SHOT Show 2019: Government shutdown causes cancellations
The largest annual trade show for shooting, hunting and outdoor show in the world is not immune to the partial government shutdown’s effects.
Two scheduled educational sessions involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at the Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trade Show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center were canceled due to the agents being furloughed.
“The cancelled sessions were replaced with sessions on other topics,” said spokesperson Bill Brassard with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which sponsors the show. “These and other seminars are attended by firearms retailers, who were basically unaffected because they continued to have a full seminar schedule to choose from.”
The ATF is responsible for regulating the firearm industry in the U.S. through licensing. The agencies duties also include the investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture and possession of firearms and explosives, according to the ATF website.
Despite the ATF agents not being able to attend the show this year, as they have every year in the past, no other aspects of the show were altered by the shutdown.
“No booths were affected by the shutdown,” he said.
An estimated 58,000 people are expected to attend the four-day SHOT Show, which ends Friday and is open to only industry and law enforcement members.
The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.