SBE Show Canceled

**Scott Greczkowski** · 10-09-2007 09:40 AM

I just received a very sad email from Marty Bentley, informing me that the SBE Show (which was scheduled to open tommorow) has been canceled.

Below is a copy of his email.

Dear SBE 2007 West Attendee,

It is with an exceptionally heavy heart that I am forced to send this email to you, people I consider my friends.

I spoke with the decorator and with the convention center late last night and it seems the terms of me using the convention center have changed to the point I cannot meet the obligation they are requesting that I meet. To make a long story short, I was informed at 6 PM tonight they would not allow Champion (our decorator) into the building to set up tomorrow without a credit card payment of $17,500 tonight. I had a verbal agreement with a now departed rep to pay for the convention center via cashiers check upon my arrival in Reno. My departure for Reno was delayed by my wife undergoing gall bladder surgery this morning (Mon Morning). I offered to overnight the cashiers check and that was acceptable except it would delay set up one day which is not acceptable since hundreds of people are flying in for the training courses set to be offered on Wednesday. It would be impossible to hold these classes if we could not set up until Wednesday and would not be fair to allow everyone to come to Reno to attend classes that were not going to be held.

I’m sending you this email letting you know I have no choice but to cancel the show is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. As I see it, at this point that is the only option available to me. Once you have it available, please send me an itemized bill showing the amounts lost because of the cancellation of the show. I will work something out to make sure you do not lose a cent, somehow I will refund every penny you are out because of air fare etc. Some of you all have supported my efforts since 2005 in Memphis, and I have never let you down and have tried as hard as I know how to give you the kind of show I promised I would. Everyone says that you have always been able to take whatever I told you to the bank, this would be no exception; you will not lose a dime over this, no matter what I have to do to make it right. Once you have everything together, please fax your refund requests with the appropriate documentation to: 866-691-5340 or email them to me at: Info@JEMcommunicationsinc.com.

Again, my apologies to you, my friends for whatever part I might have played in causing this. You won’t have to worry about this happening again; we have produced our last show. I wish all of you nothing but the best, and hope I can still call you my friends.

Marty

**TAP112** · 10-09-2007 09:54 AM

wow....speechless.....(many thoughts on the total of the bills he'll get)...

**rockymtnhigh** · 10-09-2007 09:54 AM

That sucks.

Are you able to cancel your flight?

**rkafoury** · 10-09-2007 10:00 AM

Thats really a bummer. I've got to say Marty is one classy guy though.

**wescopc** · 10-09-2007 10:07 AM

Is anyone going to go anyway- say for STARS meeting or .....??
I have non-refundable tickets.
Bob

**mwgiii** · 10-09-2007 10:12 AM

Wow. If he had the money for a cashiers check, why didn't he just do a bank wire transfer, hell even sent it Western Union.

Good luck getting any money back from him. If he can't get $17k to the convention center, how is he going to get tens of thousands to the exhibitors & attendees?

Sounds like he didn't have the cash and was in over his head.

wescopc - while your tickets are non-refundable, you can cancel your flight before departure. You will then have a credit for the amount of the ticket minus the change fee good for one year.

**jcrandall** · 10-09-2007 10:16 AM

Something doesn't seem to line up in his explanation. A convention center would be more willing to work with them versus lose their entire 17k fee and have an empty center for the week.

If it really came down to that, why not just cancel or postpone the Wed classes and continue with the rest of the activities.

I'm not attacking anyone, but as a bystander on a first read something seems out of place.

**Scott Greczkowski** · 10-09-2007 10:52 AM

I am sure there is more to the story then we see here. Marty tried his best.

While I sort of expected this would be the last SBE show, but I did not expect this show to get canceled.

I will still be heading to Reno, I have my tickets already as well my car rental and hotel all booked any paid for.

I am still trying to put together a SatelliteGuys Get Together in Reno. If you are still going and would like to get together please email me at reno@satelliteguys.us. I will see what I can pull together.

Marty while he has always been a little hard headed has always been sincere in his offerings and his desire to give the indusrty, the dealers and installers their own show is to be admired.

I have been to EVERY SBE show and have enjoyed each and every one of them.

While some may call for Marty's head on a stick, I take a different approach and say THANK YOU Marty.

**vurbano** · 10-09-2007 10:55 AM

Wow. Thats a terrible way to do business. Marty should have sent someone to deliver that check. He's worried about hundreds of people arriving before the setup is ready yet hundreds of people may have already bought their plane tickets and reserved rooms!