As usual this year, STARS (Southeast Trade and Retail Symposium) will provide retailer programming in conjunction with DragonCon, to be held August 31-September 3, 2001 in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.   For the first time this year, that programming will be organized by the 'Game and Comics Industry Network,' the new parent organization formed to run the Game Industry Forum and related activities.  The same group will also be a co-sponsor of the event.  In the past, the event has been a two-day event held before DragonCon.  This year STARS will be a scaled-down version held during the consumer show.  Each retailer attendee will receive a package of manufacturer promotional materials and free products.  For a full schedule and links for more info, see 'DragonCon STARs 2001 Retailer Programming Schedule.'  

 

If you're in the area or already going to be at the show, this programming is definitely worth some time.  D.P. 'Vern' Vernazzarro has been organizing programming on behalf of GAMA, the game manufacturers' association, for some time, and his programming has been well attended and enjoyed by the participants.  This will be the second such independent effort since Vernazzarro's completion of his term as head of the GAMA Retailer Division; the first was at GenCon a few weeks ago (see 'Game Industry Forum To Provide Retailer Programming at GenCon')..

 

The STARS relationship is one part of a larger series of events being organized by the Industry Network.  Vernazzarro told ICv2 that he plans four Retailer Symposiums per year, all in conjunction with consumer shows.  This represents a change in focus for retailer Vernazzarro, who had been spending a lot of time running the Game Industry Forum (a Delphi discussion area for game industry folks, especially retailers).  That work has now been handed off to other volunteers to allow this transition.