Space Allocation 2010: Day 2, Afternoon Session

2:45 p.m.: The committee will be DONE with booth assignments momentarily. The members will only be here until 3 p.m., so if you have a booth move, it must come in RIGHT NOW!

Thanks to everyone who followed along this year—we had our third straight year of record readership. I hope it was helpful.

2:33 p.m.: Still having in-depth discussions right down to the last. Been working a solution for the past 15 minutes, but I think we're about to start up again.

2:15 p.m.: Getting very close to the end now. Just placed No. 575, CES Sales Inc.

1:47 p.m.: The committee just placed No. 541, Space Dome Technologies Ltd. (Simulation), which means they've now assigned booths for all returning exhibitors. Now they hit the home stretch, comprised entirely of first-time exhibitors. This section typically goes rapidly.

1:25 p.m.: During the lunch break I spoke with Alan Ramsay, president/CEO of CLM Entertainment Inc., who's participating in his first Space Allocation as a committee member. In 2009 Ramsay sat in the back of the room observing what he calls "the science behind the chaos," and he said that experience definitely paid off this year now that he's part of the procedure, watching over companyies that fall in non-traditional amusement categories—vaccuum cleaners, for instance.

"It gave me an idea of how the process goes," he said. "It's very organized, there's a logical method to it. Fundamentally, the ultimate 'science' is to ensure the good of the show in everything that's done."

The committee's been on pause for a few minutes dealing with booth moves, but they're about to start up again on No. 518, Alpine Products LLC.

1:06 p.m.: No. 500 is on the floor! AAAG was just placed. About a hundred to go.

12:46 p.m.: The committee's back from lunch with booth moves to handle before assigning the final 120 booths.