Several AR members have asked me "How did the convention do?" So, from the perspective of the convention chair, I thought I would let everyone know how we did...
In short, we had a record breaking convention, some of the highlights are:

1) Attendance was up 8% over the 2012 convention; over 40,000 people came through the doors.
2) The number of children (and future hunters) was up more than double from 2012; we had over 1900 children visit our convention (and this does not include the 300 plus students that were sponsored by Midway USA).
3) We had a record amount of square footage, a slight increase in the number of exhibitors and a substantial increase in the number of booths due to exhibitors adding extra booths.
4) We gained over 600 new members, many of whom are also AR members, I thank you for becoming a member.
5) We sold out the evening banquets every night.
6) We served over 4000 breakfasts to our exhibitors!
7) We had record breaking live and silent auctions,this will translate into more money to further our mission statement and this would not have been possible without the generous donations from our exhibitors and attendees raising their hand to buy these items at auction.
8) The Life Members Breakfast was a sell out, I'm sure in part due to the speaker, who was Chris Kyle, may he rest in peace.
9) The custom gunmakers section was a very nice addition...what incredible workmanship.

Now some odds and ends:
1) We were able to help with the Friday night AR dinner and were happy to do so.
2) We were pleased to provide a "meeting room" for the use of AR members during the convention.
3) My wife and I were delighted to have Judge G and his lovely wife as our banquet guests on Saturday night.
4) I regret I did not get to visit the AR meeting room (was a bit too busy) as I wanted to meet more of you; I was able to visit a bit with Jorge, Ivan Carter and Retreever...just not as much as I would have liked.
5) The Omni was great and how convienent it was to simply walk across a skybridge to enter the convention center, as I said last year, if you want to stay at the Omni...book early, reservations will be available on the DSC website starting March 1.

Finally, I want to personally thank each and everyone of you that attended our convention, the timing of the show was not the greatest but you still came. It could not be successful without you and our hundreds of volunteers. A special thanks to AR members who were also DSC volunteers: Dr Scott, Bwana Cecil and Ricardo.
I hope to attend the AR Friday night dinner next year, so y'all plan on coming back next January.

Karl Evans

I've been waiting on this.
Thanks for the results & for all your's & your wife's hard work.
Earlier several expressed thoughts that attendance was down, I always thought it was up, but am all too often wrong on such things.
I love it! Can't wait till next year.

My first DSC. It won't be my last. I enjoyed the setup. Every time I visited the AR room, It was empty. Did someone warn them about me coming?

I dropped in the AR room 3 times & all I found was my shadow.

Congrats to DSC- it was a pleasure been there and if I have to drop a show which we may with the terrible down time between the shows I know which one it will be! Keep up the good work!

don't say that, Buzz. Larry and Matt will have a fit
of course, it is interesting that DSC attendance was up 8% and SCI attendance was down 25%( at least according to a number of posts here on earlier threads). i want to again thank you for the AR room and support of the AR dinner-it was nice to feel wanted

The Dallas show was great, as it always is. A bit early in my humble opinion, but I'm one of the 600 new members of DSC. Have attended for the past few years and will for he foreseable future.

Well done Karl!! It is always great to arrive at the DSC show... Texas is the best!!

Can you post dates for future DSC shows??

I'm very much looking fwd. to my first DSC in 2014. The "other" show (really its sponsor) appears doomed (strong term, I know) if the the folks in charge don't become more approachable, appreciative, and responsible re: the myriad problems described on this & other forums. Sounds like the folks at DSC have already figured out, if not pretty much solved, any such issues.

As convention chairs, Karl and Rebecca did a tremendous job! It is a year long effort that means sacrifice's of personal and professional time, stress, worry, and plain old hard work. As both life members of DSC as well as convention exhibitors, Tim,Ivan,and I want to tip our collective hats to the job the Karl and Rebecca did, as well as the employees and volunteers that make the DSC show such a great event!

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
don't say that, Buzz. Larry and Matt will have a fit
of course, it is interesting that DSC attendance was up 8% and SCI attendance was down 25%( at least according to a number of posts here on earlier threads). i want to again thank you for the AR room and support of the AR dinner-it was nice to feel wanted

I think you know what my opinion of the top SCI management is.

But, we should not be happy to see the show loose so much attendance.

In the end it will affect us all. That is precisely why we have been saying SCI needs to get its act together, and start listening to its members.

The DSC show is my "must attend" event, even eclipsing closer shows. This was my fourth event and best yet.
Max

Karl,

Thanks for all you and your lovely wife and everyone else does. I am planning on attending DSC for the first time next year with another friend of mine. I look forward to shaking your hand and telling you in person, Thank You, for all you do.

Justin

This year was our 5th. My wife and I enjoy DSC greatly. This year was the best ever.

Thanks for all you do!


.

jd - Let this be a warning to you!! I will most likely attend and join DSC in 2014. I have tried to be there for three years now but scheduling consequences have nixed it all three times. I unlike some, support ALL good things for hunting. Glad DSC was successfull and wish them all the best.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
don't say that, Buzz. Larry and Matt will have a fit
of course, it is interesting that DSC attendance was up 8% and SCI attendance was down 25%( at least according to a number of posts here on earlier threads). i want to again thank you for the AR room and support of the AR dinner-it was nice to feel wanted

It was my first time to attend DSC and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The outfitters were very gracious and approachable, there were DSC people willing and able to help if need be, and I even noticed the pompous arrogance that was present with most of the SCI crowd was absent from the DSC venue. I'll be back for sure.

I have done the DSC show for 15 years. I remember when it was in the (Adolphus?) hotel downtown. Can't remember the name for sure ... anyway. Wow, look where this show has gone! Unbelievable growth.

It has not been without it's growing pains though. I remember the first year in the Convention Center. What a nightmare for the exhibitors! But, the next year was as different as night and day. You guys have done a great job keeping up with, and ahead of, the inevitable growing pains of a convention that is growing like a weed.

Thanks for the info and your help Karl.

quote:

It has not been without it's growing pains though. I remember the first year in the Convention Center. What a nightmare for the exhibitors! But, the next year was as different as night and day. You guys have done a great job keeping up with, and ahead of, the inevitable growing pains of a convention that is growing like a weed.

My wife & I were volunteers on the move in/move out committee that year, it was a nightmare.
Move in started Tue. a.m. & by nights end there were a lot of unhappy people. I kept telling them that it would be better next year.
The next day I ran into Richard Cheatam, I believe he was DSC Pres. that year. He told me they had met Tue Night to start correcting things for the next year. Now that's quality managment!
They did not even wait for the move in or conv. to finish before finding & implimenting a solution.
DSC has only a small handful of employees on the payroll, the rest are unpaid volunteers, simply because they love it.
This is not a knock on SCI, but maybe they could learn a few things from Big D!

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:

quote:

It has not been without it's growing pains though. I remember the first year in the Convention Center. What a nightmare for the exhibitors! But, the next year was as different as night and day. You guys have done a great job keeping up with, and ahead of, the inevitable growing pains of a convention that is growing like a weed.

My wife & I were volunteers on the move in/move out committee that year, it was a nightmare.
Move in started Tue. a.m. & by nights end there were a lot of unhappy people. I kept telling them that it would be better next year.
The next day I ran into Richard Cheatam, I believe he was DSC Pres. that year. He told me they had met Tue Night to start correcting things for the next year. Now that's quality managment!
They did not even wait for the move in or conv. to finish before finding & implimenting a solution.
DSC has only a small handful of employees on the payroll, the rest are unpaid volunteers, simply because they love it.
This is not a knock on SCI, but maybe they could learn a few things from Big D!

Cecil, I was the Convention chairman that year, so the responsibilty for the Move In Move Out disaster fell squarely at my feet. Boy, did I make a lot of folks mad back then. You're right - we were working on solutions before the doors opened to the public and thanks to a lot of hard work, including efforts by this year's Convention Chair (and then Move In Move Out chair) Karl Evans and the incoming DSC President, we were able to devise a plan for the following year that resolved most complaints.

Let me add my two cents about Karl and Rebecca Evans -the job they did is nothing short of phenomenal. As you can see from above, Karl and Rebecca are humble and quick to deflect credit, but they deserve it.

Richard T. Cheatham,
DSC Immediate Past President

This was my 11th year in attendance of the DSC. I came knowing no one and was welcomed with earnest hospitality and kept coming back. I am one of the charter AR get together members. How we have grown!!! Ran into Dr. Scott, says I know you Mike, retreever on AR recognize your name, thanks Doc.
I walk in now and know first hand names of AR members and DSC staff and exhibitors, like one big family. I have joined the DSC and this year at the Sheep show in Reno, I purchased my life membership.
It is a pleasure to call Karl his wife and Richard my friends.
I look forward to next years already and Larry may I be the first to welcome you to the DSC convention 2014.

Mike

Simply put, the DSC show is the best hunt show anywhere. Can't wait 'till next year. Thanks Karl !!!

Karl you guys did a MAGNIFICENT job! Dawna and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at all the dinners and we're especially grateful for the nice gesture of that room service plate for her during the Life Member Breakfast she was unable to attend. We look forward to seeing you guys next year. jorge

Matt: here are the dates of upcoming conventions:
January 9 - 12, 2014
January 8 - 11, 2015
January 7 - 10, 2014

I still owe you a drink...I'll catch you next January.

Karl

quote:

Originally posted by bigguy458:
Matt: here are the dates of upcoming conventions:
January 9 - 12, 2014
January 8 - 11, 2015
January 7 - 10, 2014

I still owe you a drink...I'll catch you next January.

Karl

Thanks Karl - I'll look forward to that!!

More AR members have asked for an update on the DSC convention since financials were not final when this was originally posted. So here it is...Everything is in and we had another incredibly successful convention...nearly 6 million dollars in total revenue, netting 50%, our auctions brought 1.7 million dollars and most importantly, we will be able to once again grant over 1 million dollars to deserving organizations and causes. Once again, thanks to all of you that attended, exhibited, or bid on an auction item...you are what makes DSC one of the best organizations in the hunting world.

Karl Evans

Karl, Thanks again for the DSC's support of the annual AR dinner, and for putting on the best show around. You even let me become a member of the DSC :-)

Biebs we are glad to have you...and any of your friends, too.