The Toy Industry Association’s board of directors voted to keep the American International Fall Toy Show in New York, its present location, for 2005 and 2006. The vote was held April 19 in Los Angeles in a special meeting of the TIA board. The announcement was made by Arnie Rubin, the Chairman of the TIA.
“The board has unanimously come to this decision knowing that it is in the best interests of the industry,” said Rubin in a TIA press release.
The TIA’s decision to stay in New York was based on the assurance by the new owners of the International Toy Center (ITC), The Chetrit Group LLC, that the Fall Show can take place in the ITC, which is comprised of buildings on 200 Fifth Avenue and 1107 Broadway. The Chetrit Group bought the buildings in January 2005, and there is speculation that the lucrative real estate will be converted into condominiums.
The Fall Toy Show will be held on October 24-27, and is intended to give mass-market retailers who require extended planning and long lead planning to see products for the 4th quarter of the following year. Though the 2006 fall show will also stay in New York, the venue for the show will be determined at a later date.
A vote on the location of the February 2007 American International Toy Fair will be held in May at ToyCon, TIA’s annual meeting and conference, located in Phoenix on May 20-22. Three cities – New York, Atlanta, and Orlando – are considered viable options for that show.
