From Misha Geisert
INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 2, 2009) – Officials from the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) and the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA) have announced an agreement in principle to keep the show in Indianapolis through at least 2015.
That represents a five-year extension on the original contract for 2009 and 2010.
The inaugural IMIS, opening Wednesday at the Indiana Convention Center, is expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees. In addition, 345 exhibitors sold out all 572 available booths for the show. Due to the demand, IMIS officials already have announced they are doubling the space they will lease in the Indiana Convention Center in 2010.
“The International Motorsports Industry Show is a strategic component of our city’s motorsports initiative, and I am pleased that Indianapolis will continue to serve as the site of this successful event until 2015,” said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “The IMIS provides yet another way to attract jobs in this critical sector and to showcase all that Indianapolis has to offer.”
The two-day IMIS offers individuals and companies from all facets of the racing business the chance to interact, share ideas and products, build relationships and attend seminars to improve motorsports business around the world while showcasing Indianapolis as the “Racing Capital of the World.”
Chris Paulsen of C&R Racing and Tom Weisenbach, executive director of the Indiana Motorsports Association (IMA), are co-founders of IMIS along with two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Jeff Stoops, president of Stoops Freightliner.
“This is a huge shot in the arm for the International Motorsports Industry Show,” said Stewart, who resides in Columbus, Ind., and owns several businesses with Indiana ties. “I can’t thank Mayor Ballard, Governor (Mitch) Daniels and everyone at the ICVA for their support of this show. We want to make this show something that is a ‘must-attend’ show for hardcore racers, but also something that Indianapolis and the state of Indiana will be proud of.”
“We’re very grateful to Tony Stewart, Chris Paulsen, Jeff Stoops and Tom Weisenbach for bringing a racing industry show back to Indianapolis,” said Don Welsh, ICVA president and CEO. “These local businessmen feel passionately that Indianapolis should be the home of the racing industry. We look forward to partnering with them to make this show incredibly successful.”
Weisenbach has been the executive director of the IMA since 2006, and in this role, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the non-profit organization which serves as the unified voice of the motorsports industry in the state of Indiana.
“This is a huge announcement for the IMA,” Weisenbach said. “The goal of the IMA is to help make Indiana the leader in the motorsports business. Knowing we’re going to have a trade show for hardcore racers in Indianapolis for at least the next six years will be incredibly beneficial to our organization.”