The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference has been canceled as Tropical Storm Ian heads toward the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.
The storm is predicted to become a hurricane and impact a large portion of the state’s west coast, including the Tampa Bay area, sometime Wednesday.
The decision to cancel IBEX was based on weather reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, consultation with the city of Tampa and the Tampa Convention Center, according to show director Anne Dunbar.
“It is a very difficult decision to cancel IBEX 2022, as we were on track to have an excellent event,” Dunbar said in a statement. “The entire IBEX team is very disappointed, but the safety of our community is our priority. This was the right choice. Additional information will be shared with exhibitors and visitors as we work through our cancellation process.”
