Second City: Coverings Second Site

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Beginning in 2007, Coverings will find a second home in Chicago.
The McCormick Place Convention Center, the largest convention facility in the United States, will host the tile and stone event in odd-numbered years, beginning in April 2007.
For next year – and on even-numbered-years after that – Coverings will be at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., the event’s base since 2002.
Coverings’ board of directors announced the alternating-city plan in late October. Directors include representatives from the five sponsoring organizations: Assopiastrelle (Association of Italian Ceramic Tile and Refactories Manufacturers), ASCER (Spain’s Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association), TCNA (Tile Council of North America), CTDA (Ceramic Tile Distributors Association) and, NTCA (National Tile Contractors Association).
“We’re very excited about this opportunity,” said Tamara Christian, president of Alexandria-based National Trade Productions (NTP), the show’s management firm. “Being in Chicago for alternate years will expand the audience for our exhibitors’ products and enhance the entire market for Coverings.
“The close proximity of major markets and the specifiers in those markets will be of great value to Coverings exhibitors. At the same time, the diverse nature of the expected attendees will create a meaningful total show experience and, together with the many cultural and entertainment offerings, will make their attendance at the show a profitable and rewarding experience.”
Coverings 2006 in Orlando is set for April 4-7 next year. The first Coverings event in Chicago will be April 17-20, 2007.