Economy forces 2010 Logging Conference to abandon Anderson fairgrounds

Virginia Reeter

HEAVY COMPETITION - College students participated in various logging competitions including buck saw and log rolling events during the Conference.

Another sign that the economic recession is far from over, the Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference scheduled for Feb. 11-13, 2010, will vacate the Shasta District Fair grounds in favor of a smaller, more consolidated show at the Redding Convention Center, organizers announced this week.

"Bottom line, it was done as a cost-saving item. By consolidating, we will save $15,000 to $18,000 in exhibitor revenues alone," said Mike Albrecht, a past president and current board member of the logging industry show that has met off and on in Anderson since 1951.

The loss to Anderson and the Shasta District Fair, however, stands to be far greater, predicts Chris Workman, chief executive officer of the 27th Agricultural District that operates the fairgrounds.

"The loss to the fair is huge," said Workman, who estimated the revenue loss in building and grounds rentals alone at $13,000.

"It is a loss to the whole community because they brought in a lot of restaurant meal revenues, motel room rentals, gas station receipts, grocery and catering services and all sorts of random purchases" including mechanical equipment repairs, Workman added.

"It was a tough decision to make because I live in Anderson," said Nadine Bailey, executive director of the Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference. "Anderson is my home. I am sorry we are going to Redding. We are going to miss Anderson, but it was purely a dollars and cents issue."

In 2006, the three-day equipment trade show and regional logging conference's 104 exhibitors drew 5,000 attendees to the fairgrounds. Weather was a huge factor as winter storms pummeled the outdoor exhibits and kept most people indoors, Bailey said.

Since there is never any admission charged to view the trade show exhibits, district fair officials do not keep track of the gate count, Workman said.

In 2007, the last year the trade show shared its attendance and revenue numbers, the show's 79 exhibitors drew more than 8,000 attendees, although the weather was considerably warmer and drier that February, Bailey said.

But those crowds are far fewer than the trade show attracted in the 1980s when the national economy was chugging along on all cylinders, she added.

"In the 1980s, we used to bring in 10,000 people who, even though they were admitted free, individually spent between $20 and $100 while on the grounds. It used to be in the millions what we brought in to Anderson," Bailey said.

While most of the trade show exhibits and all of the conference competitions took place in Anderson, the Redding Convention Center was also used for the conference's kick-off breakfast, award ceremonies, keynote speeches and the culminating action.

Last year, Win-River Casino also hosted a Ladies' Day Luncheon on Friday to give spouses of timber and mill workers a break from heavy equipment rodeos, ax throwing contests and log sawing competitions.

"Last year, I reserved 80 rooms at the Oxford Suites in Redding, 30 rooms at the Gaia Hotel in Anderson and another 20 rooms at the Red Lion Hotel in Redding," Bailey said.

Anderson City Manager Dana Shigley was taken by surprise at the announcement.

"It is certainly unfortunate. They have had a long history here, but I can certainly understand their making this fiscal decision. Times are tough for all of us," Shigley said.

"This will certainly be a loss for us. There will be a sales tax loss because there will be fewer restaurant meals sold and fewer hotel rooms rented," she added.