June 5, 2025 • 34 mins
Step aboard the fascinating world of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with our exclusive conversation featuring Andrew Doole, president of US Boat Shows for Informa. Having started with boat shows in May 1982, Doole shares four decades of insider perspective on how this marine spectacle has evolved from modest beginnings to its current status as a global maritime powerhouse.
The scale of today's show is staggering - seven miles of floating docks, hundreds of miles of electrical wiring, and a temporary workforce that swells from 100 to 500 during show time. What once consisted of boats simply backed into slips with modest decorations has transformed into sophisticated displays featuring custom barges and immersive brand experiences designed to showcase the aspirational lifestyle of luxury boat ownership.
Doole takes us through the show's remarkable resilience, from surviving Hurricane Wilma to navigating the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19. Despite these obstacles, the show has maintained its standing as an economic juggernaut, generating approximately $1.8 billion annually for the region - comparable to hosting a Super Bowl every year, but without the costs to local taxpayers.
Perhaps most fascinating is how the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show has continuously adapted to changes in its physical landscape. Every venue associated with the show has undergone redevelopment over its 66-year history, from the Swimming Hall of Fame to Las Olas Marina, from the Convention Center to Pier 66, and now Bahia Mar itself. Through careful planning and collaboration, these transformations have ultimately enhanced the show experience rather than diminishing it.
Whether you're a longtime attendee or someone curious about the inner workings of America's premier boat show, this conversation offers rare insights into how marine events shape coastal communities and how the industry continues to evolve. Subscribe to hear more fascinating stories from the marine industry's most influential voices.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kristina Hebert (00:00):
Welcome to the Season 3 Wards Way podcast,
where we're covering the hotlegislative topics of 2025.
From tariffs to tunnels andbridges, from foreign trade
zones to workers' compensation,to the Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show, to theMarine Research Hub, industry
(00:22):
experts and clarification on theB1B2 visas.
Join us as we celebrate 75years in business and we're just
getting started.
Welcome to season three.
I'm here today with Andrew Duhl, president of the US Boat Shows
for Informa.
We're here to talk everythingabout Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show comingup on the 66th anniversary.
(00:45):
So welcome, thank you forcoming.
Andrew Doole (00:46):
Thank you, happy to be here.
Kristina Hebert (00:48):
Well, I will say so.
When did you start with doingthe boat shows?
We were just chatting.
Andrew Doole (00:53):
I started in May 82.
Kristina Hebert (00:55):
May 19.
Well, I think boat shows havechanged a lot.
Andrew Doole (00:57):
Of course, 82 was the year we were in Port
Everglades, so it was.
Kristina Hebert (01:01):
That was your first year.
You started my first year.
Andrew Doole (01:03):
So it was a baptism of fire going to that
show.
Kristina Hebert (01:07):
Okay, and why was the show for everybody?
Why was the show in PortEverglades that year?
Andrew Doole (01:12):
The show was in Port Everglades because the show
management, the managementcompany and the association
really couldn't get a contractthey liked with Behem Mar Okay,
so I think it was owned by theOmni Group at the time and so
they made the decision jointlyto go to the port and try that
location.
Kristina Hebert (01:32):
And how was it my understanding?
Andrew Doole (01:35):
It was a little bumpy.
Kristina Hebert (01:36):
Yeah, yeah, I would say so.
I'm sure the current ripsthrough there and you know,
docks aren't what they were.
Andrew Doole (01:42):
We had terrible weather the whole time up until
Monday, when we closed the showSunday night because it wasn't
going to open on Monday and itblew and blew and blew.
The wave attenuator that wasbuilt to try and deal with that
really didn't work that well.
So it was a rough show to startwith, you know, as your first
(02:04):
event.
Kristina Hebert (02:05):
Did everybody come to the table after that?
Because it seems like we havefound a home in BMR.
Andrew Doole (02:10):
Well, after that we had the lawsuit with the
association oh okay.
So the association sued Kay andKay finally won the lawsuit and
then that got settled, that weyou know we're back running the
event.
Then we'll move the event backto Pihima.
Kristina Hebert (02:26):
And it's funny because show management, which
was Kay Pearson and Informa andMIASF, you couldn't even imagine
a time that there wasn't thisclose because there's great
communication.
You've done a lot.
I will tell you then in yourtenure to repair a lot of those
relationships because therelationship couldn't be closer
now and it's funny that thingscan.
(02:48):
You have to go look back athistory to realize sometimes
where you get.
Andrew Doole (02:51):
No, and I think that happens in lots of
organizations.
You know where it's, theassociation and the producer
don't see eye to eye.
Kristina Hebert (03:00):
Well, they have different agendas.
The show back when there were,oh, I mean it would be
scandalous now with the fashionshows and the bikini fashion
shows and the fishing equipment.
It's just a different time.
(03:21):
But I don't I I have to say Iwas probably a kid around some
of that time, but I don'tremember.
I don't remember being offendedby it.
But I look at boat shows nowand the sophistication and the
size of boats and the equipmentand and now it's not just let's
have boat, boats and equipment,let's have cars, let's have
helicopters, let's have livehelicopters take off from boats.
I mean boat shows have changedover the years.
What are some of the things?
Andrew Doole (03:41):
that dramatically.
I mean, you think like back inthe day the boats just backed
into slips at Bahia Mar.
They put out a white planterbox, put some mums in it.
Sat on the back of the boat.
That was their display.
Now you look at what Ferrettior Azamud or San Lorenzo.
The barges and the you know allthe Viking everybody's doing
with the displays.
I mean it forces us to do abetter job, bring up, you know,
(04:05):
up to a better level, and Ithink we, you know, we'd love
the show improving, love the waythe manufacturers really want
to up the game.
Kristina Hebert (04:13):
I agree, I've noticed that.
Yeah, you see a lot ofinvestment in that.
Andrew Doole (04:17):
No, there's a huge amount of investment from them
Time the displays that you knowthe flying crews in to build the
displays, to make it lookbeautiful, so they can reproduce
the same feeling as if you'rein their factories or if you you
think the lifestyle that thatbrand is gonna give you when you
you buy that product.
So that's what they're tryingto you know.
(04:38):
Portray that to you know you'rethe attendee and you walk in.
Well, if you own this boat,this is you can come to these
events and this you know.
That's why they go to the.
I think the level ofsophistication with the barges
is to really portray the imageof the lifestyle you're about to
join that's an interestingperspective.
Kristina Hebert (04:56):
You know, I always just assumed they were
trying to um look.
Andrew Doole (05:01):
Better than the stand next to them maybe, but,
but it does make sense inbringing that in.
Kristina Hebert (05:05):
I'm sure you've had the conversations with
these builders that that is whatthey're trying to do to bring
that in and that is so difficultto do.
The other thing I don't thinkpeople pay attention to is this
boat show is completelymanufactured.
It's not like you have theluxury of.
Yes, the convention center isone of seven locations of the
(05:25):
Fort.
Lauderdale Boat Show.
So the boat show has sevenlocations.
Even the convention center isbeing redeveloped.
But the convention center is abuilding that you go in and then
you make your stand.
It's a controlled weatherenvironment.
You guys have to build the show, create it all of it, all of
these bars, every, everyexperience, and bring in all the
docs.
Talk to me, how long does thattake?
Andrew Doole (05:47):
the whole process.
You know the the processbeforehand for fall it was
probably like a close to a monthand um, where we start build up
staging equipment at los olosand you know you've got seven
miles of dark, so, uh, thatwe're gonna launch.
And you know you've got sevenmiles of dock that we're going
to launch, and take out for theshow.
Kristina Hebert (06:07):
Seven miles, that's a wonderful trivia.
Andrew Doole (06:09):
So it's, you know it's the infrastructure for the
show, it's all the barges youknow the docks, the individual
components that make up thebarges for these displays, and
then on top of that you've gothundreds of miles of wire.
Kristina Hebert (06:22):
I was just going to say, of course, being
egocentric, thinking about theelectric and all of these boats.
They're not sitting thererunning on generators.
Andrew Doole (06:30):
No, 99% are on shore power and you know what it
takes to go through to do thatand some of it's generator, some
of it's predominantly FPL power.
But the larger these boats aregetting, the more the power
requirements.
Kristina Hebert (06:51):
Sometimes we have to go back to some
generators in some areas toprovide enough power.
Now also just even the tents,because I was an exhibitor.
I've been an exhibitor, I think, in almost every tent over the
years.
We were in the one or 200 tentwith some of the regular ship
store supplies.
I then was in the three and 400tent, so I could give you an
(07:13):
exhibitor's perspective.
I have been in all and actuallyboth in Miami and in Palm Beach
.
But I do know I've evenrecognized over the decades the
amount.
I don't think people can fullyappreciate the amount of time
and dedication.
And just because that luxury,the game is leveling up, it
doesn't mean you get a bunchmore time.
(07:34):
You don't get to go to the cityand be here tomorrow and say,
can we have two months to set up.
You still get that same amountof time that you've got to be in
and out.
Andrew Doole (07:44):
We've got the same amount of time to set up and
break down.
We've got great teams withdocks, with freight, with
electric.
We use a lot of subcontractors.
We'll go from a staff of 100 upto probably like 500 at
showtime.
We're obviously employing a lotof people.
It's 24 hours.
Kristina Hebert (08:02):
Right, I've been there late.
Andrew Doole (08:04):
It's close to employing a lot of people and
it's 24 hours, right.
I mean, I've been there late.
Kristina Hebert (08:06):
It's close to, yeah, close to, because I know
I've been there setting up myown booth and it's maybe two
days before the show and boy,you show up the next morning and
it's like man people were doinga lot of work around here.
Andrew Doole (08:14):
This looks totally different.
Kristina Hebert (08:15):
This is awesome .
So I think there's two issuesthat people talk about.
The boat show that would wouldit possibly be a a challenge?
Let's say one is weather, whichyou and I have experienced, um
wilma right.
Was wilma the first actualhurricane that disrupted a show,
or have there been?
Andrew Doole (08:36):
it's the first one .
Yeah, we've had storms beforewe had.
We had a spring show up here 66.
We had a, had a tornado gothrough and tore that show up,
but that was the first.
You know you could see itcoming.
Is it going to miss us?
Well, no, it's not going tomiss us.
It's going to hit us and theplans we took and some were
right and some were wrong youknow, and how to handle that,
(08:57):
you know, with the weathercoming in, I was so impressed, I
have to say Kay Pearson, whowas the owner.
Kristina Hebert (09:04):
Founder president of show management at
the time.
You know when when most of theshow was set up correct me if
I'm wrong.
Andrew Doole (09:12):
A lot of the tents were set up a lot of the tents
were up, all the docks were in.
We're actually starting to moveboats in, so it was literally
like a week before correct.
Kristina Hebert (09:22):
And so I remember that instantly the
association got together withobviously you know the
management and said you know,what are we going to do?
And I don't think Kay hesitated.
I don't think anybody from MISFdid either.
It was this show is going onlike we're gonna take care of it
.
And the people that showed upin that boardroom I mean I get
(09:44):
chills now even talking about it.
I had been president, I think,for all of four months and I was
like whoa and here's all youknow.
You've got Terry Stiles and RonBergeron and all of these that
all came around to their friendKay and said we're going to help
you, what do we need to do?
And it wasn't a burden to thecity and it wasn't a burden on
businesses and in fact I'm stillgoing to stand by.
(10:05):
It was the absolute rightdecision that everybody decided
to do it, because I think aboutthe jobs that were saved you
know, it's the yes, we didn'thave power, and I know that the
the media always wants to jumpon something and say like, oh
well, the rich boat show has togo on while all of us are
without power.
And it's like there are over1,200 boats in the water and how
(10:27):
many exhibitors land exhibitorsin the show approximate.
Andrew Doole (10:32):
You've got 1,200 exhibitors in all the show, in
all of the show.
Kristina Hebert (10:36):
But that's 1,200 businesses.
Andrew Doole (10:38):
Correct.
Kristina Hebert (10:39):
That had planned on this and without the
show.
There are some businesses thatI know I I did interviews that
more than 50% of their grosssales for the year occurred
during that show and that wouldhave been horrible if we had
canceled that and not given theman opportunity and it turned
out to be a pretty good showyeah, I mean.
Andrew Doole (10:57):
Kay's only frustration was that we couldn't
do it on time right, exactly,and I always expected.
You know it shows got to openon time, but I think we delayed
by a week and then openedcorrect from memory and uh,
there's a huge amount of workand of course you know you were
going home to a house thatdidn't have power or water all
of us yeah all of a sudden, youknow we were actually getting
(11:19):
fuel from the fuel dock up here,marie, to be able to get to
work and back.
We had, you know, for those ofus working at the show site, we
had, you know, like specialpaths to be out past curfew
Right, you know, with the cityof Fort Lauderdale.
So it was, it was challenging.
Kristina Hebert (11:35):
But I think it was a very smart decision and I
know you were a big part of itand because it just goes to
prove that rain or sun,hurricane or not, we're having
the show.
Fort Lauderdale Boat Show ishere to stay and it's happening.
The second one I think thatpeople think of is redevelopment
, and I know that that's come upa lot about the Fort Lauderdale
(11:55):
Show.
My philosophy is I don't knowhow you have a 66-year running
show spanning over sevenlocations and don't think that
any of those in 66 years aregoing to need to be redeveloped.
So talk to me about all thosesites.
I know that the Pier 66 is.
Andrew Doole (12:10):
Well, I mean, pier 66 is, and now you've got this
fabulous.
Kristina Hebert (12:15):
Six restaurants Beautiful, fabulous.
Andrew Doole (12:17):
Probably the finest marina resort you know in
the country.
Kristina Hebert (12:21):
Absolutely.
Andrew Doole (12:23):
You know the convention center.
You know we went from nothingto build a convention center.
Now you're going to have an800-room hotel, beautiful Omni,
sitting right there next to theconvention center, which, will
you know, add to the hotel blockthat we've already got, the
pier, I think is around 320rooms, something like that.
(12:44):
Wow, you know some obviouslyfive-star rooms at the pier.
Kristina Hebert (12:49):
And again restaurants.
Andrew Doole (12:50):
You know the restaurant spectacular addition.
I mean it will be a real anchoron that end of the show and I
think it will change the dynamicat that end of the show.
I mean you've got, you know,lurssen Azimut.
Benetti San Lorenzo you knowtaking offices in the pier there
, so it's really a marine hub.
Kristina Hebert (13:10):
And they're committing to 12 months out of
the year, not just during theshow.
Andrew Doole (13:15):
You know and a lot of those brands you know, that
shows their commitment to thisindustry, this country, by
having big offices and supportpeople, service people here.
So if you have another Wilmathey're not so affected because
they've already got all thepeople here or when COVID
happened.
Kristina Hebert (13:34):
COVID, that's right.
Andrew Doole (13:36):
I mean, a lot of those brands had people here so
they could operate kind of asnormal.
Kristina Hebert (13:41):
You know, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about
COVID.
Covid is another one, COVID wasI mean.
The show was open.
Andrew Doole (13:49):
COVID, we were probably one of the only events
that ran.
You know, that year we were oneof the only Informer events
that ran out of 600 events.
Kristina Hebert (14:00):
I was there.
It was phenomenal.
Andrew Doole (14:02):
So with you know, obviously then our association,
you know Phil and theassociation working hard with us
and you know Rob and I workingwith Phil, and then you know Rob
Correa and the county to makeit happen, and the support of
you know Ken McEvoy andeverybody else at Informa to
make that thing happen.
Kristina Hebert (14:20):
But I feel like that is our industry, that we
always are fraught withchallenges.
I mean, look at boating.
In general, I mean you'realways against the weather
inclement weather.
So I mean, we're always doingthat, so how can we not have a
show with that?
But that's right, covid and Iknow I exhibited and honestly
had a great show.
And can I be truthful, I?
(14:41):
will tell you I think it was awonderful reset, because one of
the rules was we couldn't havehand brochures or a bunch of
giveaways.
Well, tell me, as an exhibitor,that is music to my ears.
You mean, I am not allowed, orI don't have to have tables full
of things to give away, andguess what?
I still had a tremendous show.
Andrew Doole (15:01):
No, I think we.
You know, obviously we had alot less people.
I think we had probably half orless than the normal attendance
.
But I think the people thatcame out were really, truly
inspired to be there and wantedto see product, wanted to buy
something, and I think you'dfind that most of the
manufacturers that were therehad a great show and the dealers
(15:24):
there had a great show.
I think more for new boats andbrokerage in that show, but I
think they probably did, as wellas you know, close to a 2000,.
You know what they'd done inyears past because the people
you know, the buyers and the inyears past because the people
you know, the buyers and thedealers or the manufacturers got
(15:44):
together quicker becausethere's less people in the
middle.
There you go.
Kristina Hebert (15:46):
I'm telling you it kind of there were many
things that sometimes we have tolearn from these experiences,
but there were many things thateven post-COVID, you know we're
not necessarily implementing.
I know for me not having asmany, just little things out and
not having all of that, youknow in the end we could just
focus on really, you know,having the conversations,
(16:07):
talking to customers, but youdon't have to go to 15 big
parties and three big dinnersand have thousands of dollars
worth of giveaways to have asuccessful show, and it was very
successful.
So, going back to theredevelopment, so we're moving
down the waterway, we're goingto skip over BMR and close with
that one, but Swimming Hall ofFame was redeveloped Beautiful.
Andrew Doole (16:27):
Well, it's still in the process, so the pool's
done.
I mean now I think after thisyear's show they will start on
the building at the end, so theneventually you'll have offices
and an entertainment space thatwould be available to the show.
But I'm sure that piece at theend will take three years.
Kristina Hebert (16:49):
But we can work around it for three years,
Absolutely, but the impact it'snot impacting.
Andrew Doole (16:54):
Once it's done, it'll be beautiful.
Kristina Hebert (16:55):
Moving down, you get to Las Olas.
Las Olas was redeveloped.
Andrew Doole (17:00):
Right Now you've got a beautiful state-of-the-art
marina.
Kristina Hebert (17:03):
Exactly.
Andrew Doole (17:04):
And restaurants coming online.
I think just recently therestaurant opened there.
So now you've gone from aparking lot and an old fixed
marina to a beautiful floatingdock marina with offices.
Restaurant.
Kristina Hebert (17:21):
It's a complete upgrade.
As an exhibitor for a long time.
Las Olas used to be oh well,you're kind of down at the end.
And now there are exhibitorsthat are thrilled that they've
been down there, that now theyhave that entrance, they have
that restaurant and it'sreengaged.
Andrew Doole (17:39):
You've got the restaurant, you've got the
parking garage, you've got theconnectivity with Los Olos.
Kristina Hebert (17:43):
They have like a VIP area.
You can get somebody into arestaurant, in and out of the
parking garage and into your.
When I was down there duringthe last boat show, people were
thrilled.
Nobody wants to move from there.
Andrew Doole (17:56):
Just so you know Well that's good From me to you
there you go.
Kristina Hebert (18:01):
Maybe some people do.
I didn't talk to everybody, butto me the sense was that people
were thrilled and, because ofthe redevelopment, they don't
feel like they're exactly wherethey want to be, and so I guess
now, coming back to BHMR, let'stalk about that.
What is that?
Andrew Doole (18:18):
development going to look like and how long it's
obviously been a long longprocess that started with, you
know, the Huizenga group wantingto do something there and then
you know they sold everythingout to Blackstone.
Blackstone pursued it with thecity for some time.
So we worked through a lot ofthese different plans with
different you know the differentdevelopers and you know the
(18:39):
current group Tate related todoing what they're going to do.
But we've worked closely withJimmy and Kenny Tate on the
project and with EDSA a localcompany that's worked a lot with
those guys and then workedclosely with us on other
projects as well.
So we've had a lot with thoseguys and then worked closely
(19:01):
with us on other projects aswell.
So we've had a lot.
You know, the boat show has hada lot of say and input into
what it's going to.
You know what it's going toeventually be like there.
You know, and the show will.
You know, nothing is going totouch the inwater portion, so
that remains exactly the same,you know.
So the land will change alittle bit, but for the better.
You'll have a nice hotel.
You have a beautiful area therethat's landscaped and
(19:24):
first-class looking instead ofsomething built in the 1960s.
Kristina Hebert (19:28):
Change is a great thing, I agree, was in
back with previous, as you said,previous owners.
I will say that there's alwaysbeen a collective um emphasis
and focus on how do we keepevery exhibitor, keep every
exhibitor happy that that's beenan exhibitor, because these are
(19:50):
businesses and and, like yousaid, there's 1200.
People may have to change,people may have to adjust, but
can we still give them the sameshow, if not better?
And the answer has always beenyes.
People will just have to again.
Just reimagine what you knowpeople will look at it after.
I.
My guess is that people say, ohwell, how did we live like this
?
How did we ever do a showwithout this?
Andrew Doole (20:11):
well, I mean you'll have a saint regis hotel
on site you know now you've got,you know, five, five star hotel
at hotel at the Baylor St Registhere which will probably be
five-star.
Kristina Hebert (20:20):
Restaurants.
Andrew Doole (20:20):
Yeah, restaurants.
So you'll have a lot moreoptions for all the people,
especially those that aretraveling in.
You know, I think it's going tobe a great improvement to the
show.
Kristina Hebert (20:29):
And do you have a timeline on that?
Do we 10 years?
Is it something like that?
But I mean, in the end there'snot a plan.
Andrew Doole (20:36):
It's a phased development, but I mean the show
will go on.
Kristina Hebert (20:40):
There's not a year planned that the show will
not go on.
Andrew Doole (20:43):
The show is going to go on through the— 100% every
year.
Kristina Hebert (20:45):
Good, and that's—you heard it here, that's
what.
I just wanted to make sure, andnot that I have any doubts.
But you know people, especiallythe people that just come into
town or people that don't knowand they go.
Andrew Doole (21:03):
Oh, you know that's getting redeveloped.
Kristina Hebert (21:03):
Are they going to close it?
Industry is rife for rumors.
Right, we love those.
You want to start one here?
What can we start?
Let's start.
Well, I'll tell you what I'll.
It's not really a rumor, but itis.
It is a funny.
We were talking about um, uh,your, your previous uh
predecessor, k k pearson, and um, I do have to say I.
I think about him often when Isee some of these boats that are
trying to take their lines off,maybe, maybe right after or
(21:24):
during the horns.
He's mad.
Is that your fault?
Probably so, he's got to be just.
Andrew Doole (21:29):
Unfortunately, you know you've got boats that have
to get out by.
You know, the bigger the boatswe've got in there now they need
a lot more water to get comeand go was just gonna say so
things that we do for the shownow are, you know, revolve
around mother nature, with thetide oh, absolutely they've got
to get out at some point and you, you have a certain amount of
time.
You've got to get out of thatwhole facility.
(21:51):
So we're trying to get out ofbehemoth completely by the
weekend.
So, yeah, you're gonna havesome boats move out a little
early on Sunday afternoon.
Kristina Hebert (22:03):
Well, and they all also have places to go.
Many of them could be sold andthey're heading someplace to do
a closing, or many of them aregetting a charter and they're
heading to do that.
How is one of our guests?
During this season we talkedabout Foreign Trade Zone.
How has that been beneficialfor the show?
Andrew Doole (22:21):
Because I learned something about that when to do
foreign trade zone and when tohave a boat show bond.
I think it's probablybeneficial.
It hasn't.
Obviously there's hundreds ofboat show bonds out there.
I mean, if the whole entiresite was a free trade zone, it
would probably help all thebrokers out.
Kristina Hebert (22:42):
So you would like to see if during the Fort
Lauderdale Boat Show we couldhave a foreign trade zone for
the show for five days,especially for that week.
Andrew Doole (22:49):
yeah, that's a big trade zone for the week.
Let's start that.
I think that's great.
Kristina Hebert (22:54):
Okay, yeah, we'll talk to Ron.
Let's do that.
Let's get him on the podcast.
You know we need this.
Where's Producer Jordan when Ineed her?
She's not here, but we're goingto tell her we need ron
desantis because we want to makethe four lot.
Is that possible?
Could we do an event trade zone?
Andrew Doole (23:10):
I don't know, it would it's.
You know it's a dream.
I'm going to be great it wouldbe.
It would cause, like it wouldalleviate a lot of headaches
that everybody's going throughnow and I feel like it would
definitely be an economic impact.
Kristina Hebert (23:21):
I do know that um, our governor was in um,
italy.
I think encouraging people toum, to to buy boats and and have
boat building be more in the usto italy.
Andrew Doole (23:34):
He came and opened the miami show for us this year
.
So he was at miamiinternational boat show and
opened that, so that must havebeen great.
He enjoys it yeah, he gets itand he's, and he's doing the tax
break on gasoline and then notbanning gasoline motors on lakes
in the state of Florida.
(23:55):
So he's very I think he's veryboater friendly.
Kristina Hebert (23:58):
I agree and I feel like he had a saying that
bring more boating to Florida.
We're an open.
Andrew Doole (24:04):
I think that's what his I think they're
encouraging boating, yachting,boating, marine business to come
to the state of Florida.
Kristina Hebert (24:10):
Well, I can tell you, it's the place to be.
It really is Speaking of Miami.
I hear Miami show is changingnext year.
Andrew Doole (24:18):
It is that has been changing over the years,
yeah and we're actually goingback to our roots a little bit.
Kristina Hebert (24:24):
I like it.
Andrew Doole (24:26):
We're going back to our roots a little bit.
I like it.
We're going back to the creekso from Herald Plaza.
It was a two-year processworking with the city of Miami
Beach to make that happen Good,and we worked through two
administrations there, so it wasa long, expensive process.
Kristina Hebert (24:43):
That's the thing.
I don't think people understandhow much behind the scenes work
you have to do in order tochange a venue or bring that
back, and so there will be a lotmore connectivity between.
Andrew Doole (24:53):
Indian Creek and the convention center.
Now you've got a you know drivetime of perhaps 40 minutes or
more to go from Herald Plaza tothe convention center.
Hopefully that's more like 15,20 minutes.
Kristina Hebert (25:06):
Or you definitely.
What I got the sense of andI've been an exhibitor at Harrow
Plaza is that you know it'sgoing to take you time and there
was a hesitation Do I leave?
Andrew Doole (25:17):
and go.
Will I get back?
Do I need to go?
Do I need to go?
But if it's that close, then Ijust think there's so much more
connectivity between the two,and If it's that close, then I
just think there's so much moreconnectivity between the two and
the change was really broughtby.
Our exhibitors wanted to goback there and they just weren't
happy with the current site,and so we listened to them.
Kristina Hebert (25:38):
And how is it going to work?
Is there going to be a gate ofsorts?
Because I feel like that wasthe issue when it was along.
Andrew Doole (25:45):
Well, the show itself will be half a mile long
instead of like a mile and aquarter.
So we had to make a lot ofconcessions with the city of
Miami Beach to move back, one ofwhich was, you know, reduce the
size and the impact of the showon Collins Avenue and Indian
Creek and to the populationthere, and so move in, move out,
(26:06):
moving equipment into the showis going to be a lot more
complicated than it was when wewere last there, but that's
logistics we're working throughnow.
Kristina Hebert (26:15):
But I do feel like people miss having the show
in South Beach along CollinsAvenue.
Andrew Doole (26:22):
The allure and the glamour of the beautiful
Fountain Blue and the Eden Rock,right next to it.
You know the history with thosetwo hotels and then all of
South Beach and you know ifyou're the exhibitors there,
their customer likes to staythere on South.
Beach so they were pretty muchstaying there, then getting an
Uber to come over to HeraldPlaza.
So we're just moving the showback to where the end user
(26:46):
really wants to be.
Kristina Hebert (26:47):
Well, and that show you partner with IBA,
correct, and so?
I think, IBA's really beenpromoting it.
Iba and NMMA oh, that's right,the NMMA portion.
Andrew Doole (26:57):
You've got, obviously, the convention center
and it's thriving the portionthat will be on Indian Creek.
Kristina Hebert (27:05):
Which, by the way, that convention center was
just redeveloped, not that longago.
Andrew Doole (27:09):
No, it went through a complete redevelopment
.
Then we're in the IGY Marina.
Kristina Hebert (27:16):
Oh yeah.
Andrew Doole (27:16):
So we're there and then we're in the FEC slip with
the sailing yachts.
Kristina Hebert (27:21):
Okay.
Andrew Doole (27:22):
So you know it's in multiple locations.
Kristina Hebert (27:26):
So that's Miami .
Miami now has four locationsyeah that's great.
Now let's talk about palm beach.
Palm beach is single spot onelocation one location.
I'll take over the wholewaterfront and all of palm
harbor this year correct all ofit.
Andrew Doole (27:41):
We rented for the first time all of palm harbor.
Kristina Hebert (27:44):
That's huge, that's a big deal.
Andrew Doole (27:48):
I think we're maxed out now with what we did.
So it was a lot of boats andwater, some bigger boats than
we'd ever done in water, sowe're happy with that.
I think a lot more Europeaninterest in the show from
shipyards brokers Perfect timeof year, obviously.
Kristina Hebert (28:05):
Yeah.
Andrew Doole (28:05):
Shipyards Brokers.
Perfect time of year, obviouslyright before Easter, still
catches everybody that hasn'tgone back north.
Very user-friendly show.
You can walk in and out.
West Palm Beach prides itselfon being a walking city.
So I think you can walk out theshow, walk up Clematis, find a
restaurant.
You can walk out the show, walkup Clematis, find a restaurant.
(28:26):
Several businesses there.
You know that aren'tnecessarily connected to the
show, but you know the Frenchrestaurant right next to the
show on Saturday had theirrecord of records Wow.
Kristina Hebert (28:38):
And that's going to happen in Fort
Lauderdale too once theseproperties are developed.
I mean we're going to have thatsame walkability.
We just right now are lackingthat, and in order to get that,
we just need to redevelop it.
No, I think you've got lots ofrestaurants.
Andrew Doole (28:51):
You know, like you know, great to have the new
restaurant on Los Olos.
You know Coconuts is alwayssuper busy every year and I'm
sure you know Elliot's a goodfriend and I know that he and
his staff have a great weekduring boat show week because
it's you know it's not just thecrowd that we bring, but you
know, I think you've got acompletely different demographic
to the crowd that comes totortuga and I think ours is
(29:13):
spending a lot more.
Kristina Hebert (29:14):
Yes, we spent more money.
Yes, absolutely, because whenpeople aren't driving in for a
day, most people are coming andum, you're still doing the boat
show survey, correct?
Yeah good, good no, good, good.
Andrew Doole (29:26):
So attendee scores , you know, by an industry
standard on all the shows arepretty high, so very high.
You know from the attendee andthe exhibitors.
Kristina Hebert (29:35):
Any new shows coming up.
Andrew Doole (29:37):
Well, last year we did Newport for the first time,
so we bought Newport lastFebruary.
Kristina Hebert (29:43):
The September show the.
Newport International okay.
Andrew Doole (29:45):
So Newport, rhode Island, and we're very, very
happy to have that in the family.
It's a great location.
I think it's got a lot ofpromise and you know, we hope
it's.
You know, the star of theNortheast.
Kristina Hebert (29:59):
And I feel like that's it's great, because it's
the end of season for them.
Andrew Doole (30:05):
Right.
Kristina Hebert (30:06):
Most of the boats travel down that have been
up north and then we go rightinto Fort Lauderdale on the
start of really the fall seasonhere and then they go to the
Caribbean.
Andrew Doole (30:15):
No, you see a lot of the boats leaving the
waterfront.
When you go back there in themiddle of the winter is
completely different.
The marinas are empty, themooring fields are empty,
there's nothing out there.
It completely different.
The marinas are empty, themooring fields are empty,
there's nothing out there.
It's bleak.
And then come, you know, likeApril, they start putting the
boats back in in the marinas andon the mooring fields.
(30:37):
So it's very you know, we'rejust not used to seasonal
boating.
Kristina Hebert (30:39):
We're so lucky to have 12 month boating down
here we don't appreciate whatother people go through with the
short seasons.
Andrew Doole (30:44):
We are going to start another show, 26, in
Chicago.
Kristina Hebert (30:52):
Oh, wow.
Andrew Doole (30:54):
So we'll be working with Suntex and using
their marina there.
So we'll be doing a boat show,the Windy City Boat Show.
Kristina Hebert (31:02):
Well, you heard it first here.
That's interesting, and whenwill that be?
Andrew Doole (31:05):
Next summer.
Kristina Hebert (31:13):
Oh, in the summer?
Yeah, okayune.
What about um monaco?
I know for a while there wastalk about the dates being close
and, um, you know ships uhleaving, you know boats that are
leaving on dock dock express.
The ships were leaving andthere wasn't.
I feel like that's kind of goneaway.
Is that that's an issue, thatthere's enough space in between?
Andrew Doole (31:27):
I think there's enough between.
You know we have boats thattravel from the show over.
I agree, I mean some of the youknow they're going dock express
, but there's a lot of them thatare coming on their own bottom
coming over from that show.
Which also just goes to attestto the boats changing getting
(31:50):
bigger and and so on and soforth, and some of the
exhibitors have got, you know,an exhibit in both places.
Kristina Hebert (31:52):
So, um, it's, it's tight, but it's not
impossible okay, well, I alsoknow and I do want to touch base
just so people understand theeconomic impacts of the fort
lauderdale international boatshows.
We have 1200 businesses thatexhibit.
We have 1200 exhibitors.
We have about,200 businessesthat exhibit.
We have 1,200 exhibitors.
We have about 100,000 peoplethat attend the show.
Andrew Doole (32:08):
Correct.
Kristina Hebert (32:09):
Every year.
Andrew Doole (32:10):
Every year.
Kristina Hebert (32:11):
And the net cost to the city of Fort
Lauderdale is.
Andrew Doole (32:15):
Not very much yeah .
Kristina Hebert (32:17):
Okay, and because the show covers the
police, the garbage.
Andrew Doole (32:21):
We pay away, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (32:23):
That's right, but again, and not to jump on a
bandwagon.
But I know I've always heardpeople say.
I just don't think theyunderstand that we get the Super
Bowl every year.
We have an event that's put onevery year in the city of Fort
Lauderdale.
Nobody has to to vie for it,people are.
I'm sure there are other peoplethat would love to have the
Fort Lauderdale boat show intheir city or their area and the
(32:47):
show takes care of all of itand the city benefits from that
greater than the economic impactof the Super Bowl every year.
Andrew Doole (32:54):
I think you know the show is.
You know 1.8 or it's you knowit's around 1.8 billion every
year.
So I mean that's obviously ahuge economic benefit and it
touches so many businesses.
Kristina Hebert (33:04):
It really does.
I know, even for us it's amonth long show, it's a couple
weeks before the show whetherit's preparing the boats, people
that come into town, and thenit's all the transactions after
you know boats that were sold,boats that need surveys, boats
that are heading to theCaribbean fairly quickly and
they need some work, and so Iknow for us it's a good month
(33:26):
long.
Andrew Doole (33:28):
No, I don't think people think about all the other
businesses outside the marineindustry.
You know, obviously the hotels,the restaurants are jammed.
You know all of the floristsare jammed all over the city.
You know there's so many.
Kristina Hebert (33:39):
Groceries, delivery services, delivery
services, laundry, yeah,catering.
Andrew Doole (33:46):
So laundry, catering.
So there's dozens of businessesthat benefit from the show and
thanks to you the show stayswhere it is.
Kristina Hebert (33:52):
You've been a part of it since 1982.
All of the challenges.
We thank you for being ourleader and helping us keep the
show here, and all that you dofor Informa.
Thank you for being here on theWardsway Podcast thank you for
joining us this season on seasonthree of the wardsway podcast.
Be sure you subscribe becausethere's much more to come.
Welcome to the Season 3 Wards Way podcast,
where we're covering the hotlegislative topics of 2025.
From tariffs to tunnels andbridges, from foreign trade
zones to workers' compensation,to the Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show, to theMarine Research Hub, industry
(00:22):
experts and clarification on theB1B2 visas.
Join us as we celebrate 75years in business and we're just
getting started.
Welcome to season three.
I'm here today with Andrew Duhl, president of the US Boat Shows
for Informa.
We're here to talk everythingabout Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show comingup on the 66th anniversary.
(00:45):
So welcome, thank you forcoming.
Andrew Doole (00:46):
Thank you, happy to be here.
Kristina Hebert (00:48):
Well, I will say so.
When did you start with doingthe boat shows?
We were just chatting.
Andrew Doole (00:53):
I started in May 82.
Kristina Hebert (00:55):
May 19.
Well, I think boat shows havechanged a lot.
Andrew Doole (00:57):
Of course, 82 was the year we were in Port
Everglades, so it was.
Kristina Hebert (01:01):
That was your first year.
You started my first year.
Andrew Doole (01:03):
So it was a baptism of fire going to that
show.
Kristina Hebert (01:07):
Okay, and why was the show for everybody?
Why was the show in PortEverglades that year?
Andrew Doole (01:12):
The show was in Port Everglades because the show
management, the managementcompany and the association
really couldn't get a contractthey liked with Behem Mar Okay,
so I think it was owned by theOmni Group at the time and so
they made the decision jointlyto go to the port and try that
location.
Kristina Hebert (01:32):
And how was it my understanding?
Andrew Doole (01:35):
It was a little bumpy.
Kristina Hebert (01:36):
Yeah, yeah, I would say so.
I'm sure the current ripsthrough there and you know,
docks aren't what they were.
Andrew Doole (01:42):
We had terrible weather the whole time up until
Monday, when we closed the showSunday night because it wasn't
going to open on Monday and itblew and blew and blew.
The wave attenuator that wasbuilt to try and deal with that
really didn't work that well.
So it was a rough show to startwith, you know, as your first
(02:04):
event.
Kristina Hebert (02:05):
Did everybody come to the table after that?
Because it seems like we havefound a home in BMR.
Andrew Doole (02:10):
Well, after that we had the lawsuit with the
association oh okay.
So the association sued Kay andKay finally won the lawsuit and
then that got settled, that weyou know we're back running the
event.
Then we'll move the event backto Pihima.
Kristina Hebert (02:26):
And it's funny because show management, which
was Kay Pearson and Informa andMIASF, you couldn't even imagine
a time that there wasn't thisclose because there's great
communication.
You've done a lot.
I will tell you then in yourtenure to repair a lot of those
relationships because therelationship couldn't be closer
now and it's funny that thingscan.
(02:48):
You have to go look back athistory to realize sometimes
where you get.
Andrew Doole (02:51):
No, and I think that happens in lots of
organizations.
You know where it's, theassociation and the producer
don't see eye to eye.
Kristina Hebert (03:00):
Well, they have different agendas.
The show back when there were,oh, I mean it would be
scandalous now with the fashionshows and the bikini fashion
shows and the fishing equipment.
It's just a different time.
(03:21):
But I don't I I have to say Iwas probably a kid around some
of that time, but I don'tremember.
I don't remember being offendedby it.
But I look at boat shows nowand the sophistication and the
size of boats and the equipmentand and now it's not just let's
have boat, boats and equipment,let's have cars, let's have
helicopters, let's have livehelicopters take off from boats.
I mean boat shows have changedover the years.
What are some of the things?
Andrew Doole (03:41):
that dramatically.
I mean, you think like back inthe day the boats just backed
into slips at Bahia Mar.
They put out a white planterbox, put some mums in it.
Sat on the back of the boat.
That was their display.
Now you look at what Ferrettior Azamud or San Lorenzo.
The barges and the you know allthe Viking everybody's doing
with the displays.
I mean it forces us to do abetter job, bring up, you know,
(04:05):
up to a better level, and Ithink we, you know, we'd love
the show improving, love the waythe manufacturers really want
to up the game.
Kristina Hebert (04:13):
I agree, I've noticed that.
Yeah, you see a lot ofinvestment in that.
Andrew Doole (04:17):
No, there's a huge amount of investment from them
Time the displays that you knowthe flying crews in to build the
displays, to make it lookbeautiful, so they can reproduce
the same feeling as if you'rein their factories or if you you
think the lifestyle that thatbrand is gonna give you when you
you buy that product.
So that's what they're tryingto you know.
(04:38):
Portray that to you know you'rethe attendee and you walk in.
Well, if you own this boat,this is you can come to these
events and this you know.
That's why they go to the.
I think the level ofsophistication with the barges
is to really portray the imageof the lifestyle you're about to
join that's an interestingperspective.
Kristina Hebert (04:56):
You know, I always just assumed they were
trying to um look.
Andrew Doole (05:01):
Better than the stand next to them maybe, but,
but it does make sense inbringing that in.
Kristina Hebert (05:05):
I'm sure you've had the conversations with
these builders that that is whatthey're trying to do to bring
that in and that is so difficultto do.
The other thing I don't thinkpeople pay attention to is this
boat show is completelymanufactured.
It's not like you have theluxury of.
Yes, the convention center isone of seven locations of the
(05:25):
Fort.
Lauderdale Boat Show.
So the boat show has sevenlocations.
Even the convention center isbeing redeveloped.
But the convention center is abuilding that you go in and then
you make your stand.
It's a controlled weatherenvironment.
You guys have to build the show, create it all of it, all of
these bars, every, everyexperience, and bring in all the
docs.
Talk to me, how long does thattake?
Andrew Doole (05:47):
the whole process.
You know the the processbeforehand for fall it was
probably like a close to a monthand um, where we start build up
staging equipment at los olosand you know you've got seven
miles of dark, so, uh, thatwe're gonna launch.
And you know you've got sevenmiles of dock that we're going
to launch, and take out for theshow.
Kristina Hebert (06:07):
Seven miles, that's a wonderful trivia.
Andrew Doole (06:09):
So it's, you know it's the infrastructure for the
show, it's all the barges youknow the docks, the individual
components that make up thebarges for these displays, and
then on top of that you've gothundreds of miles of wire.
Kristina Hebert (06:22):
I was just going to say, of course, being
egocentric, thinking about theelectric and all of these boats.
They're not sitting thererunning on generators.
Andrew Doole (06:30):
No, 99% are on shore power and you know what it
takes to go through to do thatand some of it's generator, some
of it's predominantly FPL power.
But the larger these boats aregetting, the more the power
requirements.
Kristina Hebert (06:51):
Sometimes we have to go back to some
generators in some areas toprovide enough power.
Now also just even the tents,because I was an exhibitor.
I've been an exhibitor, I think, in almost every tent over the
years.
We were in the one or 200 tentwith some of the regular ship
store supplies.
I then was in the three and 400tent, so I could give you an
(07:13):
exhibitor's perspective.
I have been in all and actuallyboth in Miami and in Palm Beach
.
But I do know I've evenrecognized over the decades the
amount.
I don't think people can fullyappreciate the amount of time
and dedication.
And just because that luxury,the game is leveling up, it
doesn't mean you get a bunchmore time.
(07:34):
You don't get to go to the cityand be here tomorrow and say,
can we have two months to set up.
You still get that same amountof time that you've got to be in
and out.
Andrew Doole (07:44):
We've got the same amount of time to set up and
break down.
We've got great teams withdocks, with freight, with
electric.
We use a lot of subcontractors.
We'll go from a staff of 100 upto probably like 500 at
showtime.
We're obviously employing a lotof people.
It's 24 hours.
Kristina Hebert (08:02):
Right, I've been there late.
Andrew Doole (08:04):
It's close to employing a lot of people and
it's 24 hours, right.
I mean, I've been there late.
Kristina Hebert (08:06):
It's close to, yeah, close to, because I know
I've been there setting up myown booth and it's maybe two
days before the show and boy,you show up the next morning and
it's like man people were doinga lot of work around here.
Andrew Doole (08:14):
This looks totally different.
Kristina Hebert (08:15):
This is awesome .
So I think there's two issuesthat people talk about.
The boat show that would wouldit possibly be a a challenge?
Let's say one is weather, whichyou and I have experienced, um
wilma right.
Was wilma the first actualhurricane that disrupted a show,
or have there been?
Andrew Doole (08:36):
it's the first one .
Yeah, we've had storms beforewe had.
We had a spring show up here 66.
We had a, had a tornado gothrough and tore that show up,
but that was the first.
You know you could see itcoming.
Is it going to miss us?
Well, no, it's not going tomiss us.
It's going to hit us and theplans we took and some were
right and some were wrong youknow, and how to handle that,
(08:57):
you know, with the weathercoming in, I was so impressed, I
have to say Kay Pearson, whowas the owner.
Kristina Hebert (09:04):
Founder president of show management at
the time.
You know when when most of theshow was set up correct me if
I'm wrong.
Andrew Doole (09:12):
A lot of the tents were set up a lot of the tents
were up, all the docks were in.
We're actually starting to moveboats in, so it was literally
like a week before correct.
Kristina Hebert (09:22):
And so I remember that instantly the
association got together withobviously you know the
management and said you know,what are we going to do?
And I don't think Kay hesitated.
I don't think anybody from MISFdid either.
It was this show is going onlike we're gonna take care of it
.
And the people that showed upin that boardroom I mean I get
(09:44):
chills now even talking about it.
I had been president, I think,for all of four months and I was
like whoa and here's all youknow.
You've got Terry Stiles and RonBergeron and all of these that
all came around to their friendKay and said we're going to help
you, what do we need to do?
And it wasn't a burden to thecity and it wasn't a burden on
businesses and in fact I'm stillgoing to stand by.
(10:05):
It was the absolute rightdecision that everybody decided
to do it, because I think aboutthe jobs that were saved you
know, it's the yes, we didn'thave power, and I know that the
the media always wants to jumpon something and say like, oh
well, the rich boat show has togo on while all of us are
without power.
And it's like there are over1,200 boats in the water and how
(10:27):
many exhibitors land exhibitorsin the show approximate.
Andrew Doole (10:32):
You've got 1,200 exhibitors in all the show, in
all of the show.
Kristina Hebert (10:36):
But that's 1,200 businesses.
Andrew Doole (10:38):
Correct.
Kristina Hebert (10:39):
That had planned on this and without the
show.
There are some businesses thatI know I I did interviews that
more than 50% of their grosssales for the year occurred
during that show and that wouldhave been horrible if we had
canceled that and not given theman opportunity and it turned
out to be a pretty good showyeah, I mean.
Andrew Doole (10:57):
Kay's only frustration was that we couldn't
do it on time right, exactly,and I always expected.
You know it shows got to openon time, but I think we delayed
by a week and then openedcorrect from memory and uh,
there's a huge amount of workand of course you know you were
going home to a house thatdidn't have power or water all
of us yeah all of a sudden, youknow we were actually getting
(11:19):
fuel from the fuel dock up here,marie, to be able to get to
work and back.
We had, you know, for those ofus working at the show site, we
had, you know, like specialpaths to be out past curfew
Right, you know, with the cityof Fort Lauderdale.
So it was, it was challenging.
Kristina Hebert (11:35):
But I think it was a very smart decision and I
know you were a big part of itand because it just goes to
prove that rain or sun,hurricane or not, we're having
the show.
Fort Lauderdale Boat Show ishere to stay and it's happening.
The second one I think thatpeople think of is redevelopment
, and I know that that's come upa lot about the Fort Lauderdale
(11:55):
Show.
My philosophy is I don't knowhow you have a 66-year running
show spanning over sevenlocations and don't think that
any of those in 66 years aregoing to need to be redeveloped.
So talk to me about all thosesites.
I know that the Pier 66 is.
Andrew Doole (12:10):
Well, I mean, pier 66 is, and now you've got this
fabulous.
Kristina Hebert (12:15):
Six restaurants Beautiful, fabulous.
Andrew Doole (12:17):
Probably the finest marina resort you know in
the country.
Kristina Hebert (12:21):
Absolutely.
Andrew Doole (12:23):
You know the convention center.
You know we went from nothingto build a convention center.
Now you're going to have an800-room hotel, beautiful Omni,
sitting right there next to theconvention center, which, will
you know, add to the hotel blockthat we've already got, the
pier, I think is around 320rooms, something like that.
(12:44):
Wow, you know some obviouslyfive-star rooms at the pier.
Kristina Hebert (12:49):
And again restaurants.
Andrew Doole (12:50):
You know the restaurant spectacular addition.
I mean it will be a real anchoron that end of the show and I
think it will change the dynamicat that end of the show.
I mean you've got, you know,lurssen Azimut.
Benetti San Lorenzo you knowtaking offices in the pier there
, so it's really a marine hub.
Kristina Hebert (13:10):
And they're committing to 12 months out of
the year, not just during theshow.
Andrew Doole (13:15):
You know and a lot of those brands you know, that
shows their commitment to thisindustry, this country, by
having big offices and supportpeople, service people here.
So if you have another Wilmathey're not so affected because
they've already got all thepeople here or when COVID
happened.
Kristina Hebert (13:34):
COVID, that's right.
Andrew Doole (13:36):
I mean, a lot of those brands had people here so
they could operate kind of asnormal.
Kristina Hebert (13:41):
You know, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about
COVID.
Covid is another one, COVID wasI mean.
The show was open.
Andrew Doole (13:49):
COVID, we were probably one of the only events
that ran.
You know, that year we were oneof the only Informer events
that ran out of 600 events.
Kristina Hebert (14:00):
I was there.
It was phenomenal.
Andrew Doole (14:02):
So with you know, obviously then our association,
you know Phil and theassociation working hard with us
and you know Rob and I workingwith Phil, and then you know Rob
Correa and the county to makeit happen, and the support of
you know Ken McEvoy andeverybody else at Informa to
make that thing happen.
Kristina Hebert (14:20):
But I feel like that is our industry, that we
always are fraught withchallenges.
I mean, look at boating.
In general, I mean you'realways against the weather
inclement weather.
So I mean, we're always doingthat, so how can we not have a
show with that?
But that's right, covid and Iknow I exhibited and honestly
had a great show.
And can I be truthful, I?
(14:41):
will tell you I think it was awonderful reset, because one of
the rules was we couldn't havehand brochures or a bunch of
giveaways.
Well, tell me, as an exhibitor,that is music to my ears.
You mean, I am not allowed, orI don't have to have tables full
of things to give away, andguess what?
I still had a tremendous show.
Andrew Doole (15:01):
No, I think we.
You know, obviously we had alot less people.
I think we had probably half orless than the normal attendance
.
But I think the people thatcame out were really, truly
inspired to be there and wantedto see product, wanted to buy
something, and I think you'dfind that most of the
manufacturers that were therehad a great show and the dealers
(15:24):
there had a great show.
I think more for new boats andbrokerage in that show, but I
think they probably did, as wellas you know, close to a 2000,.
You know what they'd done inyears past because the people
you know, the buyers and the inyears past because the people
you know, the buyers and thedealers or the manufacturers got
(15:44):
together quicker becausethere's less people in the
middle.
There you go.
Kristina Hebert (15:46):
I'm telling you it kind of there were many
things that sometimes we have tolearn from these experiences,
but there were many things thateven post-COVID, you know we're
not necessarily implementing.
I know for me not having asmany, just little things out and
not having all of that, youknow in the end we could just
focus on really, you know,having the conversations,
(16:07):
talking to customers, but youdon't have to go to 15 big
parties and three big dinnersand have thousands of dollars
worth of giveaways to have asuccessful show, and it was very
successful.
So, going back to theredevelopment, so we're moving
down the waterway, we're goingto skip over BMR and close with
that one, but Swimming Hall ofFame was redeveloped Beautiful.
Andrew Doole (16:27):
Well, it's still in the process, so the pool's
done.
I mean now I think after thisyear's show they will start on
the building at the end, so theneventually you'll have offices
and an entertainment space thatwould be available to the show.
But I'm sure that piece at theend will take three years.
Kristina Hebert (16:49):
But we can work around it for three years,
Absolutely, but the impact it'snot impacting.
Andrew Doole (16:54):
Once it's done, it'll be beautiful.
Kristina Hebert (16:55):
Moving down, you get to Las Olas.
Las Olas was redeveloped.
Andrew Doole (17:00):
Right Now you've got a beautiful state-of-the-art
marina.
Kristina Hebert (17:03):
Exactly.
Andrew Doole (17:04):
And restaurants coming online.
I think just recently therestaurant opened there.
So now you've gone from aparking lot and an old fixed
marina to a beautiful floatingdock marina with offices.
Restaurant.
Kristina Hebert (17:21):
It's a complete upgrade.
As an exhibitor for a long time.
Las Olas used to be oh well,you're kind of down at the end.
And now there are exhibitorsthat are thrilled that they've
been down there, that now theyhave that entrance, they have
that restaurant and it'sreengaged.
Andrew Doole (17:39):
You've got the restaurant, you've got the
parking garage, you've got theconnectivity with Los Olos.
Kristina Hebert (17:43):
They have like a VIP area.
You can get somebody into arestaurant, in and out of the
parking garage and into your.
When I was down there duringthe last boat show, people were
thrilled.
Nobody wants to move from there.
Andrew Doole (17:56):
Just so you know Well that's good From me to you
there you go.
Kristina Hebert (18:01):
Maybe some people do.
I didn't talk to everybody, butto me the sense was that people
were thrilled and, because ofthe redevelopment, they don't
feel like they're exactly wherethey want to be, and so I guess
now, coming back to BHMR, let'stalk about that.
What is that?
Andrew Doole (18:18):
development going to look like and how long it's
obviously been a long longprocess that started with, you
know, the Huizenga group wantingto do something there and then
you know they sold everythingout to Blackstone.
Blackstone pursued it with thecity for some time.
So we worked through a lot ofthese different plans with
different you know the differentdevelopers and you know the
(18:39):
current group Tate related todoing what they're going to do.
But we've worked closely withJimmy and Kenny Tate on the
project and with EDSA a localcompany that's worked a lot with
those guys and then workedclosely with us on other
projects as well.
So we've had a lot with thoseguys and then worked closely
(19:01):
with us on other projects aswell.
So we've had a lot.
You know, the boat show has hada lot of say and input into
what it's going to.
You know what it's going toeventually be like there.
You know, and the show will.
You know, nothing is going totouch the inwater portion, so
that remains exactly the same,you know.
So the land will change alittle bit, but for the better.
You'll have a nice hotel.
You have a beautiful area therethat's landscaped and
(19:24):
first-class looking instead ofsomething built in the 1960s.
Kristina Hebert (19:28):
Change is a great thing, I agree, was in
back with previous, as you said,previous owners.
I will say that there's alwaysbeen a collective um emphasis
and focus on how do we keepevery exhibitor, keep every
exhibitor happy that that's beenan exhibitor, because these are
(19:50):
businesses and and, like yousaid, there's 1200.
People may have to change,people may have to adjust, but
can we still give them the sameshow, if not better?
And the answer has always beenyes.
People will just have to again.
Just reimagine what you knowpeople will look at it after.
I.
My guess is that people say, ohwell, how did we live like this
?
How did we ever do a showwithout this?
Andrew Doole (20:11):
well, I mean you'll have a saint regis hotel
on site you know now you've got,you know, five, five star hotel
at hotel at the Baylor St Registhere which will probably be
five-star.
Kristina Hebert (20:20):
Restaurants.
Andrew Doole (20:20):
Yeah, restaurants.
So you'll have a lot moreoptions for all the people,
especially those that aretraveling in.
You know, I think it's going tobe a great improvement to the
show.
Kristina Hebert (20:29):
And do you have a timeline on that?
Do we 10 years?
Is it something like that?
But I mean, in the end there'snot a plan.
Andrew Doole (20:36):
It's a phased development, but I mean the show
will go on.
Kristina Hebert (20:40):
There's not a year planned that the show will
not go on.
Andrew Doole (20:43):
The show is going to go on through the— 100% every
year.
Kristina Hebert (20:45):
Good, and that's—you heard it here, that's
what.
I just wanted to make sure, andnot that I have any doubts.
But you know people, especiallythe people that just come into
town or people that don't knowand they go.
Andrew Doole (21:03):
Oh, you know that's getting redeveloped.
Kristina Hebert (21:03):
Are they going to close it?
Industry is rife for rumors.
Right, we love those.
You want to start one here?
What can we start?
Let's start.
Well, I'll tell you what I'll.
It's not really a rumor, but itis.
It is a funny.
We were talking about um, uh,your, your previous uh
predecessor, k k pearson, and um, I do have to say I.
I think about him often when Isee some of these boats that are
trying to take their lines off,maybe, maybe right after or
(21:24):
during the horns.
He's mad.
Is that your fault?
Probably so, he's got to be just.
Andrew Doole (21:29):
Unfortunately, you know you've got boats that have
to get out by.
You know, the bigger the boatswe've got in there now they need
a lot more water to get comeand go was just gonna say so
things that we do for the shownow are, you know, revolve
around mother nature, with thetide oh, absolutely they've got
to get out at some point and you, you have a certain amount of
time.
You've got to get out of thatwhole facility.
(21:51):
So we're trying to get out ofbehemoth completely by the
weekend.
So, yeah, you're gonna havesome boats move out a little
early on Sunday afternoon.
Kristina Hebert (22:03):
Well, and they all also have places to go.
Many of them could be sold andthey're heading someplace to do
a closing, or many of them aregetting a charter and they're
heading to do that.
How is one of our guests?
During this season we talkedabout Foreign Trade Zone.
How has that been beneficialfor the show?
Andrew Doole (22:21):
Because I learned something about that when to do
foreign trade zone and when tohave a boat show bond.
I think it's probablybeneficial.
It hasn't.
Obviously there's hundreds ofboat show bonds out there.
I mean, if the whole entiresite was a free trade zone, it
would probably help all thebrokers out.
Kristina Hebert (22:42):
So you would like to see if during the Fort
Lauderdale Boat Show we couldhave a foreign trade zone for
the show for five days,especially for that week.
Andrew Doole (22:49):
yeah, that's a big trade zone for the week.
Let's start that.
I think that's great.
Kristina Hebert (22:54):
Okay, yeah, we'll talk to Ron.
Let's do that.
Let's get him on the podcast.
You know we need this.
Where's Producer Jordan when Ineed her?
She's not here, but we're goingto tell her we need ron
desantis because we want to makethe four lot.
Is that possible?
Could we do an event trade zone?
Andrew Doole (23:10):
I don't know, it would it's.
You know it's a dream.
I'm going to be great it wouldbe.
It would cause, like it wouldalleviate a lot of headaches
that everybody's going throughnow and I feel like it would
definitely be an economic impact.
Kristina Hebert (23:21):
I do know that um, our governor was in um,
italy.
I think encouraging people toum, to to buy boats and and have
boat building be more in the usto italy.
Andrew Doole (23:34):
He came and opened the miami show for us this year
.
So he was at miamiinternational boat show and
opened that, so that must havebeen great.
He enjoys it yeah, he gets itand he's, and he's doing the tax
break on gasoline and then notbanning gasoline motors on lakes
in the state of Florida.
(23:55):
So he's very I think he's veryboater friendly.
Kristina Hebert (23:58):
I agree and I feel like he had a saying that
bring more boating to Florida.
We're an open.
Andrew Doole (24:04):
I think that's what his I think they're
encouraging boating, yachting,boating, marine business to come
to the state of Florida.
Kristina Hebert (24:10):
Well, I can tell you, it's the place to be.
It really is Speaking of Miami.
I hear Miami show is changingnext year.
Andrew Doole (24:18):
It is that has been changing over the years,
yeah and we're actually goingback to our roots a little bit.
Kristina Hebert (24:24):
I like it.
Andrew Doole (24:26):
We're going back to our roots a little bit.
I like it.
We're going back to the creekso from Herald Plaza.
It was a two-year processworking with the city of Miami
Beach to make that happen Good,and we worked through two
administrations there, so it wasa long, expensive process.
Kristina Hebert (24:43):
That's the thing.
I don't think people understandhow much behind the scenes work
you have to do in order tochange a venue or bring that
back, and so there will be a lotmore connectivity between.
Andrew Doole (24:53):
Indian Creek and the convention center.
Now you've got a you know drivetime of perhaps 40 minutes or
more to go from Herald Plaza tothe convention center.
Hopefully that's more like 15,20 minutes.
Kristina Hebert (25:06):
Or you definitely.
What I got the sense of andI've been an exhibitor at Harrow
Plaza is that you know it'sgoing to take you time and there
was a hesitation Do I leave?
Andrew Doole (25:17):
and go.
Will I get back?
Do I need to go?
Do I need to go?
But if it's that close, then Ijust think there's so much more
connectivity between the two,and If it's that close, then I
just think there's so much moreconnectivity between the two and
the change was really broughtby.
Our exhibitors wanted to goback there and they just weren't
happy with the current site,and so we listened to them.
Kristina Hebert (25:38):
And how is it going to work?
Is there going to be a gate ofsorts?
Because I feel like that wasthe issue when it was along.
Andrew Doole (25:45):
Well, the show itself will be half a mile long
instead of like a mile and aquarter.
So we had to make a lot ofconcessions with the city of
Miami Beach to move back, one ofwhich was, you know, reduce the
size and the impact of the showon Collins Avenue and Indian
Creek and to the populationthere, and so move in, move out,
(26:06):
moving equipment into the showis going to be a lot more
complicated than it was when wewere last there, but that's
logistics we're working throughnow.
Kristina Hebert (26:15):
But I do feel like people miss having the show
in South Beach along CollinsAvenue.
Andrew Doole (26:22):
The allure and the glamour of the beautiful
Fountain Blue and the Eden Rock,right next to it.
You know the history with thosetwo hotels and then all of
South Beach and you know ifyou're the exhibitors there,
their customer likes to staythere on South.
Beach so they were pretty muchstaying there, then getting an
Uber to come over to HeraldPlaza.
So we're just moving the showback to where the end user
(26:46):
really wants to be.
Kristina Hebert (26:47):
Well, and that show you partner with IBA,
correct, and so?
I think, IBA's really beenpromoting it.
Iba and NMMA oh, that's right,the NMMA portion.
Andrew Doole (26:57):
You've got, obviously, the convention center
and it's thriving the portionthat will be on Indian Creek.
Kristina Hebert (27:05):
Which, by the way, that convention center was
just redeveloped, not that longago.
Andrew Doole (27:09):
No, it went through a complete redevelopment
.
Then we're in the IGY Marina.
Kristina Hebert (27:16):
Oh yeah.
Andrew Doole (27:16):
So we're there and then we're in the FEC slip with
the sailing yachts.
Kristina Hebert (27:21):
Okay.
Andrew Doole (27:22):
So you know it's in multiple locations.
Kristina Hebert (27:26):
So that's Miami .
Miami now has four locationsyeah that's great.
Now let's talk about palm beach.
Palm beach is single spot onelocation one location.
I'll take over the wholewaterfront and all of palm
harbor this year correct all ofit.
Andrew Doole (27:41):
We rented for the first time all of palm harbor.
Kristina Hebert (27:44):
That's huge, that's a big deal.
Andrew Doole (27:48):
I think we're maxed out now with what we did.
So it was a lot of boats andwater, some bigger boats than
we'd ever done in water, sowe're happy with that.
I think a lot more Europeaninterest in the show from
shipyards brokers Perfect timeof year, obviously.
Kristina Hebert (28:05):
Yeah.
Andrew Doole (28:05):
Shipyards Brokers.
Perfect time of year, obviouslyright before Easter, still
catches everybody that hasn'tgone back north.
Very user-friendly show.
You can walk in and out.
West Palm Beach prides itselfon being a walking city.
So I think you can walk out theshow, walk up Clematis, find a
restaurant.
You can walk out the show, walkup Clematis, find a restaurant.
(28:26):
Several businesses there.
You know that aren'tnecessarily connected to the
show, but you know the Frenchrestaurant right next to the
show on Saturday had theirrecord of records Wow.
Kristina Hebert (28:38):
And that's going to happen in Fort
Lauderdale too once theseproperties are developed.
I mean we're going to have thatsame walkability.
We just right now are lackingthat, and in order to get that,
we just need to redevelop it.
No, I think you've got lots ofrestaurants.
Andrew Doole (28:51):
You know, like you know, great to have the new
restaurant on Los Olos.
You know Coconuts is alwayssuper busy every year and I'm
sure you know Elliot's a goodfriend and I know that he and
his staff have a great weekduring boat show week because
it's you know it's not just thecrowd that we bring, but you
know, I think you've got acompletely different demographic
to the crowd that comes totortuga and I think ours is
(29:13):
spending a lot more.
Kristina Hebert (29:14):
Yes, we spent more money.
Yes, absolutely, because whenpeople aren't driving in for a
day, most people are coming andum, you're still doing the boat
show survey, correct?
Yeah good, good no, good, good.
Andrew Doole (29:26):
So attendee scores , you know, by an industry
standard on all the shows arepretty high, so very high.
You know from the attendee andthe exhibitors.
Kristina Hebert (29:35):
Any new shows coming up.
Andrew Doole (29:37):
Well, last year we did Newport for the first time,
so we bought Newport lastFebruary.
Kristina Hebert (29:43):
The September show the.
Newport International okay.
Andrew Doole (29:45):
So Newport, rhode Island, and we're very, very
happy to have that in the family.
It's a great location.
I think it's got a lot ofpromise and you know, we hope
it's.
You know, the star of theNortheast.
Kristina Hebert (29:59):
And I feel like that's it's great, because it's
the end of season for them.
Andrew Doole (30:05):
Right.
Kristina Hebert (30:06):
Most of the boats travel down that have been
up north and then we go rightinto Fort Lauderdale on the
start of really the fall seasonhere and then they go to the
Caribbean.
Andrew Doole (30:15):
No, you see a lot of the boats leaving the
waterfront.
When you go back there in themiddle of the winter is
completely different.
The marinas are empty, themooring fields are empty,
there's nothing out there.
It completely different.
The marinas are empty, themooring fields are empty,
there's nothing out there.
It's bleak.
And then come, you know, likeApril, they start putting the
boats back in in the marinas andon the mooring fields.
(30:37):
So it's very you know, we'rejust not used to seasonal
boating.
Kristina Hebert (30:39):
We're so lucky to have 12 month boating down
here we don't appreciate whatother people go through with the
short seasons.
Andrew Doole (30:44):
We are going to start another show, 26, in
Chicago.
Kristina Hebert (30:52):
Oh, wow.
Andrew Doole (30:54):
So we'll be working with Suntex and using
their marina there.
So we'll be doing a boat show,the Windy City Boat Show.
Kristina Hebert (31:02):
Well, you heard it first here.
That's interesting, and whenwill that be?
Andrew Doole (31:05):
Next summer.
Kristina Hebert (31:13):
Oh, in the summer?
Yeah, okayune.
What about um monaco?
I know for a while there wastalk about the dates being close
and, um, you know ships uhleaving, you know boats that are
leaving on dock dock express.
The ships were leaving andthere wasn't.
I feel like that's kind of goneaway.
Is that that's an issue, thatthere's enough space in between?
Andrew Doole (31:27):
I think there's enough between.
You know we have boats thattravel from the show over.
I agree, I mean some of the youknow they're going dock express
, but there's a lot of them thatare coming on their own bottom
coming over from that show.
Which also just goes to attestto the boats changing getting
(31:50):
bigger and and so on and soforth, and some of the
exhibitors have got, you know,an exhibit in both places.
Kristina Hebert (31:52):
So, um, it's, it's tight, but it's not
impossible okay, well, I alsoknow and I do want to touch base
just so people understand theeconomic impacts of the fort
lauderdale international boatshows.
We have 1200 businesses thatexhibit.
We have 1200 exhibitors.
We have about,200 businessesthat exhibit.
We have 1,200 exhibitors.
We have about 100,000 peoplethat attend the show.
Andrew Doole (32:08):
Correct.
Kristina Hebert (32:09):
Every year.
Andrew Doole (32:10):
Every year.
Kristina Hebert (32:11):
And the net cost to the city of Fort
Lauderdale is.
Andrew Doole (32:15):
Not very much yeah .
Kristina Hebert (32:17):
Okay, and because the show covers the
police, the garbage.
Andrew Doole (32:21):
We pay away, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (32:23):
That's right, but again, and not to jump on a
bandwagon.
But I know I've always heardpeople say.
I just don't think theyunderstand that we get the Super
Bowl every year.
We have an event that's put onevery year in the city of Fort
Lauderdale.
Nobody has to to vie for it,people are.
I'm sure there are other peoplethat would love to have the
Fort Lauderdale boat show intheir city or their area and the
(32:47):
show takes care of all of itand the city benefits from that
greater than the economic impactof the Super Bowl every year.
Andrew Doole (32:54):
I think you know the show is.
You know 1.8 or it's you knowit's around 1.8 billion every
year.
So I mean that's obviously ahuge economic benefit and it
touches so many businesses.
Kristina Hebert (33:04):
It really does.
I know, even for us it's amonth long show, it's a couple
weeks before the show whetherit's preparing the boats, people
that come into town, and thenit's all the transactions after
you know boats that were sold,boats that need surveys, boats
that are heading to theCaribbean fairly quickly and
they need some work, and so Iknow for us it's a good month
(33:26):
long.
Andrew Doole (33:28):
No, I don't think people think about all the other
businesses outside the marineindustry.
You know, obviously the hotels,the restaurants are jammed.
You know all of the floristsare jammed all over the city.
You know there's so many.
Kristina Hebert (33:39):
Groceries, delivery services, delivery
services, laundry, yeah,catering.
Andrew Doole (33:46):
So laundry, catering.
So there's dozens of businessesthat benefit from the show and
thanks to you the show stayswhere it is.
Kristina Hebert (33:52):
You've been a part of it since 1982.
All of the challenges.
We thank you for being ourleader and helping us keep the
show here, and all that you dofor Informa.
Thank you for being here on theWardsway Podcast thank you for
joining us this season on seasonthree of the wardsway podcast.
Be sure you subscribe becausethere's much more to come.
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