The CMAA joined the GCSAA and the National Golf Course Owners Association in 2007 as part of the show.

Michael G. Leemhuis, CMAA president, said in the letter the CMAA was leaving the GIS because the GCSAA decided it didn't want to hold the show in New Orleans in 2012 after all three associations committed to the site.

“Because of the size of the new show, both parties agreed that it would be limited to a three-city rotation that was popular with our respective memberships: San Diego, Orlando and New Orleans,” he said. “We all agreed that no change would be made to this line up without the explicit agreement of all three organizations. Earlier this year, GCSAA announced to its show partners that it wanted to consider another venue than New Orleans for the 2012 show. CMAA replied to this by reporting that it had already made contractual commitments with hotels through 2017. These contracts had been made in good faith in accordance with the existing agreement with GCSAA and NGCOA. If these contracts were broken, it could cost CMAA members more than $300,000 in penalties. Even if CMAA were successful in negotiating a reduction in the penalties, the amount lost would still be an unfair and intolerable burden upon the association, and CMAA could not agree to it.

Jeff Bollig, spokesman for the GCSAA, told Golfdom the exhibitor and member feedback is New Orleans was not as desirable a location for GIS as others. "This speaks nothing to the quality of the city or its ability to host,” he said. “Others just rank higher. The decision to leave was the CMAA’s.”

Bollig added, "It's important to note that the partners have never said they do not want to go to New Orleans anymore.”

Leehuis said there was a contractual obligation to have the show in New Orleans.

"CMAA did offer, however, to consider other venues for future dates that were not yet contractually obligated," he said. "In June, the GCSAA Board of Directors unilaterally decided to cancel its scheduled conference and show in New Orleans in 2012 and move to Las Vegas. GCSAA agreed to absorb its own penalties for breaking the contracts it had for New Orleans, and asked CMAA to do the same. GCSAA made this decision in spite of an explicit agreement with CMAA that it would not do so without first getting the approval of all three presenting partners."

Leehuis said the CMAA decided it didn’t want to absorb “a large and unnecessary financial penalty.”

“Nor does it believe that a partnership can be built upon a lack of collaboration and cooperation,” he said. “Accordingly, under the terms of the written agreement with GCSAA, NGCOA and CMAA, CMAA has terminated the partnership effective with the close of the San Diego show on Feb. 11. In doing so, we believe that GCSAA was acting in what it perceived as the best interest of its members.”

Bollig said “the GCSAA projects to gain from the move to Las Vegas through lower costs, negotiating hotel contracts and higher projected attendance.”

Leemhuis said the GIS hasn't been a good fit for the CMAA since the beginning.

“Like all new ventures, this alliance had its rocky moments as organizations with different cultures and priorities found a way to work together,” he said in the letter. “Some CMAA members and traditional vendors, for example, felt that the much larger presence of the superintendents and owners diluted the focus of the show away from a private club’s full range of needs.”