Exhibition service is a term that covers two entirely different vendor categories — and confusing them is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes exhibitors make when planning a trade show program. The first category is the exhibit house: the company that designs, produces, and (for rental programs) delivers your booth. The second is the show’s general services contractor: the company the show organizer appoints to manage drayage, electrical, labor, and venue services at the convention center. Both are called ‘exhibition services’ in everyday conversation. Both invoice you separately. And both have deadlines that, if missed, cost you significantly more than advance pricing.
This guide clarifies what each type of exhibition service includes, what you should expect from a professional exhibit house relationship, how the mandatory venue services layer works on top of your exhibit vendor’s scope, and how to evaluate and select the right provider for your specific program. For a full cost breakdown of what exhibition services typically cost at major Las Vegas shows by booth size, the trade show booth rental cost guide covers every line item in detail.
What Is an Exhibition Service and What Does It Include?
An exhibition service, in the broadest sense, is any professional service delivered in support of a company’s trade show exhibit program. In practice, the term covers a spectrum that ranges from complete turnkey solutions — where a single vendor handles design, fabrication or rental, graphics, logistics, installation, and post-show support — to individual service components purchased from separate specialists.
The Exhibit House Layer
The exhibit house (also called an exhibit company, exhibit builder, or exhibit supplier) is the vendor responsible for the physical exhibit itself. Their exhibition service scope typically includes: booth design and space planning, structural fabrication or rental of a modular system, custom graphic design and production, lighting specification and supply, flooring design and supply, counters and furniture specification, pre-show assembly and quality verification, freight coordination, and post-show storage (for purchased exhibits). At Las Vegas-based exhibit houses, delivery and professional installation at the convention center venue are included in the service scope.
The General Services Contractor Layer
The general services contractor (GSC) — companies like Freeman, GES, or Shepard — is appointed by the show organizer to manage all venue-side exhibition services at the convention center. Their scope is entirely separate from the exhibit house and includes: drayage (moving freight from the loading dock to your booth and back), advance warehouse receipt and storage, electrical connections to your booth’s floor box, internet and wifi infrastructure, installation and dismantle labor under union jurisdiction, rigging for hanging signs, booth cleaning, and additional furniture rental. The GSC services are mandatory — you order them through the show’s exhibitor kit, not through your exhibit house, and you pay them directly on a separate invoice.
Specialty Exhibition Service Providers
Beyond the two primary layers, exhibitors may engage additional exhibition service specialists: audio-visual companies for large-format screens, interactive kiosks, or live event technology; lead retrieval vendors (often the official show provider) for badge scanning and lead management; staffing agencies for booth hosts, brand ambassadors, or bilingual staff; photography and video vendors for on-site content creation; and catering vendors for in-booth hospitality. Most of these specialty services are procured independently by the exhibitor — the exhibit house and GSC do not manage them.
What Services Does a Professional Exhibit House Provide?
A professional exhibit house is more than a fabricator — it is a strategic partner for the full program lifecycle. The scope of exhibition service from a high-quality exhibit house like Pure Exhibits covers every phase from initial design consultation through post-show return, with specific depth in design, production, and on-site execution. The exhibition booth design process at Pure Exhibits is an example of what a complete design engagement looks like from concept through approved production files.
| Service Category | What It Includes | Rental or Purchase? |
|---|---|---|
| Design consultation | Space planning, traffic flow analysis, brand translation into 3D, competitive benchmarking for the specific show | Both |
| Structural system | Modular aluminum frame, custom millwork elements, hanging sign armature, specialty surfaces | Both |
| Graphics production | SEG fabric prints, tension fabric, vinyl, rigid substrates, backlit panels, dimensional lettering | Both (reprinted per show for rental clients) |
| Lighting | LED spotlights, backlit lightboxes, perimeter LED strips, monitor backlighting | Both |
| Flooring | Modular carpet, interlocking foam tiles, raised hardwood platforms, vinyl plank | Both |
| Furniture and counters | Custom counters, branded pedestals, seating, demo stations, storage cases with locking hardware | Both |
| Pre-show assembly | Complete booth build at the exhibit house facility before shipping, for client quality confirmation | Both |
| Freight coordination | Coordinating shipment to advance warehouse, confirming delivery, managing crating and labeling | Purchase |
| Local delivery and I&D | Transport from LV facility to convention floor, professional installation, post-show dismantle and return | Rental (LV-based) |
| Post-show storage | Climate-controlled storage of owned exhibit between shows, inventory maintenance, condition reporting | Purchase |
| Repair and maintenance | Hardware repairs, graphic reprints, component replacement between shows | Purchase (rental: exhibit house handles) |
What Is the Difference Between an Exhibit House and Show Services?
The distinction matters because the two service layers are billed separately, ordered through different channels, and have different deadlines. Conflating them is the reason exhibitors are surprised by show services invoices they thought were included in their exhibit vendor’s fee.
Who You Contract With
Your exhibit house contract is with the exhibit house — you sign an agreement, pay a deposit, and receive a deliverable (a booth, with graphics, delivered to the show). Your show services relationship is with the GSC for that specific show — you complete order forms, pay for each service category, and receive confirmation of your orders. The show organizer is not party to either relationship in a billing sense; they appoint the GSC and set the show rules but do not sell services directly. The lead retrieval vendor is a third, separate relationship. Each of these parties invoices you independently.
What the Exhibit House Does Not Cover
Your exhibit house does not pay for drayage, electrical, internet, I&D labor ordered through the GSC, advance warehouse fees, or rigging — unless these are explicitly included in a negotiated turnkey package. Most standard exhibit rental agreements cover the exhibit hardware, graphics, and (for Las Vegas-based houses) local delivery and installation. They do not absorb the show’s mandatory GSC charges. When a client asks ‘what does this all cost?’, the honest answer requires adding the exhibit house fee, the space rental fee, the GSC services estimate, and the staff travel cost — all four layers — to arrive at the true total show investment.
Why This Confusion Is So Expensive
Exhibitors who budget only for their exhibit house fee and space rental frequently discover their first GSC invoice is $3,000 to $7,000 for a 10×20 at a major Las Vegas show. This is not a billing error — it is the mandatory drayage, electrical, internet, and sometimes I&D labor that every exhibitor at that show pays, regardless of exhibit size or vendor. The GSC invoice arrives before the show, not after, and requires payment prior to move-in clearance. Anticipating it requires reading the exhibitor kit, ordering services in advance of the discount deadline, and building the full line-item budget before the space contract is signed.
How Do You Choose the Right Exhibition Service Provider?
Choosing an exhibit house is a vendor evaluation with long-term consequences — the relationship affects the quality of your first impression at every show for as long as you exhibit. The evaluation criteria that matter most are not the ones most commonly used in an initial vendor search.
Local Market Presence for Your Key Shows
For exhibitors with a significant Las Vegas show program, a Las Vegas-based exhibit house is a structurally superior choice to a distant national vendor. The local vendor can deliver and install without the round-trip freight cost, can source replacement parts from local inventory if something is damaged, can provide on-site support during move-in, and can pre-build the exhibit at the local facility so clients see the complete booth before it reaches the show floor. A national vendor shipping from another city adds $4,000 to $10,000 in round-trip freight per show, adds risk from shipping damage, and provides no on-site support unless they send a dedicated representative at additional cost.
Design Capability and Portfolio Alignment
Review the exhibit house’s portfolio against your own show’s competitive standard — the visual quality and scale of what your category’s competitors display. An exhibit house whose portfolio shows predominantly 10×10 pop-up displays may not have the design depth to produce a competitive 10×20 or 20×20 program at a major B2B convention. Ask to see completed projects at the same shows you attend, in booth sizes comparable to yours. Evaluate whether the trade show booth graphics quality in the portfolio reflects professional print production — sharp registration, accurate color, clean edge treatment — rather than office-grade printing at large format.
Transparency in Scope and Pricing
A professional exhibit house provides a complete scope of work before signing — specifying exactly what is included in the rental or purchase fee, what is excluded, what the graphics production process looks like, how reprints are handled, what the delivery and installation scope covers, and what the terms are for changes after design approval. Vague scope documents produce disputed invoices at the end of the engagement. Ask for a detailed line-item quote that you can compare against the exhibitor kit’s GSC service categories so you know precisely where the exhibit house’s responsibility ends and the show’s mandatory services begin.
Project Management and Communication Standards
A trade show program has a fixed, non-negotiable deadline: the show opens on a specific date and the booth must be ready. The exhibit house’s project management capability — how they communicate milestones, how they handle design revisions, how they confirm graphic files before production, and how they document pre-show assembly — determines whether the program runs smoothly or escalates into a last-minute crisis. Ask prospective vendors how they communicate throughout the project, what the approval process looks like, and who your primary point of contact is from design through post-show. A vendor without a defined project management process is a vendor whose deadline risk is yours to absorb.
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What Exhibition Services Are Mandatory at Major Trade Shows?
At major convention center shows, certain exhibition services are not optional — they are required by the venue’s operating agreements and the show’s rules. Knowing which services are mandatory and who provides them eliminates the surprise of unexpected invoices and enables accurate pre-show budget construction.
| Mandatory Service | Provider | Optional Alternative? | Typical Cost (10×20, Major LV Show) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drayage — inbound | Show’s appointed GSC | No — all freight passes through GSC drayage | $700–$1,500 (advance rate) |
| Drayage — outbound | Show’s appointed GSC | No | $700–$1,500 (advance rate) |
| Advance warehouse receipt | Show’s appointed GSC | Direct-to-show delivery is an option but adds risk | $100–$400 storage fee |
| Electrical connections | Show’s appointed GSC electrical contractor | No — floor outlets are not available to exhibitors | $200–$600 per drop (advance rate) |
| I&D labor (size-dependent) | Show’s appointed GSC or union labor hall | Exhibitor self-install allowed at some venues for small booths | $85–$150/hr per worker (2-hr minimum) |
| Booth space rental | Show organizer | No — space is required to exhibit | $4,000–$12,000 (10×20, major LV show) |
| Internet/wifi (if required) | Show’s appointed GSC or venue IT contractor | Cellular hotspot is a common alternative | $150–$400 per connection |
The exhibit house fee is notably absent from the ‘mandatory’ list — it is a vendor relationship you choose. The show services above are not negotiable by vendor selection; they are conditions of exhibiting at that show in that venue. Budget for them as fixed costs before evaluating exhibit house options.
How Does Exhibition Service Work for Las Vegas Trade Shows?
Las Vegas hosts more trade shows per year than any other U.S. city — which means its exhibition service infrastructure is purpose-built for scale, speed, and the specific demands of major convention center operations. For exhibitors whose primary shows are in Las Vegas, understanding how exhibition service works in this specific market produces real cost and operational advantages. Pure Exhibits provides las vegas trade show booth rentals with a service model built around the local infrastructure — pre-build, local delivery, professional I&D, and on-site support for every show.
The Las Vegas Exhibit House Advantage
A Las Vegas-based exhibit house operates within minutes of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, MGM Grand, and other major convention venues. This proximity enables same-day delivery for last-minute additions or replacements, direct coordination with the show’s GSC during move-in, and local inventory access for replacement hardware if something is damaged. For exhibitors shipping an owned exhibit from another city, the round-trip freight cost to Las Vegas for a 10×20 kit typically runs $4,000 to $10,000 per show — which, for companies attending two or more Las Vegas shows annually, frequently exceeds the rental cost differential between a local rental and purchasing their own hardware.
Pre-Build as a Quality Guarantee
Pure Exhibits pre-builds every rental exhibit at the Las Vegas facility before delivery to the show floor. This means clients receive photographic confirmation — and, by arrangement, can physically review the assembled booth — before it is broken down, transported, and installed at the convention center. Pre-build catches component damage, graphic misalignment, and lighting issues in a controlled environment where fixes take 30 minutes rather than three hours on a busy move-in floor. For exhibitors who have experienced the stress of discovering a problem during setup with show open two hours away, pre-build eliminates that scenario entirely.
I&D Coordination in a Union Environment
Las Vegas convention centers operate under union labor jurisdiction. Installation and dismantle (I&D) of exhibits above a certain size or complexity is required to be performed by credentialed union labor, ordered through the show’s GSC. A Las Vegas-based exhibit house coordinates this labor as part of the service — communicating the booth’s assembly requirements to the I&D crew in advance, providing assembly documentation, and supervising installation to confirm the booth matches the pre-built standard. For out-of-state exhibitors shipping without local vendor support, the I&D crew receives only the assembly manual and may encounter issues that require field improvisation.
What Does a Full-Service Exhibition Package Include?
A full-service exhibition package — the most comprehensive offering from an exhibit house — removes virtually all logistical responsibility from the exhibitor’s team. The exhibitor’s role is reduced to approving the design, confirming the graphics, and showing up to the booth. Everything else is managed by the exhibit house.
Design Through Delivery
The design phase begins with a consultation to understand the brand, the show’s audience and competitive standard, the exhibitor’s program goals, and the specific booth space (size, position, height limits). The exhibit house produces a 3D rendering for approval, then moves into graphic design and production. For a 10×20 trade show booth rental, the complete design-through-delivery timeline is typically 4 to 6 weeks for a first show with new graphics, and 2 to 3 weeks for a returning client updating existing graphics. The exhibit house manages all production vendors, quality checks every component before shipping, and delivers the assembled booth to the show floor within the exhibitor’s assigned move-in window.
Installation and On-Site Support
A full-service exhibition package includes professional installation by a credentialed I&D crew that the exhibit house has briefed on the specific booth. The crew arrives with the exhibit hardware, the assembly documentation, and a supervisor accountable for the completed installation meeting the approved design standard. At shows where pure Exhibits provides on-site support, a representative is available during move-in to address any issues — a damaged component, a graphic tension adjustment, a lighting connection problem — in real time rather than through a remote support call from a vendor in another city.
Post-Show Dismantle and Return
A full-service package closes with post-show dismantle during the assigned move-out window: the I&D crew breaks down the exhibit, repacks every component into its case, labels the freight for return, and coordinates with the GSC for outbound drayage. The exhibit house handles the return shipping and storage for owned exhibits, or simply returns the rental hardware to the local facility. For the exhibitor, the engagement ends when the show floor closes — not after managing a freight return shipment from the other side of the country.
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How Do Exhibition Service Costs Break Down by Category?
Understanding where exhibition service costs come from — and which vendor is charging for each category — is the foundation of an accurate show budget. The total cost of exhibiting is not one number; it is the sum of four vendor relationships, each with its own pricing structure and deadlines. For the full cost breakdown with specific ranges by booth size and show market, the trade show booth rental cost guide provides the complete picture. This section summarizes the cost structure across the exhibition service landscape.
Exhibit House Costs
Exhibit house fees for a rental program typically include the structural system, custom graphics, lighting, flooring, counters, pre-build, local delivery, and I&D — the complete exhibit. For a 10×10 trade show booth rental at a Las Vegas show, this package runs approximately $3,000 to $7,000. A 10×20 runs $7,000 to $14,000. A 20×20 runs $15,000 to $35,000. These ranges reflect complete rental packages from a professional Las Vegas-based exhibit house — not bare frame rental without graphics or service.
Show Services (GSC) Costs
GSC costs at a major Las Vegas convention for a 10×20 booth typically run $3,000 to $7,000, covering drayage (inbound and outbound), advance warehouse storage, electrical connections, and I&D labor for the installation. This is in addition to the exhibit house fee. Orders placed before the advance deadline — typically 30 days before show open — receive a 25 to 40 percent discount versus standard rates. Orders placed on-site run 50 to 75 percent above advance pricing.
Booth Space Rental Cost
Booth space is rented directly from the show organizer and priced per square foot based on booth type and position. At major Las Vegas conventions, inline booth space typically runs $30 to $70 per square foot. A 10×20 inline (200 sq ft) at $40 per square foot produces a space fee of $8,000 — before any exhibit, services, or staffing costs. Corner, peninsula, and island positions carry premiums of 10 to 25 percent above inline rates. Early commitment pricing — available 10 to 12 months before the show — typically saves 10 to 20 percent on the space fee.
Rent vs. Own: The Cost Structure Difference
For the exhibit house layer specifically, the rent vs. own decision changes the cost structure significantly. A purchased exhibit has a high upfront cost ($20,000 to $40,000+ for a professional 10×20 system) but a lower per-show cost over many shows — offset by freight, storage, maintenance, and repair costs that accumulate over time. A rental has no upfront cost, a predictable per-show fee, and zero freight or storage cost when rented from a local Las Vegas vendor. The rent or buy trade show booth guide calculates the break-even point for both models across different show frequencies, making the right choice for your specific program clear before you commit to either.
Conclusion
Exhibition service covers everything from the exhibit house that designs and delivers your booth to the show’s general services contractor that manages the venue-side logistics every exhibitor must navigate. The distinction between these two layers — who does what, who invoices for what, and what deadlines apply to each — is the foundation of an accurate show budget and a well-managed program.
A professional exhibition service relationship with a Las Vegas-based exhibit house eliminates the freight risk, provides on-site support during move-in, and delivers a pre-built and confirmed booth to the show floor. For a step-by-step timeline for coordinating with your exhibit house and ordering show services on schedule, the trade show preparation guide covers the full 8-week program from first design review through post-show debrief.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does an exhibition service company do?
An exhibition service company — also called an exhibit house or exhibit builder — designs, produces, and manages the physical trade show exhibit for their clients. Their core services include booth design and space planning, structural fabrication or rental of a modular system, custom graphic design and large-format printing, lighting and flooring specification and supply, furniture and counter design, pre-show assembly and quality verification, and (for Las Vegas-based companies) local delivery, professional installation, and post-show dismantle. Full-service companies also coordinate with the show’s general services contractor on behalf of their clients for drayage and I&D scheduling. The exhibit house is distinct from the show’s general services contractor, which manages venue-side logistics like drayage and electrical.
What is the difference between an exhibit house and a general services contractor?
An exhibit house is a private vendor you select and contract with to design and deliver your booth. A general services contractor (GSC) is appointed by the show organizer — you do not choose them — to manage all venue-side services: drayage, advance warehouse, electrical, internet, I&D labor, rigging, and cleaning. You contract with both independently: your exhibit house for the booth itself, and the GSC for the mandatory show services through the order forms in your exhibitor kit. Both invoice you separately. The exhibit house fee covers your booth; the GSC fees cover getting it to the floor and connecting it to the venue’s infrastructure.
What should I look for when choosing an exhibition service provider?
Evaluate exhibit house candidates on five criteria: local market presence for your key shows (a Las Vegas-based house for LV shows eliminates freight cost and provides on-site support), design portfolio quality matched to your show’s competitive standard, scope transparency (a detailed line-item quote that separates exhibit fees from show service costs), project management process (defined milestones, named point of contact, clear approval workflow), and client reference quality at comparable shows and booth sizes. Avoid vendors who provide vague scope documents, bundle all costs into a single line item without breakdown, or cannot produce references from clients at the specific shows you attend.
What is a turnkey exhibition service?
A turnkey exhibition service is a package in which the exhibit house manages every aspect of the booth program — from initial design consultation through post-show return — so the exhibitor’s team is responsible only for approving design and showing up to the show. A true turnkey package typically includes: booth design, structural system, graphics production, lighting, flooring, furniture, pre-show assembly, delivery to the convention floor, professional installation by I&D crew, on-site support during move-in, post-show dismantle, and return of hardware. Show services ordered through the GSC (drayage, electrical, internet) are typically not included in the exhibit house’s turnkey fee, though some vendors coordinate the ordering on the client’s behalf as part of the service.
How does exhibition service for a rental booth differ from an owned exhibit?
For a rental exhibit, the exhibition service scope is broader because the exhibit house owns the hardware and is responsible for its condition. Rental service includes: providing hardware in exhibition-ready condition for each show, reprinting graphics as needed between shows, pre-building at the local facility for client confirmation, delivering and installing at the venue, and handling post-show dismantle and return. The client is not responsible for storage, maintenance, component repair, or return shipping. For an owned exhibit, the exhibit house typically produces the hardware (fabrication service), may manage freight coordination and storage, and provides repair and maintenance services between shows — but the client owns the asset and absorbs the storage and freight costs.
What exhibition services do I need to order directly from the show?
The services you order directly from the show’s general services contractor (through the exhibitor kit) include: drayage for inbound freight, advance warehouse storage, electrical connections to your booth’s floor box, internet or wifi connections if required, I&D labor for installation and dismantle (if required by venue labor rules), rigging permits and labor for hanging signs, and booth cleaning service. Lead retrieval scanners are ordered from the show’s official lead retrieval provider — a separate vendor from the GSC. Your exhibit house does not order these services on your behalf unless you have negotiated a coordination service as part of your engagement. Each order form in the exhibitor kit has its own deadline; missing the advance deadline for any category results in higher standard or on-site pricing.
How far in advance should I engage an exhibition service company?
Engage your exhibit house at least 6 to 8 weeks before the show for returning clients updating existing graphics, and 10 to 16 weeks for new clients requiring booth design from scratch. For companies planning their first show at a major convention, 4 to 6 months allows time for design iteration, graphic production, pre-show assembly, and freight coordination without rush premiums. For Las Vegas shows, the exhibit house engagement timeline is less constrained than for shipped exhibits because local delivery eliminates the freight lead time variable — but graphic production and structural preparation still require 4 to 6 weeks from design approval to show-floor-ready delivery. Engaging later than 4 weeks before the show for any new exhibit program carries significant risk of timeline failure.
Can an exhibition service company help with graphic design?
Yes — most professional exhibit houses include graphic design as part of their core service offering, either in-house or through a managed creative partner. The graphic design scope typically covers: back wall display layout and headline development, side panel and counter graphic design, brand standards application across all exhibit surfaces, production file preparation to the specific output specs of the graphics vendor, and revisions through the approval process. Some exhibit houses provide a design fee as a separate line item; others include it in the booth package. Confirm the scope of graphic design service — including the number of revision rounds included and what constitutes a change order — before signing the exhibit house agreement.
What is included in exhibition service for a Las Vegas trade show?
For a Las Vegas-based exhibition service like Pure Exhibits, the complete service scope for a rental program includes: booth design consultation and 3D rendering, structural system sourced from local inventory, custom graphic design and production, LED lighting, flooring, counters and furniture, pre-show assembly at the Las Vegas facility with photographic confirmation, delivery to the assigned convention center venue, professional installation by a credentialed I&D crew, on-site support during move-in to address any issues, and post-show dismantle and return of all hardware to the local facility. The client does not manage any freight, does not arrange I&D labor independently, and does not need to bring a tool kit — the booth is ready when they arrive.
How do I know if I’m getting a fair price for exhibition services?
Compare quotes on an apples-to-apples basis by ensuring each quote covers the same scope: structural system, graphics (design and production), lighting, flooring, furniture, and installation at the venue. A lower headline number that excludes graphic production or installation is not a lower price for the same service. For Las Vegas shows, factor in freight cost: a national vendor’s quote that excludes $5,000 in round-trip freight is not cheaper than a local Las Vegas vendor’s quote that includes delivery and installation. Fair pricing for a 10×20 rental from a professional Las Vegas-based exhibit house, including complete service, typically runs $7,000 to $14,000 per show — with the range driven by graphic complexity, structural configuration, and show-specific requirements.
What happens if my edit is damaged during an exhibition?
If exhibit hardware is damaged during the show — from drayage handling, setup accidents, or visitor contact — contact your exhibit house’s on-site representative or emergency line immediately. For rental exhibits, the exhibit house owns the hardware and manages the assessment and replacement; the client is typically not responsible for normal wear damage but may be charged for damage resulting from negligence or improper handling. For owned exhibits, file a freight carrier claim for shipping-related damage with photographic documentation taken before any repairs are attempted. Minor hardware issues — loose fasteners, pulled graphic edges — can be handled by the exhibitor with a basic tool kit. Structural failures and primary-sightline graphic damage should be escalated to the exhibit house or I&D labor desk immediately.
Is exhibition service the same in all cities or does it vary by market?
Exhibition service varies significantly by market — in cost, labor jurisdiction, venue rules, and available vendor options. Las Vegas is the most developed convention market in the United States, with a highly competitive local exhibit industry, established union labor agreements at the major convention centers, and GSC service costs that are generally competitive with or below major East Coast and Midwest markets. Chicago (McCormick Place) and New York (Javits Center) typically have higher GSC service costs due to local labor rate structures. Smaller regional markets may have lower GSC costs but fewer local exhibit house options, making freight from a distant vendor more likely. For any new show market, research the GSC’s service kit before committing to space — the mandatory service costs vary enough between markets to materially change the total show investment calculation.
