Emerald Expositions Acquires Owner of Antique Jewelry Fairs

The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show is one of the tradeshows being acquired. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Tradeshow and exposition company, Emerald Expositions, Inc., has acquired George Little Management LLC for $335 million, according to a joint statement from the two companies.

GLM, based in White Plains, NY, owns and operates approximately 25 tradeshows and expositions in five markets, including seven luxury antique fairs. They are: Armory Antique Show, LA Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, Miami Beach Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, Miami National Antique Show, New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, Pier Antique Show and The Original Miami Beach Antique Show. The company has approximately 130 employees and operates out of six U.S. offices.

Emerald Expositions, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., owned by a Toronto-based private equity firm, Onex Partners III, was formerly Nielsen Expositions (owned by Nielsen Holdings N.V.), which owns and operates 65 tradeshows and conferences in nine markets. Onex acquired Nielsen in June and changed its name Emerald Expositions. That acquisition included the jewelry tradeshows Couture Show in Las Vegas, JA New York, JA Special Delivery New York, and the online jewelry publication, National Jeweler.

The transaction is anticipated to close in January 2014, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other adjustments. The acquisition will be funded with approximately $200 million of debt and a $140 million equity investment from Onex Partners III. 

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