The American Rental Association last week announced that The Rental Show, scheduled for Atlanta in 2007, will offer more educational workshops, events and new attractions for attendees.

Members of ARA’s The Rental Show task force met at ARA’s Moline, Ill., headquarters recently to plan the 2007 show schedule. The 51st annual convention and trade show, opens Wednesday, Feb. 7, and runs through Saturday, Feb. 10, with three specialized educational workshops — Events & Tents, Construction U and Next Generation of Rental Owners — to be held in advance.

The task force, a committee comprised of rental business owners and representatives of industry suppliers and manufacturers, evaluated the success of the show and the special events this year in Orlando and referred to comments gathered from their peers at the show and afterward to define the schedule of events for Atlanta.

In a departure from the typical Tuesday through Thursday trade show, The Rental Show in Atlanta will run Wednesday through Saturday to accommodate the potential for increased drive-in traffic and the addition of a second employee day, which offers free attendance for pre-registered employees of pre-registered managers and owners of ARA-member businesses.

“Attendees of The Rental Show will be pleased with the quantity and quality of the new restaurants and attractions, many of which have been added since the last time The Rental Show was in Atlanta in 2004,” said Allison Box, ARA vice president, association services. “In addition, nearly all of the hotels in our housing block have undergone extensive renovations and we were able to negotiate attractive room rates.”

The rate at the headquarters hotel in Atlanta is $35/night less than the rate at the headquarters hotel in Orlando. Hotel information, including amenities, rates and reservation options for The Rental Show 2007 will be available for the first time online at www.TheRentalShow.com in mid-May.

Exhibit space sales have been strong, especially in heavy construction, which is sold out and now has a waiting list. Space remains available on a limited basis in light construction/general tool and party/event.