>" However, what do you propose be done if some dealer who is displaying chips for sale happens to pull out a slab on the convention floor. Are you prepared to confront the person and create a scene and perhaps a heated arguement while he/she is bodilly removed from the convention floor."

Bill; Bourse floor violations occur all the time at our annual conventions. They are usually subtly dealt with by convention officials or by security. I've personally confiscated dealer badges from individuals who were not entitled to wear them in order to gain deceptive early entry to the bourse floor. I've also confronted individuals who claimed they were helping dealers set up early when in fact they were simply doing early shopping before those club members who were patiently waiting for the official opening are admitted to the floor. I've confronted dealers who have defaced the host hotel propery by affixing their own commercial posters on the mens room stalls and in the hotel elevators. I've confronted individuals who were observed stuffing the People's Choice ballot box. I've personally shadowed a suspected chip thief as he made his rounds to other dealer tables. I've broken up trading sessions in hallways just outside the ballroom when the convention floor was open. I've personally witnessed past Convention Chairmen engaged in heated discussions with dealers and visitors who don't want to play by the rules.... The club has successfully stopped other individuals who were hell bent on running their own show one year at the same convention hotel site in competition with the club convention and free-loading on all of our volunteers efforts and publicity dollars spent.

But to answer your direct question .... While I am not a Convention Official for the 2002 club show .... My reply is Yes, to the subtle confrontation and hope that it does not escalate into removing him/her from the floor. If the contract is clear, and the dealer has signed it agreeing to abide by it ... and if he/she violates it after the infraction has been brought to his/her attention and does nothing about it or "causes a scene" ... that dealer under NO circumstances should be allowed to open his table the following day or be invited back the following year.

>"Do you propose that all chip cases and binders being brought in to the convention, to be displayed, be searched to make sure that there are no slabs.<

No, I've never suggested or inferred that.... nor has anyone else to to the best of my knowledge. However, there is a generally accepted etiquette that is in effect at most shows I've been involved with. That is; if you are selling on the floor to other than to dealers who have paid a fee to the club for dealer tables.... or are engaged in negotiating on the bourse floor with other collectors, you will be asked to remove yourself from the bourse floor and go to another area of the hotel to transact your business. Either your hotel room, the coffee shop, the hotel lobby, etc. I would suspect that similar circumstances regarding slabs would be followed.

There are rules that have been put into play to keep all the players on the same playing field. To let everyone do as they please creates anarchy and hard feelings all around. The club rules and established policies must be enforced as fairly as possible.