New Jersey show venue set to expand
David Perry -- Furniture Today, August 18, 2003
Edison, N.J. — Larry Karel's shows at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center here, already a key part of the company's slate of trade shows, are going to be getting bigger starting next year.
Officials at the Convention Center, located just off the New Jersey Turnpike south of Newark, plan to add 25,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space. That will enable Karel Exposition Management, which puts on the shows, to take its booths there past the 1,000 mark.
With the expansion, the 125,000 square feet of exhibit space will grow to more than 150,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space.
"The Edison market is continuing to grow faster than the convention center can keep up," said President Larry Karel. "We sell out two markets in Edison every year, and we recently added a third event during the holiday season to respond to furniture buyers' increasing demands."
Convention Center officials said the expansion will make their facility even more attractive to exhibitors and buyers. "Interior walls are being removed and dimmable mood lighting is being installed, all in an effort to better enhance exhibition space," said Joseph Cascio, director of sales at the center.
Edison is the only venue where KEM puts on three shows a year — in February, August and November. Karel said that's because the facility is well positioned to serve the Northeast.
"The Edison markets continue to grow because they're easily accessible to furniture buyers across the Northeast," he said. "The New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center is located about 35 minutes south of New York City, an hour north of Philadelphia, and 15 minutes away from the Newark International Airport."
The expanded facilities will be ready for Karel's first Edison show in 2004, set for Feb. 1–3.
