Organizers of the Games Convention 2007 event in Leipzig, Germany have announced initial statistics on its opening day, with a record number of exhibitors, and record number of visitors from all over the world expected to attend. The event has seen a 25 percent increase in exhibition space over the previous year, with the convention taking on increased importance following the downsizing of the annual E3 expo in Los Angeles. A total of 503 exhibitors are attending, from 31 countries, an increase of 374 exhibitors and 24 countries from 2006. "This year I am convinced that we will have up to 200,000 visitors at the GC", said Josef Rahmen, managing director of the Leipziger Messe. "The GC is continuing to build upon its position as the leading European fair. This year we are expecting over 9,000 trade visitors and some 2,800 journalists from over 35 countries." The convention has also seen strong growth for the business-to-business GC Business Center, with exhibitors from over 29 different countries, including communal stands from Germany, France, Canada and Singapore. Overall, exhibitors have announced over 225 world, European and German premieres for Games Convention 2007. Following the end of the GC Developers Conference (GCDC) the convention proper opens today with a gala music concert. Unlike E3 and the now defunct ECTS event in London, the Games Convention is open to members of the public. In order to attract a range of visitors other separate elements of the convention include an area dedicated to family and edutainment software, an open air festival each evening, a series of four art exhibitions, a PC case modding exhibition and an anime cinema.