Show Attendance Down

I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas where three construction related shows were being held: the World of Concrete, the Roofing Expo and Surfaces. According to show management, attendance at each show was down significantly. Walking the aisles and talking to exhibitors at the WOC and the Roofing Expo was disheatening. Traffic was minimal and buyers were not buying. Many of the equipment manufacturers and material suppliers I talked have already cut staff, some by as much as 30%. The general sense was that 2009 is going to be a lost year for the construction industry, and there is some hope for 2010.