BALTIMORE

In a shocking move just days before AIBTM, the Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition kicks off its second year in Baltimore on June 19, show officials have announced that starting in 2013 the show’s location will rotate between the cities of Chicago and Orlando.

In a statement announcing the re-location, show organizers only had praise for Baltimore and accentuated the positive aspects of meeting in other gateway cities. However, officials with Reed Exhibitions, which runs the show, previously told Meetings Focus that they had a three year contract with Charm City—which meant the show would be returning there next year—and a two-year extension option.

Chicago will host AIBTM next year, June 11-13, at McCormick Place. In 2014, AIBTM will move to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center June 10-12.

“The move from Baltimore, and rotation of AIBTM, will offer all stakeholders access to new business opportunities in two key gateway cities that are themselves major hubs of the meeting industry,” according to the announcement. “The core brand values of AIBTM will remain the same:  business and education will continue to serve as the key drivers and will be supplemented by peer-to-peer networking events over a three-day period.