of its namesake to life with the latest cars and trucks modified in true DUB fashion. In addition to the style, craftsmanship and care that are evident in the creation of these vehicles, buyers will also see the latest car care techniques and products used to maintain these extraordinary vehicles.
- SEMA Cruise
On Friday, at the conclusion of the Show, the display cars are driven out of the convention center creating a parade of rolling art and style. Known as the SEMA Cruise, buyers are provided with one last chance to see the vehicles that provide the shine to the industry as they drive off, signifying the official end of another SEMA Show.
More tips and suggestions on how buyers can get the most from the Show will be available in upcoming issues of SEMA eNews. In addition, all of the information will also be presented during an upcoming SEMA webinar, "Are You Ready for the SEMA Show," that will be held October 10, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (PDT).