Mayors, city council members, managers, finance officers, public works directors, police chiefs, and other key municipal officials will attend the Maryland Municipal League’s annual convention at the Ocean City Convention Center, June 28 – July 1, 2009. MML convention attendees represent over 120 different cities and towns from every part of Maryland. MML’s 2008 convention attracted over 850 registrants; total attendance was over 1,500 people. Many city and town officials look to convention exhibitors for the latest information about the techniques, products, and services their municipalities need. These are the people who make the major purchasing decisions in Maryland’s cities and towns.

Location and Program

All Maryland Municipal League convention activities will take place in Ocean City’s Convention Center, located at 4001 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Maryland 21842. Exhibitors are welcome to participate in all MML convention activities (general sessions, workshops, social events, and golf tournament). However, each exhibit booth must be staffed during exhibition hours. The Exhibit Hours are Monday, June 29, 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday, June 30, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Exhibit Booth Selection

It’s best to visit MML’s website to select your 2009 exhibit booth online. The booth diagram shows the booths that are still available, and the sold booths are marked with a green dot. Clicking on any sold booth will indicate the name of the exhibitor. Just follow the prompts on the website to choose your booth and pay for it with a credit card. You can also reserve exhibit space by completing the enclosed contract and mailing it to MML with your payment. As a reference, the 2008 Convention Exhibitor list is available for review.

Sponsor Opportunities

A very popular method of marketing is sponsorship of an event or item, or participation as a general sponsor, at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual convention. It is an excellent way to inform Maryland’s cities and towns of your interest in doing business with them. Exhibitors find that sponsorship complements their booth exposure, but you do not have to be an exhibitor to be a sponsor. For details please e-mail mml@mdmunicipal.org.

Commerce Day

Returning again for 2009, this increasingly popular convention feature has been attracting the “in the field” department heads and municipal employees who do not normally visit the exhibit halls. Commerce Day is scheduled for Tuesday, June 30 and will draw municipal employees from across Maryland to Ocean City specifically to visit the exhibits and learn about the hundreds of products and services on display in MML’s exhibit halls.

Displaying Vehicles

The Show Vehicles Area is for displaying large vehicles such as street sweepers, leaf vacuums, refuse collection equipment, fire trucks, etc. Vehicle space is very limited; you must list the accurate dimensions on the Exhibit Contract of the vehicle(s) to be displayed so that space can be reserved for your equipment. In addition to the booth fee, exhibitors must pay $200 per vehicle for this display space. Vehicles not ready to drive-in at their assigned time will forfeit their space - no exceptions - no refunds. Vehicles larger than the dimensions stated on the exhibit contract will be placed either inside or outside at the discretion of the Convention Center staff.

Exhibit Fees

Save money by reserving booth space early! Exhibit booth fees will increase for all contracts received after March 15, 2009.

(add $200 per vehicle to above fees for equipment to be displayed in Show Vehicles Area)
All exhibit contracts must be received by May 1, 2009.

Convention Advertising

Advertising space is available in MML’s 2009 Convention Program, which will be distributed to all convention registrants. Rates for camera-ready ads are as follows:

Please use the attached contract to reserve your advertising space in the Convention Program. Ads requiring type set or copy rearrangement will be done at extra charge. Advertising contracts and copy must be received by April 1, 2009.

Meal Tickets

Exhibitors will receive two tickets per booth to the lunches and breaks in the Exhibit Area on Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30 as part of the booth fee. Tickets to other social events, and/or additional lunch and break tickets, may be ordered in advance at the same rates charged to MML’s members. A form for ordering meal tickets will be sent to all exhibitors.

Payment of Fees

Exhibitors and advertisers must pay the full amount due when submitting the contract. Payment may be made by check, Discover, MasterCard or VISA. Those paying by credit card may FAX their contract to the MML office at 410/268-7004 or visit MML’s website, www.mdmunicipal.org, for contract exhibit and/or advertising space. Contracts will not be processed without payment.

Facilities

Hall A&B booths are 10’ x 10’. Each booth will contain a skirted table (6’ x 2’), two chairs, a trash receptacle, 500 watt outlet, and a 7” x 44” sign listing the exhibitor’s name and booth number. Exhibit booth carpeting, telephones, audiovisual equipment, etc., may be rented by exhibitors for an additional charge and will be contracted for directly with the Ocean City Convention Center. Booth displays must be contained within the 10’ x 10’ booth space and not exceed 8’ in height. Exhibitors may also contract with the Convention Center for freight handling, forklift and operator, and labor assistance to set up and/or dismantle exhibits. The Exhibitors Service Request and Rental Order Form lists all of these items/charges and will be placed on the MML website and mailed to all exhibitors prior to MML’s convention.

The booth backdrop and dividers are made of flameproof drape fabric. Dividers between the booths are 3 feet high; the backdrop is 8 feet high. MML will provide carpeting in the exhibit aisles in Hall A&B. Exhibit booths will not be carpeted unless exhibitors arrange for carpeting with the Convention Center.

Exhibit Area A & B

Exhibit Hall A & B is 48,578 square feet of column-free space:
Overhead doors, north wall 12’ wide x 16’ high
Overhead doors, east wall 12’ wide x 14’ high
Exhibit hall entrance doors 12’ wide x 11’ high
Exhibit hall ceiling height 30’ high

Exhibit Area C for Municipal Exhibitors

Exhibit Hall C is 17,640 square feet:
Exhibit hall ceiling height 12’5" high