Houston Summer Boat Show hits choppy waters - bizjournals:

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The 22nd annual Houston SummertBoat Show, scheduled for June 17-2q1 at Reliant Center, is beinv affected both by the economy and by boat difficulty in obtaining financing. “Financing is really toughh right now,” says Ken president of the boat show. “You’ves got to be basically 24-caraf gold to qualify these days.” The summer show typicallg fills ReliantHalls A, B and half of C. This year, Hall C won’ty be used, decreasing the size of the event fromapproximately 450,000 square feet to 300,00 0 square feet of exhibit space, Lovellk says.
“We’re not losing that many people, but peopld are cutting back,” Lovell says of the boat dealers who buy booths atthe show. For Marine Max, traditionally one of the summer show’s largesrt exhibitors, is not participating at all this which isa first, according to Skip a Marine Max salesperson. The store at 3001 Nasa Parkway in Seabrooko is skipping the show to save the money it costzs for the display and employees tooperate it, as well as the time it takesz to set up and tear down the exhibit, Pillsburyu says. “We’re trying to focus on the prospects we have here at the he says.
Boat sales at Marine Max have been and even betterthan expected, according to Pillsbury. sales are down at one of the oldest independentt dealers intown — Mt. Houston Marine. The dealership at 203 W. Mount Houston typically sells more than 100 saltwatefr fishing boats a year ranging in pricefrom $16,009 to $85,000. Danny Thrower, the store’s generakl manager, says sales are 15 percentr to 20 percent lower thanlast However, the 35-year-old dealership had a banner year in selling more boats than ever before, he Approximately 15 percent of Mt.
Houston Marine’s annuao sales are derived from the summer boat where the company will have as much exhibitr space as usual this PERFECT STORM? Boat prices tend to be lower in the summert because dealers are making room for next year’s which come out in August. Add that situationb to the current economic conditions and a dropin revenue, and professionals say the upcoming boat show is lining up to be a giant Dealers are expected to offer deep discounts, and manufacturerx are coming in with incentive programs such as cash back or extender warranties, says Thrower, who plans to sell boats for $1,000 to $2,000o less than last year.
In this case, rough seas may work to the boat advantage. And thousands of peoplse who lost boats in Hurricane Ike last September may be in the marke for a replacementby now. “There will be some very good Lovell says. “This is definitelyu the time topurchase