EXCLUSIVE—MUST CREDIT EDISONREPORT. Much like Light + Building, LEDucation was going forward full steam ahead, until it wasn’t. On Saturday SXSW in Austin canceled and Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York. Also over the weekend, we began to hear strong opinions from reps and manufacturers.
One CEO wrote, “Can we please cancel it. No one wants to attend…” One rep comment was forwarded to us, “Because of the 14 to 20 day quarantine time period, if someone does contact the coronavirus at LEDucation, there may be legal action due to lost income…” Another person said, “The solution proposed, ‘don’t attend if you are concerned,’ doesn’t actually prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus within the industry which has already been impacted by this virus.”
We are told that LEDucation is postponed, not canceled, however it might be a bit tough to reschedule in the fall. When LightFair is on the West Coast (Las Vegas is considered West Coast), the big New York Reps have their own private show usually in the fall, so it would be somewhat more difficult to get the manufacturers to exhibit at two events in the fall, and even more difficult for the lighting designers and specifiers to also attend.
Developing…