NMMA Purchases Liberty Boat Show in New Jersey

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced on May 23 its acquisition of the Liberty Boat Show in New Jersey from Liberty Event Management LLC. Terms of the show’s sale are undisclosed. NMMA, however, will retain the event’s original location and dates and manage show operations out of its New York office.

Catering to the Tri-State area market (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), the Liberty Boat Show is now in its seventh year, with the 2008 show scheduled to take place September 25-28 at Liberty State Park’s Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, N.J., just minutes from Manhattan.

“The Liberty Boat Show is located on a great site in the heart of the New York City market,” says Ben Wold, executive vice president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). “It has everything a boat show would want: Ample land space; a 600-slip marina; tons of available parking; and multiple mass-transit options.”

The ongoing redevelopment of Jersey City is one of the primary reasons NMMA was attracted to the show. "It’s the new ‘hot spot,’ " Wold explains. “The commercial and residential development is truly impressive. We envision having a strong power and sail show at this venue, with plenty of brokerage and demo opportunities as well as fun, traffic-building features and events in the years to come.”

Kevin Murphy, national show manager for NMMA, says the show is “a great opportunity for the sailing industry to very inexpensively take advantage of the New York market. The timing is good, the location is great and the marketing will be the best ever.”

The 2008 event will proceed as scheduled under NMMA’s direction. Exhibit sales and operations for the show will be conducted out of NMMA’s New York office and managed by Jonathan Pritko, who is also responsible for the Norwalk International In-Water Boat Show and the Atlantic City International Power Boat Show.

For more information about the Liberty Boat Show, contact show manager Jonathan Pritko at (212) 984-7015; jpritko@nmma.org. For exhibit sales inquiries, contact sales manager Dan Castellano at (212) 984-7012; dcastellano@nmma.org.

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