UPDATED 7:36 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. – They said back in February they had a plan to bring it back over the next two years.
But, in the end, the members of the Peoria Metro New Car Dealers Association have voted to end the Central Illinois Auto Show if not for good, at least for now.
Jimmy Scherer, owner of Scherer Mazda and Scherer Volvo, is president of the association, and says the decision was almost out of the association’s hands.
“The manufacturers have backed out and it’s just not their priority anymore. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars that they’re not contributing anymore,” said Scherer. “That creates another level of decision-making. Some of these manufacturers have many franchises in the area from different owners; we had that complication. At the end of the day, what you would see isn’t anywhere near what we have had.”
Scherer says on the whole, outside of big productions like auto shows in Detroit and Chicago, the number of auto shows across the country has gone down significantly.
The Peoria auto show wasn’t held in 2020 because of COVID-19, and after that because of inventory issues with the auto manufacturers.
Scherer says most dealerships are having some issues with inventory, although not nearly as bad as past years; but, he believes there’s always something on the lot you might want to buy.
All in all, Scherer says the Peoria Metro New Car Dealers Association definitely isn’t dead, despite the loss of the auto show.
“Our dues increased, because we don’t have the big show anymore, to stay alive. But, our association is being maintained,” said Scherer. “We have a charity dinner, so that we can raise some money for a local charity. This year, we gave to the Friendship House. It was a great event…raised about $17,000, $18,000 for that. But that was our first real event outside of the auto show.”
In fact, Scherer says the association is, in his words, “reborn.”
