Marketplace Events Purchases Minnesota Home & Patio Show

June 20, 2018

It’s been a busy year so far for Marketplace Events, which been actively acquiring even more home and garden shows to add to its already extensive consumer event portfolio, including its most recent purchase of the Minnesota Home & Patio Show from Cenaiko Productions.

The four-day show, which celebrates its 40thanniversary in 2019, runs annually in February at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn.  

Marketplace Events already operates four other shows in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market including two holiday shows and two other home shows.

“Of the 32 markets in which we operate, Minneapolis is among the very best,” said Tom Baugh, CEO of Marketplace Events, which is known as the largest producer of B2C home shows in North America. 

He continued, “We have a great sales team based in Minneapolis and the majority of our U.S. marketing team is also located here. Adding the St. Paul event was an easy decision. We look forward to ramping up quickly.”

Led by Show Manager Lauren Wallerius, the Minnesota Home & Patio Show will be run by the same team that runs the Minneapolis Home + Remodeling Show, held in January at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the long-running Minneapolis Home + Garden Show, held in February at the Minneapolis Convention Center.   

This is the fourth acquisition of the year for Marketplace Events, which purchased two shows in Seattle and Tacoma in June; three Atlanta shows in early May and two shows in Montreal, which were announced in February. 

The company has acquired or launched 26 shows since being purchased by Sentinel Capital Partners in February 2016 and currently produces 42 consumer home shows in the U.S., 16 in Canada and nine holiday shows.

According to Baugh, MPE’s new parent company has been supportive of its strategic buying spree. 

“We are vigilant about business development and work hard to maintain a deep understanding of what’s happening in the top 150 North American consumer show markets,” Baugh said.

He continued, “Marketplace Events is currently expanding into home and holiday consumer show markets (existing or new to MPE) where we see opportunities to improve customer value. When we get that right, growth (intrinsic and commercial) always follows. MPE’s acquisition pipeline is robust and most important, our track record of growing what we’ve acquired is impressive. Bottom line: MPE is proving consumer home and holiday shows can be successfully scaled. With so much opportunity in front of us, it’s an exciting and busy time for our company.”

 

Don’t miss any event news! Sign up for any (or all) of our e-newsletters HERE & engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn & Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact