Las Vegas, NV (Thursday, January 29, 2004) - Who would have thought it could snow in the desert? Mother Nature -aka Burton and DVS proved it wrong as they played host to the first-ever Rail Jam hosted at the Hard Rock Café on Day Three of the 2004 SIA SnowSports Show. Several athletes demonstrated their latest tricks while riding the rail on a man made snow fortress in the hotel parking lot. Despite the surprisingly cold temperatures, thousands were on hand to watch the action.

As SIA.04 comes to a close, attendees alike have concluded that this show has been one of the best in years. Paul Berg, owner of Berg's Ski Shop, said, "I have been coming to SIA for over 20 years and this is one of the best yet. The energy on the show floor is good and it is an exciting place to be."

With over 810 brands on the show floor, buyers have had plenty to keep them busy. There have been parties and receptions galore, celebrity sightings, including R&B artist, Seal, athlete appearances, including Tommy Moe, Nikki Stone, Hannah Hardaway, Billy Kidd, Glen Plake, Steve Fisher, recent X Games Superpipe gold medalist, and too many more to name. Live bands entertained after hours while several companies hosted off property functions to keep the momentum going. However, believe it or not, business was actually getting done as well. Tyson Hall, sales manager for Armada, said, "This is our second year at the show and it exceeded our expectations ten-fold. "Our booth was insane with appointments and we were conducting meetings in the hallways just to keep up with the walk-in traffic."

Many new companies joined the ranks of SIA this year with over 90 new exhibitors on property at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Brady Stoddard, sales rep for Ogio, a brand new exhibitor and manufacturer of gear bags, commented, "The SIA Show has been extremely successful for our company and helped us expose our brand to a new audience. We have picked up a lot of new business all over North America."

SIA also included some new exhibits of its own with the introduction of Uniform Center and Project Kids - both of which wrapped up the last two exhibits in the Showcase Exhibit Suite. Project Kids introduced retailers to some innovative merchandising tips while showcasing SIA's newest consumer initiative - snowlinkjr.com. Uniform Center allowed buyers to see the latest in uniform apparel and accessories.

Blane Johnson, of Homewood Mountain Resort, summed it up best when he said, "The SIA Show is the most important place to be because you can see the broader perspective. Previewing product here helps in the buying decision."

SIA.05 will take place next year at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from January 24-27.