Has anyone heard what the official numbers are for this past SCI convention?

Rich Elliott

Rich,
I have not heard the official figures but my guess is the attendance was down a bit.
There were a couple of days on our aisle (Row 200) that you could throw a bowling ball down and not hit anyone except another vendor. This was usually around 2 to 3 PM. Maybe there was a hell of an auction going on but whatever it was it took the traffic out of the hall for awhile.

I got the Email about a week ago. They claimed the second largest number of booths and attendees ever. I think the auctions were well attended, lots of hunts went for low(er) dollars. IMHO, about 2pm a lot of folks hit a watering hole or ate then.

Rich

Not Official, but the article states about 23,000. Interesting about the air travel into Reno.


SCI tagged and bagged for 2011, 2013, 2015
by Sarah CooperJan 19, 2010

RENO — The biggest convention to come to northern Nevada has agreed to come back in 2011, 2013 and 2015. But in 2012, Safari Club International will be taking its 23,000 attendees, 1,100 vendors and $20 million economic impact to Las Vegas.

According to SCI president Lawrence Rudolph, the venue choice for 2014 is still up in the air.

The decision to keep the big game adventurers’ convention coming to Reno was a tough one, according to Safari Club representatives.

“I must tell you, we were thinking of going to another venue,” said Skip Donau, SCI’s site selection chairman.

However, Rudolph said that the area’s city fathers made them offers they could not refuse, including deals on lodging and accommodations. But most of all, Rudolph said the main sell for his convention was that the city leaders made SCI feel “very, very welcome.”

While SCI’s convention has been coming to Nevada for a total of 19 years, the group has been holding its annual big game hunters convention in Reno consecutively for the past nine years. In other years, they have gone to Las Vegas.

The one major sticking point that kept the club from signing on with Reno consistently for its convention was the air travel, Rudolph said.

“We are an international organization attracting people internationally,” Rudolph said, mentioning airlift capacity issues with the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

According to airport spokeswoman Trish Tucker, Reno-Tahoe International adds flights and calls in larger capacity planes for the peak arrival and departure days around the SCI event. About 200 additional seats have been added to Delta flights on the four biggest Safari Club travel days: two days when people are coming in and two days when they are returning home. U.S. Airways also added 100 seats and American Airlines added a flight onto its schedule. Tucker did not know the specific number of people who came into the airport for the convention, however she said that regular passenger loads do increase during the event, meaning some capacity planning by the airport. The airport is also willing to reserve a runway specifically for the private jets carrying Safari Club jet setters into the convention, Tucker added. She confirmed Rudolph’s statement that airport capacity was a major talking point in getting the convention to stay in Reno. However, when the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority was wooing the large convention, the airport was not a major part of those discussions, Tucker said.

“We were not directly involved in those talks, but air service was one of the major components of discussions (we have had) with SCI,” she said. “One of the key issues was our ability to increase capacity.”

But for the years 2011, 2013 and 2015, Reno still won the convention’s economic impact dollars. “When we weighed airlift versus what the city fathers were doing for us, Reno won out,” Rudolph said. “We have a tradition here … we feel welcome here.”

The SCI convention will net about 23,000 convention attendees this year, who will travel into northern Nevada from around the world. According to Rudolph, attendance is up by more than 2,500 people over last year.

In Sparks, John Ascuaga’s Nugget gets a piece of the hotel revenue, although according to spokespeople that revenue is not as large as the event’s anchor hotels. The SCI convention’s anchor hotel is the Peppermill Hotel Casino.

“We get a couple hundred room nights out of the main convention,” said Nugget spokeswoman and RSCVA board member Beth Cooney.

Cooney added that the convention brings a gun show to the Nugget that nets additional room nights. However, she added that the hotel is not sold out as it is during some Sparks-based special events, such as Hot August Nights.

“It is better than we do normally,” she said. “This convention is so good for Sparks and Reno. These people go to shows, they shop … they spend money here.”

Safari Club International is the largest convention to come to northern Nevada, according to RSCVA representatives. The event brings big game hunters and sportsmen from all over the world.

I noticed SCI spokesman mentioned "friendly" numerous times in the above. I certainly can vouch for "friendly" to Convention goers, it's everywhere in Reno.

I traveled on US Airways and know they indeed did bring out a larger aircraft for the flights I used. I am glad to see the decision to make Reno the "home base" if you will. I won't be looking forward to the one year in Vegas however, Uggh!! You can "bet your boots" Vegas won't be friendly.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Past years that it's been in Las Vegas I found that our expenses were about 30% more.
Rich Elliott

Quite frankly, SCI means very little to Las Vegas and in past years there I have found service to be surly with the attitude that we are just another convention. In contrast, SCI makes the entire Winter season for Reno and I have always found the service folks at restaurants, stores and the taxi drivers to be friendly.

Reno has the bus service down and the town is glad to have SCI and our dollars. I have heard the air service to Reno issue for many years but I feel it is negligible if pre-planning is exercised rather than waiting till the last minute to try and book reservations.

Here's the press release.

Washington, District of Columbia • Johannesburg, South Africa • Ottawa, Canada • Tucson, Arizona
www.safariclub.org • www.safariclubfoundation.org
For Immediate Release
February 2, 2010
Safari Club International’s 38th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno, NV: A Huge Success
Reno, Nevada – Safari Club International is pleased to announce a highly successful 38th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno, NV. The 2010 Convention ranks as the second highest revenue generating Convention ever with nearly 20,000 attendees. In a tough economy, this signifies the strong commitment of SCI’s Reno-Sparks partners, along with the exhibitors, vendors, outfitters and SCI members who help to raise the funds to continue SCI’s mission of being First for Hunters.
Highlights from the week included over 1,100 exhibiting companies leasing over 2,000 booth spaces, a SCI-PAC luncheon with keynote speaker Liz Cheney, the second annual Diplomat’s Reception with government officials and representatives from central Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and the United States and the Convention’s keynote speech from Former President George W. Bush.
Safari Club International (SCI) is also pleased to announce the full list of award recipients at the 38th Annual Hunters’ Convention. Award winners include members and chapters who display a strong commitment to and have made great contributions to the sport of hunting, displayed a dedication to the conservation of wildlife, have a history of service to the global hunting community and are committed to SCI’s programs and mission statement to be First for Hunters.
Individual Award Recipients:
Hall of Fame Award – Alfred “Skip” Donau
International Hunter Award – Dr. Lawrence Rudolph
CJ McElroy Award – John Banovich
Diana Award – Charlotte Peyerk
Young Hunter Award – Brian Reiger
Young Hunter Award – Caroline Pruitt
World Hunting Ring Award – David Tuttle
World Hunting Ring Award – Page Mays
World Hunting Ring Award – Thomas J. Hammond
World Hunting Ring Award – Marc Hanson
World Hunting Ring Award – Arthur R. Dubs
World Hunting Ring Award – Walter F Broich II
World Hunting Ring Award – Van C. Bethancourt
World Hunting Ring Award – Matt War
World Hunting Ring Award – Leon Munyan
Professional Hunter International Award – Eduardo De Araoz
Professional Hunter Award – Eric Mikkelson
Pathfinder Award – Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Stube
Pathfinder Award – Ed Mays
Washington DC Office
501 2nd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 • Phone 202 543 8733 • Fax 202 543 1205 • www.safariclub.org
Chapter Award Recipients:
Top Gun Award – Flint Regional Chapter
Diamond Conservation Award – Michigan Chapter
Chapter of the Year – 25-50 Members – Yampa Valley Chapter
51-100 Members – Chattanooga Area Chapter
101-250 Members – San Francisco Bay Chapter
251 or More Members – Lake Superior Chapter
International Chapter – Central Hungarian Chapter
Rookie Chapter – Texas Hill Country Chapter
Membership Growth – SE Michigan Bowhunters Chapter (460 New Members)
All of these awards were conferred upon the recipients this week during the 38th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno, Nevada. SCI’s Convention is the most dynamic and diverse hunting show today with over 650,000 square feet of exhibit space, dozens of informational and educational seminars, and the opportunity for thousands of SCI members to come together. SCI has already started planning again for the 2011 Convention that will be held again in Reno, Nevada on Jan. 26-29.
Contact:
Nelson Freeman
media@safariclub.org
-SCI-
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 190 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 18 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or Call (520) 620-1220 for more information.