North American International Auto Show Has Strong Finish
19 January 1999
North American International Auto Show Has Strong FinishDETROIT, Jan. 18, -- The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced final attendance figures for the 11th annual show, which closed at 7:00 p.m. today. The total attendance for the event, including Charity Preview, amounted to 696,811. A breakdown of daily attendance follows: Friday, January 8: 17,500 (Charity Preview) Saturday, January 9: 85,469 Sunday, January 10: 96,630 Monday, January 11: 24,697 Tuesday, January 12: 55,138 Wednesday, January 13: 45,298 Thursday, January 14: 47,699 Friday, January 15: 61,463 Saturday, January 16: 133,050 Sunday, January 17: 90,881 Monday, January 18: 38,986 This year's total is on par with average attendance for the past five years. Total attendance for the 1998 show was 791,311. Additionally, a record $4.375 million was raised during the black tie Charity Preview event to benefit 11 children's charities in Southeastern Michigan. "This was our best show ever," said Harold Kuhn, NAIAS co-chair and owner of Park Motor Sales in Detroit. "The automobile manufacturers presented an absolutely stunning array of more than 750 vehicles never before seen together at an auto show anywhere in the world." Co-chair Russell M. Shelton, owner of Shelton Pontiac-Buick in Rochester Hills, echoed Kuhn's remarks, adding, "It takes an incredible effort to put this show together. Much of the success of this show is due to the hundreds of hard working men and women from Cobo Center, the City of Detroit, the skilled trades and, of course, the staff of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association." Some 6,379 media from 70 countries received credentials to cover the 1999 NAIAS.