December 15, 2011

Dear Members & Exhibitors,

I was in the middle of preparing a nice, upbeat letter for our members which was about half finished. One of good cheer and best wishes for the coming Holidays, and we certainly do wish you well, but our lives here were dealt a hand that we still have to play out. Besides being asked to send our NRA recommended firearms attorney a $5000 retainer check we still have a cloud hanging over all gun shows in New York State.

If you, as gun show attendees, legitimate gun show dealers and exhibitors haven’t heard or read about the NYS Attorney General’s "sting" at gun shows, here are the basics. Though much more can be seen and read on our NEACA.com website; see Dave’s World page, suffice it to say, the Attorney General is out to get Gun Shows in New York State! His undercover team arrested ten "dealers" selling guns either in or "on the grounds" at some NYS gun shows; Saratoga and Greenwich turn out to be part of these dens of inequity. The General Business Law of New York State interprets that a person who brings a gun on to the grounds or into a gun show with the intent to sell or trade it, makes him/her a "dealer." I and other show promoters have a personal subpoena to answer and show how we must and will prevent these illegal gun show sales – the "gun show loophole." Our NYS shows are in jeopardy of extinction.

You will have firsthand experience of our continued efforts to prevent this perceived "loophole" occurring at our next show in Saratoga at the City Center this January 28 & 29 and be able to view our signage we need and do post, our tags on guns being brought in and our written notifications to "real" exhibitors who are signed up for our shows that for "all firearms sold or traded, the buyer must go through a NICS check." I may even have additional signs posted outside and possibly at each dealer’s tables. We will comply, as we do now, and we will prevail in our right to buy and sell guns thereby insuring the existence of our shows. Our full 2012 schedule is available on the Gun Show Page at NEACA.com.

That business aside, please send money! Our next four show fliers are enclosed; plus, Saratoga in January gives you our future show dates for the year. I have had calls from new dealers and hope to sell out. We will get a good crowd – a lot of people simply to support our right to run a gun show! I’ve had a lot of good response to that aim. It will be the first large New York show to be promoted in the Lion’s Den, so to speak. You all should be there and we will have our Friday night preview party but we need help. A few Hotel deals; Ask for "NEACA Arms Fair Rate" at all locations - Saratoga Hilton (adjoins City Ctr.) $109 ~ 888-866-3596; Marriott Courtyard, $99 ~ 518-226-0538; Hilton Garden Inn, $99 ~ 518-583-6875 (ask for Saratoga Springs Arms Fair); Holiday Inn, $89 ~ 518-584-4550: Springs Motel, $75 ~ 518-584-6336. Saratoga is always busy so get your reservations made early and send in your applications today, please.

We will be at the Holiday Inn at Lake George again, with a new time period of Saturday, March 3rd, we just catch the end of the Winter Carnival season. For those who did not make last year’s show be aware that the whole Hotel has been renovated; it is extremely nice and the excellent restaurant will have been the last of the renovations and open with their new seafood buffet on Friday evening. If you would like to get a room that night and be fresh for the morning show we got a low rate of $99. Enjoy the indoor pool or courtyard Jacuzzi after the hot sauna; you deserve a break! The convention room is now all one level and we can accommodate about 50, six foot tables. Your flyer is enclosed. If you want to do any of these shows -- and enjoy yourself -- fill out the application and send me a few bucks to reserve.

Cortland last October was a good beginning to what I firmly believe is going to develop into a great Central New York Show. It is right down Route 81, about half an hour from both Syracuse and Binghamton areas and is really easy to get to from Pennsylvania or southern New York. Even our Utica friends can take Rt. 12 to Rt. 20 then to Rt.11 south and the capital District folks can shoot right down Route 88. There are a lot of ways to get to Cortland – find our flyer, fill it out and find your way there for our show on April *14, 15, 16 on the comfortable turf field. We do it again in October – see the flyer. Hotel rates will follow.

The big news of the coming spring shows is that we are back at the SportsPlex of Halfmoon, Clifton Park, NY. Our website page of gun shows has a link to our Clifton Park Arms Fair, go there and see and read why you should be sending your application in for this probable 750 table show. I need to get lots of dealers EARLY so I can concentrate on advertising – not promoting to the choir. The song will be sung that this will become the show to be at in May and September every year in the Capital District area of New York State. You all can make it happen on the floor – I’ll make it happen through the door. But do it early – choose to make the SportsPlex the Albany area place to be! More info will follow for participants, Read Flyer!

Back again also in Old Forge in August; a great time and a great place to be for our "tourist show" in the cool Adirondacks. This show is a jewel in the mountains and coming right along – August proved our best attendance and I did some great business and had fun doing it. You can too – call me and I’ll put you on our list of exhibitors and see what I can do for a good motel rate. Need to get it going early. These are great shows coming up again – please show your support for our shows by sending your application. The future of shows in New York are at stake; we do our part now support all of them with your early commitments.

Thanks to all and have a wonderful Holiday Season, Merry Christmas from Cathy and David Petronis.