2016 Louisville NRA Show - May 20-22 - Local Talk

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The 2016 NRA Show (NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits) is just around the corner and it is being held in Louisville this year. 

This is the thread for local discussion (parking, traffic, eating, entertainment), arranging meetups, talking about what you saw, and more.


The main NRAAM thread is here

Website, Venue, Hours, and Attendance Details

Parking, traffic, areas to avoid

Associated Events
Annual National Firearms Law Seminar
2016 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum
Youth Leadership Conference
NRA Country Jam Presented by Colt
Saturday Night Celebration ft. Toby Keith
Full List of Events


Firearm carry at NRAAM info

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WEBSITE
www.nraam.org


VENUE
Kentucky Exposition Center
937 Phillips Ln,
Louiville, KY 40209

With over 650 exhibitors covering over 475,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, educational seminars, celebrities, and fun filled special events, bring the whole family- there will be something for everyone! Spend the day exploring the products from every major firearm company in the country, book the hunt of a lifetime in our exclusive outfitter section, and view priceless collections of firearms in our gun collector area. You’ll also see knives, wildlife art, shooting accessories, hunting gear, ATV’s, and much more!


EXHIBITS DATE & HOURS
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Friday, May 20   9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21   9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22   10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Registration Hours:
Thursday, May 19   2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 20   8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21   8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22   9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.


ATTENDANCE
The exhibit hall is FREE to NRA Members and their immediate family!
Click here to join now and save on membership dues!

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Annual National Firearms Law Seminar



The Annual National Firearms Law Seminar will be held on Friday, May 20, 2016 as part of the NRA Annual Meetings. The gold standard in firearms law classes, this day-long seminar provides legal instruction for attorneys and all others interested in Second Amendment law. CLE credit for all states is available.   

Topics will include: current constitutional challenges across the country, how to best analyze and bring constitutional cases, executive orders and dangers from the administrative agencies (including the VA and Social Security Administration gun grabs), FFL compliance issues and ATF’s new guidance on who is a "firearms dealer," firearms instructor liability, preemption cases across the country, rights restoration, and gun trusts after 41F. The special luncheon speaker will be LtCol. Oliver North, who will give us his thoughts on arming our military personnel on U.S. soil.

Please join us.  Registration for attorneys is only $245 and $150 for non-attorneys through April 29th.  Special pricing is available for active-duty military and police and current law students.  Tuition includes the course, study materials, continental breakfast, luncheon, and meet & greet reception.

Seating will be limited.  For more information and to register, please visit the Seminar website at  http://lawseminar.nrafoundation.org/ or call 1-877-NRF-LAWS.

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2016 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum



If you’re planning on attending the 145th NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville, KY this year, then the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum is an event you won’t want to miss.  Featuring our nation's top Second Amendment leaders, this forum is a must-stop for candidates seeking the highest levels of elected office — governor, congressman, senator or president of the United States.

With some of America’s biggest names and best political minds on tap, it’s no wonder this has become a can’t-miss favorite for NRA members.  Tickets to this event sell out fast, so you'll want to ensure that you secure your seat for an unforgettable series of motivational and inspirational speeches.

Confirmed speakers at this year's event so far include:

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre
NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox
Donald Trump
Governor Matt Bevin
Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr.
Co-Author of 13 Hours Mark “Oz” Geist
Congressman Trey Gowdy
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Conservative Journalist Katie Pavlich
Senator Rand Paul
Governor Mike Pence
Senator Marco Rubio
Speaker Paul Ryan
Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator Ted Cruz (invited)
Governor John Kasich (invited)

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Youth Leadership Conference



NRA-ILA invites you to attend the Second Annual Youth Leadership Conference on Saturday, May 21st at 3:00 p.m. This special event is being held in conjunction with this year’s NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Louisville! At this FREE event, NRA-ILA Grassroots Staff will provide in depth training for student leaders that will focus on current issues we are facing, how to effectively combat anti-gun myths, and opportunities to get involved with the NRA. The event itself, and all associated materials and food, are FREE!

RSVP HERE

 NRA-ILA invites you to attend the Second Annual Youth Leadership Conference on Saturday, May 21st at 3:00 p.m. This special event is being held in conjunction with this year’s NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Louisville! At this FREE event, NRA-ILA Grassroots Staff will provide in depth training for student leaders that will focus on current issues we are facing, how to effectively combat anti-gun myths, and opportunities to get involved with the NRA. The event itself, and all associated materials and food, are FREE!

This conference is designed for current college students and recent graduates who are interested in becoming more active in the fight to defend the Second Amendment. Student activists from across the country will gather to discuss ideas, earn free swag, and learn about volunteer and employment opportunities with the NRA. Attendees are encouraged to bring a current résumé to this conference.

Exclusive giveaways will be reserved for students attending the Annual Youth Leadership Conference, including a limited number of free tickets to the Toby Keith concert on Saturday night!

Reserve your spot now to make sure you don’t miss out!

We hope to see you at this fantastic event in Louisville on May 21st!

[masfonos]

Info about open and concealed carry at the show (via KC3 Facebook Page).

It sounds like, as in past years, carrying is a GO at the NRA show.  The conclusion was recently reached that the Expo Center, Convention Center, YUM! Center and other such places cannot ban guns but private parties who lease the property can opt to ban them while they are paying for the use of the property.  The post below shows the lease, which does not ban guns. 

We have received many questions about firearms carry at the NRA Annual Membership Meeting in Louisville on May 19 thru 22. Just to be clear, there is no authority for anyone involved in any of the events to ban the carry of guns. The one possible exception is the National Prayer Breakfast, scheduled for Sunday, May 22nd at 7 am. That event is to be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Galt House and we do not know the policy on guns in that location. Contact the Galt House directly if you have any question s about that event.

All the other events are held on public property and there will be no restrictions on guns being legally carried. We have obtained a copy of the lease for the use of the Ky. Fair and Exposition Center, the Kentucky International Convention Center and the Yum Center by the NRA for this convention. The firearms policy is clearly spelled out in the lease on page 5, Section 6, second paragraph. Here it is:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71293583/Contract.pdf

It looks like the Galt House is not visibly posted.  I would add another possible exception, however, that if attendees are going to any of the events (e.g. leadership conference) where POTUS candidates will be attending or speaking, carrying there will almost certainly be prohibited.


ETA:  From show website:

Firearms Carry Policy

During the 2016 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, lawfully carried firearms will be permitted at Annual Meeting venues including the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC), KFC Yum! Center Arena, and Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) in accordance with Kentucky law. Firearms and knives will be prohibited in any areas temporarily under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Secret Service. When carrying your firearm, please remember to follow all federal, state and local laws.

Please note that under Kentucky law, concealed firearms are prohibited in areas primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, and loaded firearms are prohibited in any room where alcoholic beverages are being sold by the drink. Alcoholic beverages will be served at some events at the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), in certain areas of the KFC Yum! Center Arena, and in some smaller venues.

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NRA Country Jam Presented by Colt

6:00pm on May 20, 2016, Friday|Louisville’s Belvedere at Waterfront Park



JUST ANNOUNCED: Breaking Southwest and Wildwood will also be performing!
Doors Open at 6PM and Music Starts at 7PM

Live country music is on tap Friday night when the NRA Country Jam, featuring Brett Eldredge with special guest Jana Kramer, pours from Louisville's Belvedere at Waterfront Park. The Jam is presented this year by legendary gunmaker Colt.

One of the hottest country artists of 2016, ACM Male Vocalist of the Year nominee, Eldredge ("Don't Ya," "Beat of the Music," "Mean to Me") headlines the annual Jam amid a national tour and a fun new single called "Drunk on Your Love."

Setting the mood as the sun sets atop the Ohio River, the multi-talented actress and country starlet Jana Kramer will delight fans with hits including "I Got the Boy," "Whiskey," and "Why Ya Wanna." Kramer won the ACM's Top New Female Vocalist in 2013 and is nominated for this year's Female Vocalist of the Year title. And that’s only the night cap. Up-and-coming acts Breaking Southwest (“Heart Goes Boom,” “Ghost Town) and Louisville’s own Wildwood (“Sorry Don’t Mean a Thing, “Whiskey”) will kick-start the evening like a shot of Kentucky’s finest.

NRA Country Jam has quickly become the draw for NRA's good-time crowd, and this year's Jam promises the same. The Belvedere is an outdoor venue with plenty of room for dancing, so come on out for an NRA Country night of fun! As a nod to NRA Members, this one’s on the house: That's right, with thanks to Colt, Folds of Honor, Shooting USA and Double Tap ammo, the NRA Country Jam is free of charge!

Best yet, as a thank you to NRA Members, this one is on us:

That’s right, NRA Country Jam is free of charge!

 

The following items are prohibited during the NRA Country Jam Presented by Colt at the Louisville's Belvedere at Waterfront Park:

NO food or drink
NO alcohol or illegal substances
NO coolers
NO lawn chairs
NO stickers
NO pets (service animals are allowed)
NO glass
NO recording devices (audio or video)
NO video or detachable lens camera
Allowed items are blankets, towels, small backpacks, purses and empty camelbacks

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Saturday Night Celebration ft. Toby Keith



Country music superstar Toby Keith’s tours have drawn more than one million fans each year for the last decade.

His fame is bolstered by patriotic songs like "American Soldier," "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," "Beer for My Horses" and others that resonate with blue-collar, freedom-loving Americans. So there's no act more befitting NRA's epic night of live music on Saturday, May 21 — a day better known as Armed Forces Day.

That's right, legendary country music star Toby Keith will perform live in concert to celebrate our Second Amendment freedom — and our troops — in one glorious springtime evening event in downtown Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center Arena. This star-spangled concert is sure to sell out, so don't wait to pull the trigger!

Tickets start at $20 and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

[masfonos]

Parking

Downtown is a disaster area with construction projects.  The Expo Center at the fair grounds shouldn't be bad since it is right off of I-65, but getting around downtown for the Yum! Center and International Convention Center might be tough.

Expo Center parking (where the main exhibits are) :  http://www.kyfairexpo.org/parking-directions.html
The Kentucky Exposition Center has more than 19,000 parking spaces. Parking is $8 for cars and $20 for buses.
There are five entry gates at the Kentucky Exposition Center. If you are planning to use a GPS, you will reach your destination when you arrive get at Gate 1. However, for faster access into our facility, you may use Gates 2, 3, 4 or 6.
parking map


Intl Convention Center Parking https://www.kyconvention.org/parking-directions.html
Cowger Garage is located at 4th & Market Street (directly next to Z’s Fusion Restaurant).
Commonwealth Garage is located on Jefferson Street (middle of block on left hand side) between 3rd & 4th Streets and connected to Hyatt Regency.
Rates:
$2 — 0 min to 1 hour
$4 — 1 hour to 2 hours
$6 — 2 Hours to 3 Hours
$8 — 3 Hours to 8 Hours
$10 — 8 Hours to 24 Hours
parking map


KFC Yum! Center Parking (Saturday Night Celebration concert) : http://www.kfcyumcenter.com/plan-your-visit/directions-parking
The KFC Yum! Center offers a multi-level garage parking under the facility, and more than 21,000 parking spaces are available within five blocks of the arena. This includes more than 19,000 spaces at parking garages and surface lots, and more than 2,200 on-street parking spaces.
To pre-pay for parking online, visit:
https://louisville.clickandpark.com/


There are also lots of city-run (PARC) surface lots and garages downtown if you go there.  https://louisvilleky.gov/government/parking-authority-parc/parc-street-garageslots 



Areas to avoid
If you don't know your way around Louisville enough to know where to go and where not to go, a basic rule of thumb might be not to wander west into double-digit-numbered streets, especially after dark and especially 20th+.  Pay attention to your surroundings anywhere downtown after dark, there have been reports of people being mugged or attacked going to/from their vehicles or hotels from events and the 4th Street Live entertainment area, etc.

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There is also an American Silencer Association (ASA) media event in Louisville before NRAAM officially starts and Team GunLink is planning on covering that as well.

[LivingDeadGirl]

Anyone else planning on being at the NRAAM this year?

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Check out some of the photos we got in our gallery at http://blog.gunlink.info/2016/05/22/2016-nra-annual-meetings-exhibits-gallery/ and on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GunLink.info