Exhibit City News - March/April 2019

ECN’s First Annual I&D ACE Awards Debut!

March/April 2019 • VOL. 25 • ISSUE 2

FUTURE VEGAS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION EXHIBITORLIVE NEW PRODUCTS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LEADS THE WAY EXHIBIT DESIGN TRENDS IN 2019

EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM

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Experience the Power of PARTNERSHIP

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Contact your CEM, call 800.291.9606, or visit brumark.com to request samples!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS On our cover, Resorts World Conference Center (under construction) with (L-R) Michael Vinh, partner, Steelman Partners; Lauren Brown, founder, Marqi Branding Studio; Kevin Milicia, partner, DSAA Interiors; Nicole Dalton, principal, DSAA Interiors; Paul Steelman, CEO; Steve Anderson, president, Steelman Partners; Suzanne Steelman Taylor, VP of Strategy, Steelman Partners; Jon Champelli, president, Shop 12 Lighting Design; Anne Stout, founder, Marqi Branding Studio; Michael Arias, principal, DSAA Interiors; and Keith Winters, VP of 3D, Steelman Partners.

ECN’s First Annual I&D ACE Awards Debut!

March/April 2019 • VOL. 25 • ISSUE 2

FUTURE VEGAS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

28

EXHIBITORLIVE NEW PRODUCTS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LEADS THE WAY EXHIBIT DESIGN TRENDS IN 2019

36

Anecdotes of the Greater Good

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Tradeshow/Events Industry

41

Shop to Showfloor Section

42

Exhibit Design Trends Focus on Conversation

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Feature Story

Buyers Journey Starts Digitally Now

46

28

Q&A Spotlight with Mike Robertson

Opening in 2020, Future Vegas An Overview of Projects under Construction

Five Questions for a Veteran Teamster Who Loves What He Does

Columns

48

12

Photo Poll

How Do You Unwind after a Long Day?

As The Saw Turns

Don’t Let The Old Man In

56

14

Corp. Profile: Full Circle Events

The Green Piece

Specializing in Tents, Pavilions & Full Service Management

Earth Day—A Day Without Borders

16

58

Andy’s Apps

The Don & Mike Show

18

Industry News

Apps for Tradeshow Organizers & Exhibitors

The Digital Experience

Voice AI & Smart Speakers at Tradeshows

20

Social Media Strategies

60

42

Suitcasing & Outboarding: Toxic for Tradeshows

64

Corporate Profile: Color Reflections

Social Media Focus: LinkedIn

70 Years of Nonstop Innovation

The International Man

Corporate Profile: GEM Exhibits

24

Association News

22

International Mistakes Made — Just Because I Didn’t Know Better...

Ask An Expert

66

A New Jewel in New England’s Crown

72

Trending in 2019 for Designers

EDPA NorCal Hosts Dan Greene & Pat Friedlander

Departments

Events & Venues

8 Publisher’s Words 10 Convention Center Snapshot 26 Airport Snapshot 52 International Focus 54 AIPC 70 The Convention Center Spotlight 86 People on the Move 74 Events & Venues 92 The D.E.A.L. 98 Regional Show Calendar 107 Service Guide 121 Advertiser Index

74-80

CRM, Inc., Celebrates Its 40th Anniv.

Sakura Int. Celebrates Its Decennial Circa Resort to Debut in Downtown LV The Gaylord Rockies Resort & CC Opens

82

Event Planners Look Ahead Activity Planners DMC Is Looking Forward to Future Vegas Venues

84

In Memoriam

Mary Ann Furnish & Gene Rogowicz

6 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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Cover and top photo (EDPA Access) by PADGETT & CO.

Cover photo by F. Andrew Taylor

New Products Showcase & More!

I&D and Event Labor

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PUBLISHER’S WORDS

Greetings to readers everywhere!

F

irst off, welcome to 2019! The first couple of months of 2019 have been both challenging and invigorating. Challenging to lose treasured friends and industry icons such as Mary Ann Furnish from EDPA NorCal and Gene Rogowicz from our early days in Chicago. Invigorating as we gear up for another ExhibitorLive and the debut of our inaugural I&D ACE Awards!

In this edition we include our Pre-ExhibitorLive event coverage. And there is a lot to cover! Our coverage starts on p.

30 with our New Product Review starting on p. 31. So much news comes out during the week, be sure to catch the up-to-themoment coverage on exhibitcitynews. com with more in-depth feature coverage coming in the May/June print edition.

With the annual event’s yearly arrival in Las Vegas comes our yearly look at Vegas. As our cover exemplifies…this market can handle additional square footage to stage and host more events.

The busiest city to service tradeshows and events will get even busier as we add 2.7 million sq.ft. of meeting, event and convention space in the next two years to the city that already has more than any other destination on earth! Read Andy Taylor’s Future Vegas story on p. 28.

One of our most talked about stories by our staff is Amadeus Finlay’s piece on Corporate Social Responsibility. If our staff is any indication…this one will get some serious reverb on the social media circuit!

Speaking of social media, ECN wants to congratulate all the nominees for this

CSAL

CONVENTION SERVICES ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHER Donald V. Svehla Jr. (702) 309-8023 ext. 102 DonS@exhibitcitynews.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeanne Brei (702) 309-8023 ext. 103 JeanneB@exhibitcitynews.com

year’s first annual I&D ACE Awards— your nominations and submissions were shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, and we’re planning to broadcast the presentation of the inaugural ACE Awards on FacebookLive. We’re excited to honor those who bring excellence to show floors and exhibit houses on social media, on our website and in our print magazine. I&D ACES are being recognized for their dedication to company, customer, facility, union and co-workers; for going above and beyond with their work, loyalty and dedication. ECN is proud to establish the William F. Nixon Lifetime Achievement Award and the Posthumous Hall of Fame for I&D ACES who were in the business more than 30 years and we’re looking forward to honoring the winners on Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Four Seasons Mesquite Ballroom.

Getting back to ExhibitorLive: Be sure and visit the ECN team at booth 1934. Our staff wants to hear from you, our readers. What reporting and content do you like best? You can also talk to our reps on how the ECN team can help you market your business, products and services! Exhibit City News, now in our 25th year: We have a lot of knowledge and experience on the industry markets we serve…put that expertise to work for you!

See you in Las Vegas!

Don Svehla | Publisher

ART DIRECTOR Thomas Speak Tom@Speak-Design.com STAFF WRITER/EDITOR F. Andrew Taylor (702) 309-8023 ext. 105 FAndrewT@exhibitcitynews.com COLUMNISTS Calanit Atia Amadeus Finlay Haley Freeman Larry Kulchawik Lesley Martin Jim Obermeyer Cynthya Porter F. Andrew Taylor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Vince Battaglia Mira Duriman Roxanne Kohlin Mike Morrison Edgar Navarro Greg O’Dell Celestia Ward NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Christy DiGiambattista (702) 309-8023 ext. 111 ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com CIRCULATION Manny Chico Mike Morrison

Vol. 25, issue 2, copyright 2019 by EXHIBIT CITY NEWS, published six times a year by Mr. Tradeshow Communications, LLC, 1675 E. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89169. Editorial views presented within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher and no liability is inherent. To subscribe, go to ExhibitCityNews.com or call (702) 309-8023. Reproduction/reuse of this material may only be permitted with expressed permission of Exhibit City News. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to location listed above.

AS VEGAS

8 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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Meet the Staff

Publisher

Editor-in-Chief

DonS@ExhibitCityNews.com

JeanneB@ExhibitCityNews.com

Don Svehla

Jeanne Brei

Don Svehla has been in the tradeshow industry his entire life, beginning as the son of a tradeshow trucker. He began by working at Giltspur, and coming from the show floors of Chicago, he realized the need for an industry news source back in 1993. With the support of industry friends, he began putting his 20-plus years of tradeshow experience down on paper. The result was the first Exhibit City News, which launched in June 1994 and was a small eight-page newsletter for Chicago’s tradeshow workers and community. By 1996, the newspaper had grown into a 32-page national newspaper bearing the tagline “Uniting the Nation’s Tradeshow Community.” Over the past 24 years, ECN has evolved into an indispensable resource for industry news and information–both online and in glossy magazine print.

Jeanne is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and has worked and written for Photo District News, The Independent, The Sunday and others. She is also a singer, tap dancer, entertainer and producer with a 7-piece swing band, The Speakeasy Swingers, and a monthly show, The Swanky Supper Club Soiree, now in its eighth year. She’s spent many years working in the tradeshow industry, writing proposals and producing events and entertainment for PGI/Safaris DMCs, doing transportation for PTI, and as a tradeshow rep who would build a 10x10 booth, work the booth and tear it down for several VNU magazines. She’s a published author on Amazon and has written/narrated and co-produced five TV documentaries that have aired on PBS Las Vegas as well as hosting/producing one season of The Vintage Vegas Variety Show which aired on VegasTV in 2012.

Business Development/Sales

Staff Writer

Art Director

ChristyD@ExhibitCityNews.com

FAndrewT@exhibitcitynews.com

Tom@speak-design.com

Christy DiGiambattista Christy brings more than 15 years of experience in tradeshows and events, from creating events to sales and staffing. She began her career in Atlantic City creating unique artisan wine and fine dining events hosted by celebrity chefs and The Food Network. In 2008 she worked with the Philadelphia Eagles to create a wine labeled “Happy Tails” to benefit the ASPCA. She’s also a youth group counselor at her church and works closely with organizations that help homeless teens in Las Vegas.

F. Andrew Taylor Andy is an award-winning journalist, artist, photographer, cartoonist and illustrator.

He also works in film production, does local historical research and has been an amateur stunt driver and rodeo participant.

Thomas Speak Tom is a UNLV graduate, has worked at FREEMAN Las Vegas as an exhibit designer, and later at Vegas Seven magazine. He now heads Speak Design, an award-winning print and web design studio in downtown Las Vegas.

Have news or story ideas for ECN? Email newsdesk@ExhibitCityNews.com!

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Rendering courtesy of tvsdesign / Design Las Vegas via Las Vegas News Bureau

CONVENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT

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The Las Vegas Convention Center Phase 2 Location: The current LVCC is located at 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (one block east of Las Vegas Blvd.)

Phase 2 is being built at 2901 S. Las Vegas Blvd—the site of the former Riviera Hotel & Casino, imploded in 2016.

Year Opened: April 1959 as a 90,000 sq.ft. exhibition hall with a 6,300-seat, silver-domed rotunda. Phase 2 is slated to open for CES in January 2021.

PLUS!

Size: Currently, 3.2 million sq.ft. facility with 2 million sq.ft. of exhibit space, 145 meeting rooms and 13 exhibit halls.

Phase 2 will add 1.4 million square feet where the Riviera once stood, including at least 600,000 sq.ft. of new, leasable exhibit space and three stories of meeting rooms

Where to eat, sleep and play near LVCC on p. 70

Ranking: Third largest convention center in the U.S. (behind Chicago and Orlando); after Phase 2, it will become the second largest in the U.S.

Rendering courtesy of tvsdesign / Design Las Vegas via Las Vegas News Bureau

Cost: The $1.4 billion expansion has $792.1 million slated for Phase 2. Phase 3 will renovate the existing three halls.

Hotels: There are more than 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Under construction is Marriott’s The Drew (next to SLS/formerly The Fountainbleu) with 4,000 rooms opening in 2020 and Resort World’s 3,400 rooms opening in 2020 at the site of the Stardust/Echelon.

Airport Info: Four miles from McCarran Airport and 15 miles from Henderson Executive Airport Website: www.lvcva.com ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 11

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COLUMN As the Saw Turns

Don’t Let The Old Man In

“A

sk yourself how old you’d be 70s and early 80s, and all still actively if you didn’t know the day you involved in their businesses. were born.”

Interviews with each of them lead to a That’s a line in a Toby Keith song, common denominator: a continued paswritten for The Mule, a new Clint sion for what they are doing. It is not a Eastwood movie. The song title, job. It is not even a career. For them, Don’t Let The Old Man In, came it is a passion. It drives their enerfrom a conversation Toby had gy, it motivates them to continue with Clint while they were riding doing what they are doing. And a golf cart in a tournament. they still enjoy it. The old man has Clint, at 88 years old, said he was By Jim Obermeyer definitely not gotten in there. getting ready to produce a new So, back to that one line in the movie. When asked by Toby how he does song: “Ask yourself how old you’d be if it at his advanced age, Clint replied: “I you didn’t know the day you were born.” don’t let the old man in.”

An interesting challenge.

According to Toby, the second he A while back I got into a conversation heard that phrase, he knew there was a on aging with the creative director at an song there. He wrote the song, recordad agency I was working with. His theory ed a demo and sent it to Clint. Clint was that mentally and emotionally evused it, as is, in the movie. I have not eryone reaches a certain “age” and stays seen the movie yet, but just the song there, regardless of how long they live. title and this one line from the song Chronologically he was in his late 30s at caught my interest. the time but he said he felt like he was I am nowhere near Clint’s age, but I am about 12…that time when kids are widedefinitely closer to his age than the other eyed explorers, fearless and curious, end of the scale. As such, I will have to before the volcanic teen years set in and admit sometimes it does feel like the old adult responsibility takes hold. man is working his way in here.

I’ve thought about that conversation But then I read about this guy still numerous times over the years and tried actively pursuing his work at age 88. to determine my emotional age. Near And I recently read an article about the as I can tell, I’m still in college or just leading auto racing teams, and their agbeyond…approaching life with a positive ing leaders. Guys like Roger Penske, Joe energy, looking to learn and grow, and Gibbs and Richard Petty. All in their late have some fun along the way.

And I get to do it with a great team of sales, marketing, creative and operations folks. Working on all of the pre-show, at-show and post-show strategies and tactics, bringing all of our expertise to bear on a client project is still lots of fun.

But for me, I am absolutely energized when I am on the show floor. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first day of set up or the first day of the show (I love the smell of fresh-laid aisle carpet…), being there gives me energy. It fills my tank and fires me up. Working with clients at their shows is one of the best parts of the job. When I’m there on the show floor I feel no older than I did when I walked onto my first show floor in October 1981.

No matter what signals the “outside” world gives you—the ages of your parents or your kids, the years you’ve been doing what you’re doing, physical challenges you face, I think you must discover what you are passionate about, what you are good at doing, and what creates energy and significance in order to stay young at heart when you are well on in chronological age.

And don’t let the old man in.

See you on the show floor.

Jim Obermeyer has been in the tradeshow industry 37 years, both as a corporate tradeshow manager and exhibit house owner. He is currently a vice president at Hamilton Exhibits and can be reached at jobermeyer@hamilton-exhibits.com.

12 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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COLUMN The Green Piece

Earth Day — A Day Without Borders

T

he 1970s were an era of controversy. The Vietnam War, civil rights and sexual revolution were all churning in the American consciousness. Protests and clashes with civil authorities were daily news items. At the same time, big industry was spewing toxic chemicals into our air and waterways, and behemoth cars swallowed gallons of leaded gasoline and belched out the residue.

The Santa Barbara, Calif., oil spill of 1969—which dumped an estimated 3 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, creating a 35-mile long oil slick and killing masses of wildlife— prompted then-U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson to start a sociopolitical revolution of his own. He reasoned that if he could rally a passion for the environment equal to the kind students were expressing in anti-war protests, he could bring environmental issues to the fore in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Nelson debuted Earth Day on April 22, 1970, in a bipartisan effort shared with conservative Republican Congressman Pete McCloskey, his co-chair. A staggering 20 million people participated in the inaugural event, and protests against destruction of the environment ignited on college campuses from coast to coast.

Nelson’s legacy lives on, and today Earth Day is a global event, marked by celebrations, pro-

By H. K. Wilson

tests, conferences, community gatherings and corporate initiatives. It is estimated that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now participate in Earth Day. This year’s theme, “Protect Our Species,” highlights that “all living things have an intrinsic value, and each plays a unique role in the complex web of life.”

It asserts that “if we do not act now, extinction may be humanity’s ‘most enduring legacy.’” For more information on Earth Day 2019, visit www.earthday.org.

Corresponding with Earth Day each year since 2011 is EarthX, touted as the world’s largest environmental forum, where educators, business and community leaders, and citizens come together to learn about the natural world, its perils and its champions.

The EarthX 2019 Expo at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, runs April 26-28, and admis-

sion is open to everyone for only $5. Many attendees are free. In addition to numerous environmental organizations, exhibitors span electronics, fashion, agriculture, urban and business development entities.

The EarthX Conference is April 25-28, with speakers addressing topics including oceans, energy, transportation and many more. It’s not too late to register as an attendee, sponsor, exhibitor or volunteer at https://earthx.org/.

Earth Day is also an opportunity to incorporate green themes in upcoming exhibitions and events, and eco-friendly SWAG is a great way to demonstrate commitment to the environment.

Positive Promotions, a family-owned company begun more than 70 years ago in New York City, offers “distinctive products that create awareness, educate, promote and inspire.” The company focuses on markets where its combination of educational and promotional products can make the greatest impact: education; healthcare;

April 22 April 22

World Earth D ay World Earth D ay

business; safety; and community and family.

Positive Promotions offers a full line of Earth Day, green-themed and sustainable products. Who wouldn’t want a customizable Seed Sensations Grow Guy, an eco-friendly planter shaped like a dude kicking back to relax, sporting a head pre-packed with seeds that will sprout into a hipster hairdo? Or speaking of hipsters, how about an “I Heart the Earth” temporary tattoo? See more at www.positivepromotions.com/earth-day-giveaways.

Rachel Carson was a marine biologist and conservationist whose book Silent Spring made the New York Times bestseller list in 1962. She is considered one of the foremost proponents of the modern environmental movement.

She wrote, “In nature, nothing exists alone.”

Earth Day began as a joint venture spearheaded by two politicians whose views were far apart on many issues. But when it came to the future of Earth and its stakeholders, they understood the truth of Rachel Carson’s words. This Earth Day, let’s remember that our choices are bigger than any one person alone.

Let’s set aside political, national, social and economic borders, and act together for the good of all.

H. K. Wilson is the author of more than 1,000 published articles on business, social and environmental topics. Connect with her at: http:// linkedin.com/in/haley-hk-wilson-378b8413.

14 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP.

In a sea of exhibits where everyone is vying for attention, what separates you from the pack? The answer is design and nothing provides more design options than OCTANORM® Exhibition Systems. Contact us for an OCTANORM® Service Partner in your area for your next event, and let us drop a pin on your location.

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COLUMN Andy’s Apps

Apps For Tradeshow Organizers & Exhibitors

A

fter a year of writand dismantle schedules. ing this column, I’ve Users can also keep track of finally decided booth reservation, size, to simply write about number and all of the apps designed to services that are remake it easier for quired for the booth. tradeshow organizDid you order that ers and exhibitors carpet and electriciBy F. Andrew Taylor to manage and ty? Check the app. track their shows or It will also allow booths. You’re welcome. you to manage your travel ExhibitDay is nearing arrangements through the the end of the beta launch of app, keeping track of travel, its new software as a service lodging and invoices for mul(SaaS) web app. The app is tiple booth staff. In addition, designed to help tradeshow the team manager can set managers, coordinators and different access levels for exhibitors track and manage different team members. Pertheir exhibits. While it is still haps most importantly, users in its public beta period, the can manage their documents company is offering a limitrelated to each event, by ased number of professional signing and tagging invoices, licenses for users who sign up travel reservation documents, by visiting www.ExhibitDay. exhibit rules, leads and more. com at $9.99/month if paid ExhibitDay is developing annually or $14.99/month if more features set to be repaid monthly. leased after public beta period ExhibitDay is set to be a ends, including Team Member simple tool for the smaller To-Do Lists & Tasks, Adcompanies, like small- to vanced ROI Tracking and an medium-sized exhibitors and Event Discovery Marketplace. tradeshow teams. With it, EventGeek offers many of users can track their events, the same services and more, keeping on top of dates and including a dashboard that times, venue information, allows users to run a few or documents and booth set-up thousands of events at once.

There are templates to customize the service to your needs.

It is more complex but it offers tools to tame the complexity, such as checklists to help with everything from the planning months ahead to the accounting after the event is done.

It also offers calendar and address book integration, file sharing, staff surveys to break down what worked and what didn’t in order to help plan for future events and Inbox Magic, a system that allows easier and more fluid sharing between emails.

ExhibitForce is another enterprise resource planning system that can handle large companies dealing with multiple complex events. The cloud-based system boasts powerful analytics, separate dashboards suited for either exhibit houses or event managers and a set of collaboration tools. The system can be integrated with nearly any Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. The system is scalable to organizations of nearly any size. The company offers a free trial and only discloses the price of its services to valid customers.

ShowGo is yet another tradeshow management software app. It’s a planning tool for tradeshow programs designed for coordinators, integrating key tradeshow management tasks into a single, centralized and easy to use solution. It includes most of the same tools offered by the other SaaS’s covered here, but it was created for tradeshow coordinators by tradeshow coordinators and the company touts that it is the easiest tradeshow software solution to learn and use. The system includes ShowGo Mobile, allowing users easy access to their vital tradeshow information on their phone and tablet. The cost is $25-$90/month, depending on the connectivity.

Apps are being designed and beta tested to improve and enhance your exhibition and event planning—so it’s time to get in on the ground floor.

F. Andrew Taylor is an award-winning journalist, artist, photographer, cartoonist and illustrator. He also works in film production, does historical research and has been an amateur stunt driver and rodeo participant. Contact him at fandrewt@ exhibitcitynews.com.

16 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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REDUCE YOUR LABOR EXPENSES EXPAND YOUR NATIONAL REACH From City to City, Employco has you covered.

Whether you set up one booth or an entire show, anywhere in the country, we can reduce your labor expenses.

SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY Payroll and Tax Management Union Fringe Calculations Access to Union Agreements Discounted Workers’ Comp Rates Human Resource Outsourcing Employees

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We help manage your administrative functions so you can focus on expanding your reach.

Contact Rob Wilson, President 630.286.7345 robwilson@employco.com www.employco.com

2/11/19 5:48 PM

COLUMN The Digital Experience

also determine demographics based on the voice. Thus, the data may offer deeper insights into customer needs.

Voice AI & Smart Speakers Alexa, what are you doing at a tradeshow?

V

oice technology is the future of how we’ll interact with our devices. Consumers are embracing voice tech for its flexibility, efficiency, convenience and entertainment and even becoming attached to its personalities.

Awareness and adoption are growing incredibly. According to Forbes, 50 percent of smartphone users already use voice technology, and 72 percent of smart speaker users say the devices are part of their daily routines.

As Alexa infiltrates homes and new cars are built with voice commands, the technology continues to become ubiquitous.

Users are adopting and expecting voice technology. And how will tradeshows take advantage of the latest voice technology?

Here’s a look at potential uses.

Alexa, can you print my badge?

In 2018, event production company Shepard introduced eventVOICE. The services integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to provide voice-demand customer service. Attendees can personalize their event and engage with the tool for a variety of functions, such as the ability to print badges, create agendas, find exhibitors and attendees and solve routine inquiries. The convenience and efficiency of on-site smart speakers help with traffic flow and free up the workforce to focus on more important conversations.

As a consumer product designed for the home, Alexa and Google Home may have trouble in very noisy areas like a tradeshow. But that’s starting to improve. Cory Smith, VP of strategic services at Shepard, says, “With the growing capabilities in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Alexa and Google home have the ability to identify a single voice and block out the noise that can be a challenge on tradeshow floors.”

By Lesley Martin

Another hurdle at tradeshows is that attendees haven’t yet fully adopted it on the show floor. As eventVOICE was just released in 2018, it’s still gaining awareness in the tradeshow space. Shepard says, “By 2020, 30 percent of all search is expected to happen using voice versus a browser. As a result, the consumer and tradeshow attendee will continue to adopt voice-first approaches to finding solutions which bodes well for the tradeshow and conference industry.”

My voice is my password The human voice is as unique as a fingerprint and voice recognition has broken it down to more than 100 identifiers, including the intonation of the voice, accent and pronunciation. Voice recognition does not require the ability to understand words, but simply identifies that the voice belongs to a specific person. That makes it globally scalable. Banks like Wells Fargo and HSBC have voice recognition as a password option for customers. For tradeshows, voice recognition can enhance security and speed check-in.

Self-registration with voice commands Self-registration kiosks can be faster and more efficient than checking in with staff. And voice commands could be even quicker than typing. When going through the self-registration process, attendees may be carrying bags or disabled. With hands-free voice commands, the check-in process can be faster and easier.

Tell me what you think When gathering feedback, timeliness is essential. Voice technology offers a fast way to survey users. Plus, people speaking may disclose more information than a simple rating system. The latest technology can

Alexa, order room service Traveling is part of the tradeshow business. Soon, you may have Alexa as your personal butler. In 2017, the Wynn in Las Vegas added Echo devices to thousands of its hotel rooms. Since then, Amazon introduced Alexa for Hospitality, which allows the Alexa experience to be customized to each individual hospitality location.

Guests will be able to order room service, request a housekeeping visit or adjust room controls like the thermostat, blinds and lights. They can also ask specific questions about the location, such as what time the hotel pool closes. In 2018, Marriott announced that they, too, were adding Alexa to hotel rooms. Alexa may soon be part of your traveling experience.

A bit of personality The fun part about voice tech is that it gives devices personality. Rather than humans speaking the computer’s language, computers are programmed to work with our natural language. They are given names, we talk to them as though they’re people and they become familiar. We hear a voice giving unique responses, which stirs emotions within us. If you have an Alexa, do you respond to the device as her? Or do you say “please” with each request? As brands create a literal voice representing their company, it will be very interesting to hear how they communicate on the tradeshow floor.

Much more to discover As voice technology becomes more widely adopted in the consumer space, people will begin to expect and use it for business. The technology continues to be refined and test cases are increasing. Very soon, attendees and exhibitors will be using voice at future tradeshows.

Lesley Martin is a writer and digital producer working in San Francisco, Calif. Connect with her at www. linkedin.com/in/lesleymartin.

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COLUMN Social Media Strategies

LinkedIn Is World’s Leading Professional Networking Platform

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he old adage says, “if you’re not same arsenal of tools, and each of these LinkedIn, you’re LinkedOut,” as tools can be applied to myriad different any professional worth their salt industries with great success. Profeswill be found on the planet’s leading sionals in the tradeshow, convenprofessional networking plattion and event space industries form. With 562 million active are highly adept at utilizing the users and more than 24 million resources at their disposal; as individual businesses mainof press time, LinkedIn hosts taining a presence on LinkedIn, 546 groups focused on tradeBy Amadeus Finlay the opportunities for the savvy shows and events, with 506,140 digital operator are many. The site individual profiles directly associated claims that four out of 10 millionaires with the industry. Still not convinced? use it and that 61 million of its users are On average, LinkedIn publishes a piece senior-level influencers, and 40 million of unique content on the tradeshow and are in decision-making positions. A event industry every minute. colossal 80 percent of all B2B leads are How do event industry professiongenerated within the platform’s web of als make the most of the platform? digital relationships. It’s little wonder that A number of ways, but one tactic is 91 percent of marketing executives list intelligent thought leadership content.

LinkedIn as the top place to find quality By regularly publishing cutting-edge industry content. content that makes a difference, then Which is just as well, since no viable strategically rinsing and repeating, the alternative to LinkedIn exists anywhere user becomes a dependable resource in social media, and for a number of years that readers will want to keep coming the company rested on those laurels. Until back to. And if skill sets allow for video around 2015, even basic functions such blogging, so much the better (but don’t as hashtags were but wishful thinking include video within written posts; for entrepreneurs trying to build a brand LinkedIn audiences are adamant that through what was quite a shoddy piece of the two remain separate). technology. But the feedback eventually From this foundation, professionals in became impossible to ignore, and armed the tradeshow space can cultivate their with a $26 billion, 2016 acquisition by audience to respond to content promoting Microsoft, the Sunnyvale-based firm upcoming events and arranging in-person brought its lumbering dinosaur into the meetings on the show floor. Digital rela21st century. Their fortunes have only tionships are one thing, but nothing beats gone from strength to strength ever since. the real-life connection. These individuals As a snapshot, take the $1.3 billion that are likely to return to their LinkedIn and LinkedIn generated in revenue in the secbecome committed digital followers. So, ond quarter of 2018 alone as an indicator pick your connections carefully and watch of their current clout. the yard blossom.

All this success is (arguably) due to Once new connections have been made, the platform’s one-size-fits-all approach. don’t forget to upload post-show content; LinkedIn equips every business with the reviews and analysis posts are always

popular with attendees and those who wish they could have attended. Bring the event to life online and become a vicarious show floor savior for those who could not attend but really wanted to.

The future looks bright, too. 87 million of LinkedIn’s users are millennials, approximately 38 percent of the platform’s total population. Nearing their forties, 11 million of them are now in decision-making positions, commanding a purchasing power of $1 trillion annually.

One last tip. Before engaging to conquer LinkedIn, ensure that the all-important profile page is complete.

A personal brand is as important as a corporate brand, so be certain that the content is accurate, compelling and intelligent. Most importantly of all, keep it strictly professional—no cat memes! Try publishing thoughts on the benefits of a hybrid rental, or images of the coolest booths at CES. Unsure where to start?

LinkedIn assists with a completion guide on the top right of the individual profile page which will prompt the user on what actions they still need to undertake to bring their profile up to scratch.

Follow the cues, remember your message and soon LinkedIn will have a new shooting star ready to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Which, between you and me, is a lot.

Having worked with Groupon, IBM, Nordea, and others, Amadeus Finlay is a global connector of people and brands. He has extensive experience in professional copywriting, social media and scriptto-screen video production, including on-camera hosting. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, he holds a Master’s degree in American History. Connect with him at https://www.linkedin. com/in/amadeusfinlay/

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COLUMN The International Man

International Mistakes Made— Just Because I Didn’t Know Better…

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fter 45 years of doing tradeshow and event stuff, I think back about some of the missteps I have taken along my international journey. I have often stated that none of us in our industry have gone to school to learn what we do.

We learned to be experts by trial and error and learned quickly to avoid making the same mistakes twice.

Many of the show site details we have learned about U.S. show regulations, shipping to show site, or site installation have at one time or another been an issue in our international assumptions. Each accumulated experience at a show site helped us to become the experts we now claim to be. Exhibiting internationally also requires that we accumulate experiences to be certain that our on-site expectations are a reality. With these learning experiences, we slowly become an expert. But the truth is, we never stop learning and always uncover a new wrinkle along the way. It often becomes an issue of learning “what not to do” vs. “what to do.” I would need 600 pages to share all the mistakes I have made doing international tradeshows. Finding a local partner to trust might be rule number one. Here are a few of the missteps I made along my international journeys. We learn from experience—sometimes the hard way!

Chicago Mercantile Exchange in London, England CME introduced the first electronic trading in the U.S. called Globex. We designed a sophisticated exhibit to launch Globex in the U.S. They then decided to send this same exhibit to London to introduce to Europe. Things I should have known or been advised of: »» 1. Shipping a crated exhibit to Europe was quite expensive. »» 2. Event was on the second floor of an old hotel in London. Its elevator was only 2m high so

By Larry Kulchawik

Jasco in Munich, Germany A Japanese company introduced their new testing equipment at an event in Orlando. Specialized display counters were built to support the many pieces of equipment shown and the unique exhibit design was a branding look they wanted to keep when marketing internationally.

They wanted to ship the exhibit from Orlando to Munich and then to Tokyo for a three-show introduction. Air shipping (40) crates of exhibit material was the only way to meet the tight timeline between events. Shipping the crated exhibit to Munich required that the crates be “bombed.” The crates were shipped to Miami to be placed under a tent and then smoke bombed to kill any bugs in the wooded crates.

For the European exhibit, the local distributors asked that there be a raised floor, a bar area and a private meeting room designed into the exhibit. Since the space was too small to accommodate everything, an additional exhibit space was rented across the aisle of the main send. In the end, branding look was achieved, but a very costly solution to get there! Conclusion for both CME & Jasco…It would have been cheaper to have duplicated the exhibit in Europe to meet local standards and expectations.

trade fair called The Great April Fair in Milan. This was at the old Milan Fairgrounds before the new exhibit center was erected. The event was attended by more than 3 million people over a oneweek time period. The event attracted exhibitors from all sorts of industries: food, agriculture, consumer electrics, hardware, clothing and marketing services. What a dumb mistake to determine that the number of overall people attending was more important than the number of qualified people attending.

Add to this that attendees did not wear name badges. Visitors paid admission to get in, just like attending an auto or sports show in the U.S. The Italian government assured us that they would sort out their attendees and they would make appointments for us to meet those interested in tradeshow marketing. Our time meeting people at the space (who spoke English) was spent answering the question, “Now, what is it that you do?” The following year we attended EuroShop—now that was a qualified market!

Conclusion: Be fully aware of the quality of the visitors v. qualified buyers who attend a show that you elect to exhibit.

Making mistakes is all a part of the learning experience when exhibiting internationally. Mistakes made at global events can often be more costly than shows in your home region. Taking the time to fully investigate a venue, their work rules, their regulations and their expectations in a world region will surely help to avoid costly surprises at a show site. Lastly, work with a trusted partner, they know their home court better than you.

Exhibitgroup in Milan, Italy In my role as director of international at Exhibitgroup in the early ‘90s, I was persuaded to participate in a European

Larry Kulchawik is the head of Larry Kulchwawik Consulting and author of Trade Shows from One Country to the Next. For more info, visit www. larrykulchawik.com

the exhibit needed to be cut down to fit in the elevator. No place to store the crates, so trucked away and returned after the event. »» 3. All the sophisticated electronics built into the exhibits were not compatible with European electric.

In the end, all worked well but the miscalculations proved very costly.

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COLUMN Ask An Expert

Trending in 2019 for Designers

however, the true essence of design was diminished as everything was square and often looked familiar from one booth to the next. Backlighting has allowed structures like this to now offer a new, modern and fresh look, simply by bringing the colors out in the fabric. The very tradeshow season fabric printing technology brings new exhibit has mirrored the advancetrends from exhibit ment of the LED lighting, colors to structure, technolthus creating vibrant cology to booth entertainment. ors across the show floor.

Exhibit City News asked a Backlighting second surface few of our industry leaders Plexiglas and other solid what are the exhibit design substrates has also brought trends for 2019. creativity through lighting as well.

Jake Merzigian, presiExhibit design also needs dent & CEO of Zig Zibit to advance and adapt to the “There are a numchanging requirement ber of exhibit design of the attendees. As trends that are seen millennials increase and sought after in the workforce, as exhibitors walk and bring their need show floors. The of fast and efficient

By Calanit Atia most recent example messaging, more of this is in large LED activations offering video walls that are built experience inside the booth into the design. Incorporatwill become the new normal ing video to this extent often in exhibit design. The need creates the color and moto move away from simple tion elements that draw the product or service showcaseye, and allow for message ing and developing a story transitions that cannot be approach in which learning achieved with the largest comes through experiencavailable monitors. ing will be more efficiently One of the more affordable received as the audience options in exhibit design is changes. The adoption of the increase in backlit sigAugmented Reality and Ocnage. LED lighting has seen ulus programs have allowed dramatic improvement over attendees to get inside the the past few years, and the product, or see how a serability to backlight multiple vice is enacted to show real materials in creative ways results, through a mental has been refreshing. There experience that has a more was a time when extrusion powerful and longer lasting and fabric covered the show impression. Simply offering floor as a means to reduce a space littered with features material handling costs; and benefits will lead to

E

missed opportunities as exhibitors fight for attention.”

Kevin Fett, president & CEO of Ion Exhibits “Creating a feeling of space in your booth: This trend comes from the idea that attendees want experiences in your booth. What better way to create an intimate experience than by designing a true feeling of space within your booth.

Add in materials that are light but still provide structure, such as opaque drapes.

Flooring can add to a space by being comfortable and simple in design to enhance a cozy feel to your booth.

If you are feeling bold, think about adding materials that provide a feel of a ceiling overhead, including a hanging sign and panels, to define your booth space from all sides.”

Ethan Hostetler, Senior Designer, Steelhead Productions “With the buying power being more millennial-driven in the last few and upcoming years I am seeing the trend emotional-focused. ‘What is this exhibit going to give me emotionally?’ Buyers are looking to be wowed just as in the past but it must have deep meaning and resonate with the mass appeal as well as speak to individual tastes on an emotional level. I am seeing these trends doing this by the use of lighting techniques, social media and engagement design, and structures that give people the feeling of environment.

Lighting Techniques: Use specific lighting for specific areas. Also noting a change in lighting depending on zones and environmental areas within the exhibit—thus giving the exhibit a “personal” feeling. We see these techniques used frequently in vignette-style exhibit zones that may showcase products in an in-context setting such as a home or office.

Engagement Design: Engagement design and experiential marketing are ways for us to help our clients tie emotional responses directly to their products. By the visitor engaging with their products viscerally through this medium we leave the visitor with a deep lasting impression of the brand.

Environmental Design: With all the items listed above it is our duty to tie these into an architecture that allows the viewer to see, move and relate to the brand strategy through the architecture of the space. It may manifest as a mirror, screen, intimate space or an interactive gaming area. No matter the design, we still strive to reach our audiences through the utilization of these cognitive senses--creating lasting impressions that will carry and promote brand voice and messaging to others.”

Calanit Atia is president and CEO, A to Z Events & Tradeshow Booth Entertainment, an expert in booth management, an award-winning event planner, Las Vegas destination expert, columnist, Air Force veteran and speaker. Contact her at (702) 212-2500 or Info@AtoZevents.com.

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AIRPORT SNAPSHOT

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Henderson Executive Airport IATA airport code: HSH Location: 3500 Executive Terminal Drive, Suite 100, Henderson, Nev. Year Opened: Built and opened by Alby Alper in 1969 as Sky Harbor Airport and purchased by Clark County in 1996 and given its current name.

Size: The airport covers 760 acres with two runways. It is categorized as a reliever airport, but as it deals primarily with small, private planes and jets, it has no gates in its concourse. It serves an average of 204 flights per day with 65.3 percent general aviation, 34.3 percent air taxi and the remaining military aviation (less than half a percent).

Transportation To and From: There is bus service between the airport and downtown; three rental car operations service the airport. Taxis and ride shares are available and limousines can drive right out to the terminal ramp.

Fun Facts: The original tower was built nearly 30 years before the airport. It was built by the Army Air Force in 1940 and originally was located at the gunnery school that is now Nellis Air Force Base.

It was replaced in 2006 after the county took over operations.

Before the name change, it was often confused with Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, 255 miles to the east.

Despite the relatively small size, the airfield has the capacity and runway length to meet the needs of virtually all general aviation aircraft.

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ON OUR COVER

Opening in 2020, Future Vegas AN OVERVIEW OF PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

BY F. ANDREW TAYLOR MSG Sphere

Locals have joked for years that instead of “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas,” the famous sign on the south end of the Strip should instead say, “Under Construction.”

Even considering the city’s penchant for constant growth and change, it’s undergoing an impressive level of expansion of its tradeshow, convention and experiential event spaces.

In all, there is about 2.7 million sq.ft. of meeting, event and convention space under construction right now in Las Vegas, says Chris Meyer, CEM, CMP, VP of global business sales for the LVCVA. And that doesn’t include recently completed projects like the Mandalay Bay Convention Center’s 350,000-sq.ft. expansion to 2.1 million sq.ft., or MGM Resorts International’s 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, among others.

“There’s no other destination on planet Earth that has more meeting or exhibition space combined than we do and we’re going to increase that by 21 percent between now and 2021,” says Meyer. “This is the single largest capital expenditure on add-on features for properties in our history.” Here are a few of the projects currently under development and construction in the Las Vegas Valley—most of them set to open in 2020.

Las Vegas Convention Center Expansion The 60-year-young LVCC is expanding once again. The design was unveiled last year and the footprint includes land that was previously the Riviera and Landmark casinos.

The LVCC District Expansion (Phase Two) is a $935 million expansion project that will add 1.4 million sq.ft. to the current convention center facility, including at least 600,000 sq.ft. of new, leasable exhibit space. The expansion is slated for completion by December 2020, in time to welcome CES in January 2021.

Caesars FORUM Conference Center Caesars Entertainment has begun construction on the 550,000 sq.ft. Caesars FORUM Conference Center (not to be confused with The Forum Shops at Caesars across the street) on the former parking lot behind The Linq and the High Roller. The project, designed by Friedmutter Group, an architectural firm with offices in Las Vegas, Newport Beach, Calif., and Macau, is set to have 300,000 sq.ft. of flexible meeting space and the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world. The space is set to have direct access to

Harrah’s Las Vegas, the LINQ and the monorail via a covered sky bridge. Combined with the directly connected Flamingo Hotel, more than 8,500 hotel rooms will be connected to the conference center. A walkway over Linq Lane will allow access to the retail and restaurants and entertainment at The Linq Promenade. The conference center’s 100,000 sq.ft. outdoor plaza should be a unique location for an opening reception or for session breaks.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Wynn Convention Center Expansion Following the departure of its namesake, Wynn Las Vegas drastically changed its plans for expansion, hitting the brakes on the $3 billion Wynn Paradise Park project that was to replace the 130 acres of fairways and greens of the golf course with a 38-acre lagoon surrounded by a convention center, a 1,000-room hotel tower, a casino, and a white sand beach.

Instead, they’ve decided to reopen the golf course and will more than double their current meetings and event space with a new, 280,000-sq.ft. convention center under construction just north of Sands Avenue

and east of the Wynn Las Vegas tower. The two-story facility will offer sweeping views and plenty of natural sunlight via floor-to-ceiling windows.

The grand entry rotunda will lead to 18 rooms of various sizes, including a pillarless, 83,000-sq.ft. ballroom.

Outdoor space will feature prominently, including several terraces with pool or garden views on each level, and a 20,000-sq.ft. outdoor pavilion.

The new facility is going green, as 100 percent of its power will come from the new, 160-acre Wynn Solar Energy Facility.

In combination with the existing 275,000 sq.ft. at the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas, the property will now offer more than 550,000 sq.ft. of meeting and event space. There will be a total of 57 meeting rooms and four pillarless ballrooms ranging in size from 20,000 sq.ft. to 83,000 sq.ft. The new convention space, along with the 18hole, Tom Fazio-designed golf course are both set to open in late 2019. The company is also planning to develop a 38-acre lot across Las Vegas Boulevard in the next two years.

The Expo at World Market Center International Market Cen-

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ters, owners and operators of World Market Center Las Vegas, has broken ground on construction of The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, a new 315,000-sq.ft. exhibition facility, scheduled to open in summer 2020 in downtown Las Vegas. The new Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas will feature 194,785 gross sq.ft. of exhibit space, which is divisible into two halls—North with 97,684 gross sq.ft. and South with 97,101 gross sq.ft.—which can accommodate up to 1,000 booths. The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas will feature an expansive lobby area, registration area, onsite shuttle bus depot, attached parking garage and two permanent “grab and go” food service areas.

Construction is scheduled to begin fully in April and the grand opening is expected for IMC’s Summer 2020 Las Vegas Market, a semi-annual marketplace for the gift and home furnishings industries.

Outside of the January and July Las Vegas Market dates, The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas will host tradeshows, as well as corporate and private events.

The MSG Sphere The new project is being built in partnership between The Madison Square Garden Company and Las Vegas Sands Corporation, just east of the Venetian. The project is designed by Populous, an architecture firm with offices around the world. A new Las Vegas monorail station will be built to serve the MSG @ExhibitCityNews

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Sphere and The Venetian.

The spherical music venue is set to have an 18,000-person capacity with a sound system built to deliver sound through the floorboards. Bars, private suites, a museum and retail space are also planned at the venue. The most unusual feature of the project will be the LED screens on both the interior and exterior, which will allow for spectacular displays inside. The exterior of the venue is set to feature a 360-degree IMAX display which will allow those who are outside of the venue to see what is going on inside.

While its primary use will be as a music venue, each of the seats will be equipped with high speed internet access making it a unique venue for meetings and presentations.

Well, not quite unique. An identical venue is set to be built in London. MSG Sphere LV is set to open in 2021.

Circa Resort & Casino It’s been many years since a casino has been built from the ground up on Fremont Street. Circa Resort & Casino is being built on the block at the west end of the Fremont Street Experience, replacing The Las Vegas Club, the Topless Girls of Glitter Gulch and the Mermaids Casinos.

Neon sign enthusiasts will be happy to learn that Vegas Vicky, the cowgirl who shared the street with Vegas Vic, will be on display in the lobby in the new casino. The casino is being designed by Steelman Partners, an international architectural firm headquartered in Las Vegas (and pictured on this month’s ECN cover).

Appropriately, Circa will have 777 guest rooms, five restaurants, a two-level casino and, according to owners Derek and Greg Stevens, “the largest sports book in Las Vegas.” The rooftop deck and amphitheater with six swimming pools and a 125-foot screen are likely to be the site of many special events. It is expected to open in December 2020.

Stratosphere. Steven Witkoff, chairman and CEO of the Witkoff Group, which bought the property last year and partnered with Marriott, told the Associated Press there are plans for a pedestrian bridge to the nearby LVCC expansion.

Two Blackbirds Hospitality will oversee the launch and operations of The Drew Las Vegas, opening in 2020.

Resorts World Las Vegas The Genting Group plans to open the new casino and resort on the 87-acre former site of the Stardust Casino and the long-stalled Echelon Place.

Like the Circa Casino, it is designed by Steelman Partners. Resorts World Las Vegas is set to be a $4 billion integrated resort with a Chinese theme. The property is set to have 100,000 sq.ft. of gaming space, retail locations, a top-tier nightlife venue, 150,000 sq.ft. of convention space and a 3,200-seat theater. It is set to open in 2020.

The Las Vegas Stadium Stadiums in the Las Vegas resort corridor were a longtime pipe dream of Vegas developers, but when the T-Mobile Arena opened in 2016, it proved it could be done. The Las Vegas Stadium is being built just west of the Strip behind Mandalay Bay and just west of I-15, the major freeway that generally hinders the expansion of the resort corridor westward. When it completed, it is slated to be the new home of the NFL’s Raiders (barring Oakland fans’ attempts to block the move), along with the UNLV football team and presumably, many convention and exhibition-related special events.

Designed by MANICA Architecture, a Kansas City, Mo.based architecture firm, the 10-level, domed stadium is set to hold 65,000 seats and have a silver and black exterior and large, retractable, curtain-like side windows facing The Strip.

It is also set to have a clear roof made of Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a plastic designed to have high corrosion resistance and strength over a wide temperature range, an important factor with the city’s triple digit summers. It is set to open in 2020.

The Drew Las Vegas Also just next door to the LVCC expansion, the Las Vegas Fontainebleau casino project, which stalled in 2009, is getting another chance.

Marriott International plans to turn it into a 4,000-room resort and casino called The Drew Las Vegas that will have more than 500,000 sq.ft. of convention and meeting space on the 24-acre site. It will be a combination of Marriott’s EDITION brand and The Strip’s first JW Marriott.

The 68-story blue glass tower, designed by Carlos Zapata Studio, is the second-tallest building in Nevada, after the

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EXHIBITORLIVE 2019 PREVIEW

See You in Vegas!

Exhibit City News Publisher Don Svehla and Editor Jeanne Brei

BY AMADEUS FINLAY

It’s that time of year again—February 24-28 will see more than 6,000 tradeshow and event professionals from across the globe descend on Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas for the world’s leading demonstration of what’s cool, hot and new in the exhibit industry.

What to expect at this year’s EXHIBITORLIVE? Besides exhibitors bringing their A-game with an ever-changing roster of booths, attendees can look forward to the debut of 75 sessions and workshops, including methods on communicating across international cultures and how a small exhibit can still yield big results.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. In total, the five-day event will feature 174 sessions and workshops as well as more than 300 exhibitors.

Belgian giant beMatrix will be using its LEDskin video wall in the Connection Zone throughout the week, while CORT Exhibit House Furnishings has designed a comfortable environment in which to present educational content. Look for The Alternative Learning Room on Level

Three to take a load off. First time? You aren’t alone. Attend the First Timers Meet-Up in the Palm Foyer on Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m., before heading to The Square on Level One at 6:30 p.m. for the Welcome Reception. And don’t worry; the popular tradition of “Dinner with Strangers” runs every night of the show.

Award-winning author Erin Gargan King will kick-off HCEAInnovate 2019, held on Feb. 24, addressing the question of “How can healthcare convention marketers leverage the power of digital persuasion to ignite social influence and maintain a competitive edge?” In addition, three invitation-only events are scheduled for Feb. 25.

First up, beMatrix will host its “Best of 2018 Awards Breakfast” from 8-10 a.m., before Optima Graphics adds a little kick to the afternoon at a cocktail reception from 3:30-5 p.m. HCEA will round the day off with its annual HCEA Reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m., with the event open to HCEA members and prospective members alike.

Returning for another year

is the ever-popular New Product Showcase, the “launching pad for the hottest new products and services making their debut at EXHIBITORLIVE,” while last year’s popular HCEAInnovate program makes its second appearance.

Refreshed and redesigned to focus on the needs of healthcare marketers, associations and societies, the half-day workshop will provide attendees with best practices, trends and inspiration all designed to innovate existing exhibit programs. With new content and speakers, HCEAInnovate is set to be “an interactive, tech-ified format that is hands on” and comes with plenty of opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and networking.

It goes without saying that the core purpose of EXHIBITORLIVE is to promote education within the industry, and that is why the show will also see 40 new Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) graduates honored for their achievements. New to CTSM? CTSM is the only university-affiliated certification program in the tradeshow and event industry, and is awarded

in conjunction with Northern Illinois University. The celebration of knowledge doesn’t stop there, either. Peer2Peer breakfast roundtables are also on offer, running from 7-7:45 a.m. Monday-Wednesday.

Dubbed “Sunrise Solutions: A Think Tank of Your Own” the occasions are designed to provoke conversation and share ideas. So, grab some colleagues, pour a cup of coffee and get chatty.

And Exhibit City News will be there in force! With team members from all over the country, come visit us at booth 436 and stay informed on the issues affecting the tradeshow and event industry.

Plus, discover who won the inaugural I&D ACE Awards, a celebration of those who bring excellence to show floors and exhibit houses. I&D Aces are being recognized for their dedication to company, customer, facility, union and co-workers, for going above and beyond with their work, loyalty and dedication. Plus… the I&D ACE Awards will be streamed live on Facebook, so come on over and join the party.

See you in Vegas!

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ExhibitorLIVE New Product Showcase

by F. Andrew Taylor

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his year’s New Product Showcase at EXHIBITORLIVE features 25 products that attendees can see for the first time. An independent panel of judges is set to award the top products with a Buyers’ Choice Award, but you may want to check them all out yourself to see which ones you like best and which ones are most suited for your needs.

Product Display 49” Transparent HYPEBOX STELE Portrait ABCOMRENTS, abcomrents.com Booth #1309

At first glance, the product simply looks like a display box, but the roughly 6.5-foottall, 2.5-foot-wide, and 1.3-foot-deep unit fabricated from black powder-coated steel and aluminum has a secret. If you tap the front of the glass case, it is revealed to be a smart window monitor allowing you to bring up information, animations, graphics or virtually anything else you could bring up on a traditional monitor. @ExhibitCityNews

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Agam Counter System Agam Group, Ltd., Agam.com Booth #833 This lightweight portable counter system allows users to set up a professional-looking, lockable display counter that can be put together without tools in minutes. It can be ordered in a wide range of colors. Optional countertop accessories include charging ports, tablet holders, graphic displays, lighting elements and more.

Designer Series Caps Gyford Décor, standoffsystems.com Booth #1353 Gyford Décor’s StandOff Systems line of hardware for mounting signage and more at a fixed distance from a surface is adding Designer Series Caps in 12 anodized colors. They also offer custom powder-coated finish with the client’s own design printed or laser engraved on them.

Gravitee One-Step Modular Lightboxes Classic Exhibits Inc. classicexhibits.com Booth #1623 At two inches deep, Gravitee One-Step Modular Lightboxes are about half as deep as most lightboxes. Flat or curved frames are available and are useable with direct-print and fabric graphics.

The panels ship fully assembled for fast, tool-free installation and the LED lighting system can remain attached during shipping, saving on set-up and break-down time. The lightboxes can be combined horizontally and vertically to create large, backlit images.

Innovate LED Poster ABCOMRENTS abcomrents.com Booth #1309

Lightbox and Walls and Signs CAPTIVA eBanner CAPTIVA Innovations captivainnovations.com Booth #1750 There’s something new and exciting in the world of banners. The eBanner is embedded with miniature LEDs that transform print with light and animation. The LEDs can be controlled by a mobile app for different effects.

The banner can be rolled and wrapped around curves and can be powered by rechargeable USB or plugged directly into a power outlet. Optional nearfield communication tags let attendees receive messages by tapping their smart device on the banner.

Casonara 360° Light Box Displays Makitso USA makitsodisplays.com Booth #1453 Casonara 360° Light Box Displays are easy to install without tools, but provide the clean look of silicone-edge graphics.

They are lit by double-sided LED arrays which cast light evenly on all of the graphic panels.

The 1.4 inch-thick and 75 pound LED is roughly a 23x77-inch monitor that boasts a pixel pitch of 2.7 mm for razor-sharp viewing at close distances. It can function as a freestanding display or be wall mounted in either portrait or landscape orientation. Files can be uploaded via Wi-Fi or an integrated USB port to the built-in media player. Multiple posters can be connected in a daisy-chain configuration.

LUCID Birttani Display Brittani.com Booth #1250 Lucid is lightweight and easy to assemble because of its PVC frame and self-locking panel system. The backlit display is eight feet tall and is available in ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 31

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multiple widths. Internal LED lighting is pre-installed in the lightbox’s frame for added protection and fast setup. Interior and exterior connectors allow exhibitors to attach multiple units at a variety of angles to create more expansive displays.

Nexus Lightbox AGAM Group, Ltd. AGAM.com Booth #833

The Nexus Lightbox from AGAM Group Ltd. integrates seamlessly with the company’s catalog of more than 100 extrusions, making it possible to add head-turning illumination to exhibit walls, towers, kiosks and more. Ladder-style LEDs provide even, edge-toedge backlighting of custom graphics, and exhibitors can opt for either a rigid or fabric back cover. Each lightbox can be assembled without tools.

Radiance, the enlightened solution Optima optimagfx.com Booth #1733 Radiance allows users to simplify the setup of backlit structures. The two-footlong, two-inch-wide LED elements rest on the bottom of practically any pop-up frame and distribute light evenly across the entirety of the display. Each unit’s seven super-bright LEDs are designed to even out hot spots and shadows, resulting in consistent lighting effects with minimal installation time. Elements can

be quickly daisy-chained together, and up to a 3x3-ft. frame can be powered by a single electrical connection.

The Expand GrandFabric Outdoor Expand International expandmedia.com Booth #1921 The Expand GrandFabric Outdoor back-wall display stands roughly 7.8 feet tall and is available in widths of 7.6 or 9.5 feet. It is designed for the rigors of outdoor display, with water- and fade-resistant pillowcase graphics. A pair of built-in, rear-facing support bars lock the display in an upright position, and a weighted bar at the base provides stability. Optional water tanks fit over this bar and enable the display to withstand winds of up to 20 mph.

WaveLight Infinity Edge-Lit SEG Modular Light Box Stands Makitso USA makitsodisplays.com Booth #1453 WaveLight Infinity Edge-Lit SEG Modular Light Box Stands can function as freestanding or wall-mounted elements or be connected to create larger displays.

Patent-pending Infinity silicone-edge graphics result in a truly frameless appearance from the front and back. Modular Plexiglas shelving allows the lightbox to function as a product display.

T3twistlite Tecna Display Ltd t3systems.com Booth #539 As the first-ever wireless lightbox, the T3twistlite from Tecna Display Ltd. breaks new ground while streamlining installation and dismantle. Conductive elements embedded in the frame’s aluminum extrusions and connecting joints align as the display is assembled by twisting and locking the elements into place, providing electrical power to low-voltage LED strips running along the interior perimeter of the lightbox.

XGO McRae Imaging mcraeimaging.com Booth #1839 XGO lightbox system is one of the simplest to set up. It consists of a 6x6-ft. central panel with an optional 2-ft.-tall header and a pair of 3-ft.-wide “wing” panels. A spring-hinge system allows the display to fold in on itself and fit inside two rolling cases. The back wall’s silicone-edge graphics and internal LED lighting remain attached even when the display is broken down, making setup and teardown a snap.

Lights LED 12V Mini Flex Neon Light Step 1 Dezigns Step1dezigns.com Booth #1634 LED 12V Mini Flex Neon Lights allow users to add eye-catching accent illumination to any part of an exhibit, including small, hard-to-get-at areas. They are only 5 mm wide and 12 mm high and the ultra-slim tubular elements can bend around corners and cast a uniform glow with no hot spots. They have an operating lifespan of up to 50,000 hours and are available in red, green, blue and cool white. They are rated for use in wet and dry environments and can be trimmed at one-inch intervals for flexible usage.

LovoSlim 12-in-1 Recessed Light Prism Lighting Group prismlightinggroup.com Booth #1661 LovoSlim 12-in-1 Recessed Lights allow users to add illumination to practically any exhibit. Up to six recessed lights can be daisy-chained together and additional elements can be hooked up to a single power source via an optional multipoint connector. Each LED is capable of emitting three light-color temperatures (warm white, natural white and pure white) and is fully dimmable and can be controlled with a wall switch, a wireless remote, an app or a virtual assistant such as Alexa or Google Home.

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...And More eLead Card Reality Engineering Solutions, LLC realityengineering.com Booth #1911

The eLead Card application allows exhibitors to scan attendees’ badges and immediately email prospects a link to an online form. Attendees can then input their contact information, answer customizable questions, and request product or service info. The online form can also be accessed via a QR code or a short URL. It may also be utilized to gather feedback on an in-booth presentation or as part of an exit survey.

Gravitee Mobile Meeting Pods Classic Exhibits Inc. classicexhibits.com Booth #1623 Gravitee Mobile Meeting Pods are lightweight, temporary private or semi-private meeting spaces that are easy to set up without tools. They are available in three shapes and many sizes and can have graphics printed to suit the customer. The pods have locking doors, optional single-sided LED backlighting, and many available accessories, including literature holders, shelving, monitor mounts and more.

HoloImager No-Touchscreen PeopleVisionFX peoplevisionfx.com Booth #1705 The HoloImager No-Touchscreen display projects 3-D renderings onto a transparent 2-D surface and is scalable from a six-inch tabletop display to a full@ExhibitCityNews

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size theater stage. Attendees can interact with animations, graphs, photos, videos and more via gestures that are tracked by discreetly placed motion sensors.

“We’ve been developing it a little over a year,” says Wayne Sullivant, president of PeopleVisionFX. “It’s going to make its official debut at ExhibitorLive. We did a test run with a client and it worked really well.” The technology is nearing the future envisioned in the film Minority Report. “The controls can be set up to rotate, change scale, move in and out and switch from one image to another,” Sullivant says. “Basically, anything you can do with a touch screen, you can do with this, but you aren’t actually touching anything.”

HoloPresenter - Augmented Reality Presentations Exhibitry exhibitry.com Booth #1614 When a presenter’s image is being projected to screens, HoloPresenter allows an augmented reality object to be placed anywhere on the screen and the presenter can manipulate the object with a handheld controller. The AR object can be turned, key components can be zoomed in on, etc., allowing the audience to experience presentations in a new and exciting manner.

Another technology verging on Minority Report tools, HoloPresenter is a compact system that offers a big result. “All of the gear is really compact,” explains Tracy Evans, president and CEO of Exhibitry and the creator of HoloPresenter.

“The cameras are small enough to place just about anywhere. You could have a four camera shoot in a backpack.”

The company custom builds each presentation. Depending on the complexity, they may send along staff to facilitate the presentation, including a technician and a director, who can switch between cameras on the fly. The system can even accommodate a mobile cameraman.

It also records the feed from all four cameras, allowing users to make a video of the presentation as seen by the attendees, or re-edit the feed from all of the cameras. “It’s amazing that 20 years ago you

couldn’t do this in a million-dollar studio and now you can take and make a presentation to a few people in a conference room or to a packed house at a large theater.”

HoloStory Exhibitry exhibitry.com Booth #1614

The HoloStory augmented-reality platform from Exhibitry harnesses the capabilities of Microsoft’s HoloLens headset to take attendees on an immersive tour of an exhibitor’s products and services.

The turnkey activation includes a physical model of a product or object and an assortment of AR content loaded onto each HoloLens. Attendees can stand in front of the model with the headset on and begin their AR-enhanced explorations via videos, animations, charts and other information that appears on or around the object.

MapBuilder by ExperiDigital Mirror Show Management mirrorshow.com Booth #1339 MapBuilder is an intuitive, collaborative, web-based application for boothspace sales, sponsor-space selection and attendee wayfinding. It’s a 3-D map of an exhibit hall or corporate event, in which the software integrates with an event’s exhibitor resource center and customer-relationship management system.

Users will see only the available spaces that meet their criteria and the map is updated in real time, thereby preventing double bookings and providing an up-tothe-minute overview of the show floor.

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EXHIBITORLIVE 2019 PREVIEW OneView ExhibitForce ExhibitForce.com Booth #1525 Powered by Event Suite, OneView enables face-to-face marketers to place orders and track and allocate all of their programs’ assets while also allowing individual vendors to keep their inventories up to date and respond to client requests.

A shared live calendar gives marketers and their partners the ability to forecast inventory availability.

Wireless Charging Table CORT Events cortevents.com Booth #1101 The Wireless Charging Table offers attendees a convenient, stylish option for keeping their devices charged. The 20-inch-square, 18-inch-high, off-white cube features a minimalist design topped with a pair of USB ports, an AC plug-in

and a wireless-charging pad for Qi-enabled devices. It requires just a single 110-volt power source and can be customized with vinyl-cling graphics.

Giant Human Claw Interactive Entertainment Group Inc. interactiveparty.com Booth #1716 The Giant Human Claw (pictured below) is virtually guaranteed to make a booth the talk of any convention it’s at. Imagine a scaled-up version of the claw machine, the fair and arcade staple that lets users try to grab a slippery prize with slippery, weak claws.

Now replace the claw with an attendee strapped to a safety harness and moved over an inflatable prize pit by another attendee. In case people somehow miss the 20x20x15-ft. trussed frame and prize pit, there are sound effects. And

it can all be adorned with personalized graphics.

“It’s a spectacular product,” says David Trottier, national event director for Interactive Entertainment Group, Inc. “We took the classic arcade game and did a Honey I Blew Up the Kids on it and made it gigantic. It’s been a huge, huge hit.”

Trottier notes that attendees will stand in line hours to try it. That gives the users a remarkable amount of time to engage with attendees. There are seven Giant Human Claw set ups strategically located across the country in popular tradeshow cities. The set up takes about six hours and it can be rented for hours or days, depending on a user’s needs.

“It’s a spectacle,” Trottier says. “It’s so memorable, so sociable. People take photos of it and want to be in photos with it. It’s Instagramable.”

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EXHIBITORLIVE 2019 PREVIEW OneView ExhibitForce ExhibitForce.com Booth #1525 Powered by Event Suite, OneView enables face-to-face marketers to place orders and track and allocate all of their programs’ assets while also allowing individual vendors to keep their inventories up to date and respond to client requests.

A shared live calendar gives marketers and their partners the ability to forecast inventory availability.

Wireless Charging Table CORT Events cortevents.com Booth #1101 The Wireless Charging Table offers attendees a convenient, stylish option for keeping their devices charged. The 20-inch-square, 18-inch-high, off-white cube features a minimalist design topped with a pair of USB ports, an AC plug-in

and a wireless-charging pad for Qi-enabled devices. It requires just a single 110-volt power source and can be customized with vinyl-cling graphics.

Giant Human Claw Interactive Entertainment Group Inc. interactiveparty.com Booth #1716 The Giant Human Claw (pictured below) is virtually guaranteed to make a booth the talk of any convention it’s at. Imagine a scaled-up version of the claw machine, the fair and arcade staple that lets users try to grab a slippery prize with slippery, weak claws.

Now replace the claw with an attendee strapped to a safety harness and moved over an inflatable prize pit by another attendee. In case people somehow miss the 20x20x15-ft. trussed frame and prize pit, there are sound effects. And

it can all be adorned with personalized graphics.

“It’s a spectacular product,” says David Trottier, national event director for Interactive Entertainment Group, Inc. “We took the classic arcade game and did a Honey I Blew Up the Kids on it and made it gigantic. It’s been a huge, huge hit.”

Trottier notes that attendees will stand in line hours to try it. That gives the users a remarkable amount of time to engage with attendees. There are seven Giant Human Claw set ups strategically located across the country in popular tradeshow cities. The set up takes about six hours and it can be rented for hours or days, depending on a user’s needs.

“It’s a spectacle,” Trottier says. “It’s so memorable, so sociable. People take photos of it and want to be in photos with it. It’s Instagramable.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Absolute Exhibits’ Toy Drive in Tijuana, Mexico

Anecdotes of the Greater Good CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS LEADING THE WAY IN THE TRADESHOW/EVENTS INDUSTRY

BY AMADEUS FINLAY

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A rising tide lifts all boats, and as adages go, what goes around comes around.

Corporate Social Responsibility is the art of combining the two, and with endless ways to get involved in the practice, CSR remains the best method for companies to demonstrate that the greater good comes before profits.

Absolute Exhibits of Tustin, Calif., has long understood the importance of giving back; in fact, Senior Marketing Manager Catherine Hess describes the firm as having CSR “embedded in its DNA.” “As a company,” Hess explains, “we calculate every bit of wood we use to construct our exhibits and donate trees to ensure we give back to the

@ExhibitCityNews

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environment and provide a sustainable future.” That’s not all, either. The company’s CSR policy is flexible, meaning it can respond to social issues and natural emergencies at a moment’s notice; over the past two years, Absolute Exhibits has provided support to communities hit by hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Houston.

As recently as December 2018, the firm donated more than 1,500 toys and 3,600 items of clothing to underprivileged children and their families living in the slums outside Tijuana, Mexico.

But this being California, Absolute Exhibits isn’t alone in their philanthropic efforts, and the San Diego Convention Center is there with the

best of them. Stating a belief in “being good neighbors,” the SDCC connects meeting planners with non-profits and charities so they can create altruistic partnerships. The center also regularly works with local community organizations in the support of volunteer opportunities, all of which is designed to reflect the value that the facility places on the concept of service.

“Service applies to both internal customer service as well as external service to our community,” explains SDCC Public Affairs Manager Rita de La Fuente. “Our staff has always been willing to donate their time to events, but over the past two years we’ve really made a conscious effort to vol-

unteer outside of our offices and have devoted more time to looking for other organizations to volunteer with.”

And the venue has been exhaustive in their efforts.

Throughout the past year, the SDCC has participated in a host of volunteerism activities, including cleaning San Diego Bay via “Operation Clean Sweep,” marching in the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade and joining the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure. The center was also involved in wrapping gifts at the USO San Diego benefit for military families, and has a long-standing relationship with the San Diego Rescue Mission and Partners for Hope, to which it has been donating leftover

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INDUSTRY NEWS

food from conventions and events for more than 15 years.

Leaving the SDCC behind, a leap over the Atlantic shifts the focus to beMatrix, one of Belgium’s leading producers of modular components.

Like California, the EU was a pioneer of corporate social responsibility, and that sentiment is reflected in every move that beMatrix takes. In their publication “be anything. and above all be sustainable,” the company states that “sustainability is one of our key drivers and a core theme in every department of our business,” explaining “we actively contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” And just like Absolute Exhibits, beMatrix reflects CSR in its products; for every five aluminum frames sold, the company sponsors one square meter of new forest growth.

At the helm is Edwin Van Der Vennet, and the award-winning entrepreneur lives and breathes CSR. As CEO of exhibitdesign, Mark Bendickson, comments, “You know, I don’t think I know anyone more passionate about green manufacturing and the environment than Edwin Van Der Vennet.”

Keeping the attention on Europe, the ExCeL London is a convention and event center in the east end of the British capital, and just like their neighbors in Belgium, ExCel London considers CSR an integral component of their identity. As a participant in the U.N. Global Compact Scheme (the world’s largest CSR initiative, which creates relationships with companies

that share universal principles on human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption), ExCel London takes the concept of corporate social responsibly to a whole new level. “At ExCeL London, we are passionate about creating a meaningful and inspiring legacy,” explains Lucy Merritt, head of marketing and communications. “CSR forms an important part of our strategy, from working with charities to address the increasing need for food donations or sponsoring community events, through to responding to the growing global crisis of managing single-use plastic by identifying ways in which our venue can reduce the amount of plastic waste generated whilst making it easier for our guests to make sustainable choices.”

Recycling and general use trash cans are located throughout the venue, with cardboard, plastics and paper segregated on-site. ExCel London even recycles food waste at their very own commercial wormery (and with more than 300,000 worms, it is also the U.K.’s largest). But that’s not all; every drop of used vegetable oil is converted into bio fuel.

“Our waste metrics are reviewed on a monthly basis” reveals Merritt, “and we set annual targets to continuously reduce waste and we undertake annual audits, certified to both international environmental standards ISO14001 and ISO20121.”

And there is real value to the fine-tooth comb approach taken by ExCel London. As Merritt comments, “events by their very nature can be

wasteful entities, with leftover stand materials, packaging, brochures, delegate bags, promotional items and food waste. One of our main priorities is to ensure our customers are aware of our sustainability objectives and that they help to uphold our policies.”

But not everyone can compete with ExCel London.

In fact, some entities are just beginning their journey. Highway 85 Creative is an exhibit house in Glendale, Ariz., and 2019 marks a new direction for the firm as they begin to focus on the place of CSR in their business.

“We work in such an international industry,” explains Joe Anderson, marketing and business development, “meaning we all flock to certain cities where our presence puts a strain on local resources. It was then that we realized it was important to give back to those communities affected by our work. As a result, one of our big priorities for the coming year will be employee volunteering days.”

“The idea actually came from one of our team members,” continues Anderson, “and together as a company, we brainstormed programs that will include working with children’s charities, local food banks and Habitat for Humanity.”

However, this isn’t Highway 85’s first foray into the greater good. Following the success of the firm’s podcast studio at last year’s EXHIBITORLIVE, the creative minds at Highway 85 decided to rebuild the space in Glendale for use by the local community, free of charge. The facility has been a hotbed for local recording

Cobo Center Living Green Roof

artists ever since.

And speaking of studios, sitting in the heart of Providence, R.I., the Dunkin Donuts Center is a live music hub complete with a 100,000-sq.ft. convention hall and 23 meeting rooms. But for all its size, the intimate nature of life in ‘lil Rhody’ means the center is closely connected with the needs of the local community.

Just under two miles away sits the Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and its mission is one of the most difficult in the state.

In March 2018, the staff at the Dunkin Donuts Center brought the Harlem Globetrotters to visit the hospital’s brave young patients and perform some of the finest tricks in basketball.

The visit was a sensation, bringing light and hope to those who need it the most.

“We believe in community and a commitment to spread the wealth,” explains Cheryl Cohen, director of marketing, public relations and booking.

“In addition to supporting the children at the hospital, we work with Toys for Tots and the Marines, as well as the local chapter of the Make-AWish Foundation.”

“Event organizers often ask us what charitable activities they can get involved in,” continues Cohen, “and we are more than happy to help. To date, philanthropic activities have included working with Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Providence

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Animal Rescue League to donate pet food and supplies.”

Far from the shores of The Ocean State sits the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Each Christmas, NOLA hosts ChristmasFest, an indoor, family-oriented holiday festival featuring ice slides, ice skating, themed inflatables, rides and a spectacular light show. Last year, local nonprofit organization “Son of a Saint” was the beneficiary of the event’s annual fundraiser, with the charity for fatherless boys being awarded a check for $5,164.

Keeping matters in the south, OCTANORM is a veteran supplier of exhibition construction systems based in Atlanta.

Despite its reputation, OCTANORM is a relatively small company, but that does not prevent the firm from engaging in positive CSR activities.

“It’s often difficult for a small company of less than 50 employees to engage in meaningful CSR,” explains president and CEO Norm Friedrich, “However, we have always advocated for—and produced—sustainable and reusable products in our industry as the essence of our existence. From a philanthropic standpoint, we are actively involved in the EDPA Foundation as well as the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic.

In terms of our business practices, we have always paid for 100 percent of the healthcare @ExhibitCityNews

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benefits for all our employees and their families as a means of social responsibility.”

“I can testify with certainty,” continues Friedrich, “that good people are attracted to good companies. There are advantages for both employer and employee when the company engages in environmental sustainability initiatives, philanthropic giving and ethical business practices. The employee feels that they are making a difference and it’s not just a job. The employer benefits from loyalty and increased productivity. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Another company that takes CSR seriously, Orbus Exhibit and Display Group, one of North America’s leading wholesale suppliers and manufacturers of display, exhibit, graphic and event solutions, won gold in “Company of the Year-Midwest” and silver in “Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year” in the Best in Biz Awards 2018 out of an impressive 700 entries from companies of all sizes.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded gold and silver in the 2018 Best in Biz Awards,” says Giles Douglas, president and CEO of Orbus. “It is an honor to be recognized for our strong commitment to the environment and to our employees.”

In Detroit, the Cobo Center balances its status as an international convention center with an intensive CSR program.

Operating under the mantra, “Sustainability Lives Here” the Cobo Green initiative includes partnerships with My Green Michigan, Detroit Ecoworks

and Forgotten Harvest, as well as a 10,000-sq.ft. space on the convention center roof that has been covered with vegetation planted on a waterproofing membrane. The wondrous little ecosystem also includes irrigation systems alongside four honeybee hives and a herb garden. Inside, Cobo Green has also seen the installation of induction lighting in exhibit halls that save 40 percent on standard electric usage, as well as computer controls to turn off lights throughout the facility when there is enough sunlight to illuminate the building.

But there is more. As Claude Molinari, general manager of Cobo Center explains, “part of ensuring that Cobo Center is an industry leader is creating financial sustainability through strong community relationships and ethnical business practices. Our vendors are vetted for fair and sustainable practices.

Our labor unions work under an efficiency agreement that guarantees fair treatment for employees, visitors and customers. Working together with all parties strengthens the industry and provides a high-profile platform to champion the importance of social responsibility.”

A similar story can be found at the Javits Center in downtown New York City, where CSR activities are a central focus of the facility’s operating ethos. Striving to be a model of sustainable practices for the exhibition industry, buildings across New York City and the surrounding community as a whole, Javits Center works with several institutions to study the impact of their conservation efforts while introducing elements designed to

have a positive impact on the environment. These improvements include the installation of more than 100 energy-efficient HVAC units across the center, as well as energy-efficient lighting and the placement of recycling containers throughout the facility. The Javits Center also invested in a cutting-edge energy dashboard that allows designated engineers and employees to monitor consumption levels for electric, gas and water. As a result of their initiatives, the facility was awarded a LEED Silver certification for exceeding New York State’s mandate of reducing energy and water consumption by 20 percent by the year 2020.

And just like Cobo Center, Javits Center also boasts a stateof-the-art green roof, with this particular design allowing the garden to absorb up to seven million gallons of storm water run-off per year, while also serving to reduce heat gain throughout the building. As a result of all of the facility’s initiatives, Javits Center’s annual energy consumption has been reduced by 26 percent.

From recording studios to pet food and bio fuel, the international convention and tradeshow community takes its responsibility to society seriously. This isn’t an industry that dresses up PR opportunities with philanthropic façades, rather it actively seeks ways to make the world a better—and happier—place through heartfelt earnestness.

So, take a bow, everyone.

By doing what you do, you are improving life for everyone you reach, today as well as tomorrow.

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 39

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SHOP TO SHOWFLOOR An In-Depth Look into Today’s World of I&D and Event Labor

Mimaki uses its Microfactory exhibit to demonstrate usage options for its printing capabilities at at SGIA 2018. The focus for 2018 was “taking flight” so the graphics showed different travel scenarios around flying. There was a lounge that resembled a hospitality lounge at an airport, as well as talent in the booth dressed as flight attendants.

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

O

To showcase its 3-D printing capabilities and create a modern look for its 2018 Microfactory exhibit, Mimaki uses pinpoint lighting and the textures of wood and concrete as key design elements for the space. Photo submitted by Exhibitus

EXHIBIT DESIGN TRENDS FOCUS ON CONVERSATION

by Cynthya Porter

nce upon a time, a discussion about exhibit design trends revolved around physical elements such as Pantone colors, furniture styles and LED displays, with pundits opining about what cool ideas would be rocking the show floor in months to come. The end game for everyone in the exhibit hall was to get bodies into a booth so you could scan their badge and add them to a big pile of leads. But the conversation about design has shifted, industry leaders say, because the very purpose of tradeshows themselves has shifted, and using a show primarily to collect leads has become as outdated as Pantone Radiant Orchid and VCRs. In years past, most booth spaces were designed with the main objective of generating leads and the secondary goal of reinforcing brand identity, says Scott Miraglia, president of Elevation Marketing. To that end, much emphasis was placed on designing for a “wow” factor that would get an exhibit noticed from the aisle and create some kind of impression about the brand. That mentality was at the forefront because people coming to the show floor often had little information about exhibiting companies and were in the earliest stages of their buyer’s journey, Miraglia explains.

And then came millennials and the Internet.

“The whole tradeshow industry has dramatically changed in the last five years,” Miraglia says. “Now, the buyer’s journey starts digitally. Attendees begin their search online and are deciding before a show who they want to talk to, and that didn’t happen 10 years ago. It has changed the show floor significantly because they are using tradeshows for different purposes today—they already have a short list and they are coming to hold meetings and close deals.”

That shift, Miraglia says, should inspire exhibit designers to look at a space through an entirely different lens. “The question today is where a tradeshow fits in the buyer’s journey,” he says. “That is how we need to be designing exhibits.”

Rob Majerowski, the general manager of the Chicago division of Exhibitus, agrees.

“Ten years ago, it was about big, flashy

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pieces of architecture,” he says. “Now it is about strategy and what you want to accomplish on the show floor. You still need some focus on architecture, but it’s about a lot more. Tradeshow venues are for storytelling, and really everything needs to start with that story and then design the colors and space around it.”

If there is a trend in architecture, Majerowski says, it is to provide as many different types of spaces as possible within a booth to facilitate communication. “In the past, maybe there was a private conference room and that was all,” he says. “Now there are so many different touchpoints designed to accommodate a variety of conversations happening in an exhibit space.”

As part of that shift, Miraglia says, many companies are moving away from off-site meeting spaces such as hotel or conference rooms and instead courting attendees to meetings right on the show floor. As such, he says, thought needs to go into how a space can facilitate communication. “A lot more design elements

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are centering on human interaction,” he says. “It’s really changing the way we approach an exhibit’s design. How do we create a more inviting space to have those conversations?” Hand in hand with that, he says, is increased focus well before a show on ways to get the right people into those spaces. “Companies need to be more sophisticated about pre-show marketing,” Miraglia says. Knowing that the consideration phase for attendees today starts before the show, he says, companies need to work harder in advance to make sure they are on the short list when an attendee walks in the door.

In what Majerowski refers to as a European influence, many exhibits are beginning to incorporate big, comfortable chairs in their design to conjure the image of a relaxed environment. It’s a sharp departure from days in the past when formal-looking exhibits were used to convey the professionalism of a company as a selling point.

Today, companies are taking a much softer approach, Majerowski says. “It’s about

A lot more design elements are centering on human interaction.

It’s really changing the way we approach an exhibit’s design... relationship building, it’s not about the hard sell anymore,” he says. “It might vary some from industry to industry, but it does generally feel like company representatives are trying to get to know people and are doing fewer hard-core product demos.”

Sean Roberts, president and CEO of SiLusions Corporation, calls this new

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

trend towards casual seating and coffeehouse-type atmospheres the “Starbucks syndrome,” where exhibitors are trying to create spaces that remind attendees of comfortable places that some may view as their home away from home. Contributing to that vibe is the use of earthy, natural finishes, Roberts says, which appeals to the environmentally conscious nature of the younger generations today.

Miraglia agrees that plush, homey spaces are in vogue, whether literally designed to look like a coffeeshop, a nice home or an upscale office space. In those designs, he says, use of moody lighting offers a more intimate feel, and materials like wood, particularly reused packing crates, do double duty—both creating an informal vibe and making a company look more “green,” which is close to the hearts of many Millennials.

That trend is echoed in European exhibits, says Nick Paton, client services director for Pico EU. “Materiality trends continue to be strongly influenced by retail, but there is also a renewed need to be seen as responsible for environmental concerns,” Paton says. Up-cycling and raw finishes done well can make a relatively low-cost exhibit stand out.”

“Sometimes trends are continent-specific,” says ExhibitMatch co-founder Tim Sullivan, “because they are influenced by things like drayage, material availability or cultural interests.” Other trends in exhibiting are similar globally, but the inclination toward environmental responsibility isn’t necessarily one of them, he adds. “Environmental concerns do not carry the same weight in Asia, for example, as they do in the United States or Western Europe.” However, Sullivan says, the relatively new lean in the United States towards relationship building and exhibit designs that support that is something European and Latin American markets have been doing for some time.

One trend that is translating fairly universally, Sullivan says, is the concept that show attendees today are looking for companies to do business with that reflect their values and want to understand their

needs and pain points. The new generation of show goers don’t just want to buy things, they want to feel a connection to those they do business with. As such, the relationships being built on the front end of a business deal have taken on a magnified importance in a sales arena that used to operate in a generally impersonal way.

Aside from the added interpersonal emphasis in tradeshows, there are a few technology trends that entered the marketplace in the past handful of years and are hanging on, experts say, though companies feel an increasing pressure to use them for a legitimate brand purpose rather than just for the sake of having them. Virtual reality is one such tool, though Roberts says it is a technology that has not taken off as quickly as trend forecasters once predicted. “I think it will come of age,” he says, “but it’s still bulky and ugly. It has a ways to go.”

Roberts believes that as technology like virtual reality and augmented reality become more sophisticated and affordable, they will become much more prevalent on the show floor than they are today.

“We are quickly moving into the Star Wars phase,” he says, “with things like holograms changing the way we interact with brands on the show floor. If I had a crystal ball, I would say that events

in the future could be all holograms.”

Until then, Roberts says, show goers can expect to see increasingly personalized experiences in exhibits, whether through the technology tracking tools available or through the intensified efforts at forging face-to-face relationships with people rather than business deals.

When trying to facilitate that connection through exhibit design, Paton says, time, logistics and cost are the greatest limiters to what a company can achieve.

“Good, fast, cheap. You can only choose two,” he jokes.

Fortunately, relationship building in an exhibit doesn’t have to cost a lot because the most important exhibit design element to promote that, besides comfortable conversation areas, is the people staffing a space. “Trends are going beyond the physicality of things,” Majerowski says. “Visitors want to feel special and known intimately. It’s so much more about understanding and catering to their needs.”

Indeed—while shiny objects and flashy designs are fun to have in an exhibit, they are no longer the basis on which a good exhibit is judged, Miraglia believes. “It’s not about attracting people to the booth,” he says. “It’s about how I make them feel when they get there.”

“Empowering the Art of Retail” was the theme for Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions at NRF 2019.

The iPad stands in the middle were printed on a 3-D printer. The “splashes” of paint around them were made to look like paint had dripped from the large LED light structure hanging from the ceiling.

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Since 1980, Champion Logistics Group has specialized in providing value-added transportation and warehousing services to the Exhibit, Live-Events, and Production industries.

Please visit us at ExhibitorLive in booth #1613.

800.323.5401

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

M

Mike and Janet Sue Robertson

Q&A SPOTLIGHT WITH MIKE ROBERTSON Five Questions for a Veteran Teamster Who Loves What He Does

by Jeanne Brei

ike Robertson grew up in Houston with a Hollywood connection. His parents met in Hollywood, his uncle was Dale Robertson, the actor in the late-50s TV show Tales of Wells Fargo, and another uncle, Port Robertson, was the athletic director and head coach of the University of Oklahoma wrestling team, which won at the 1960 Olymics in Rome leading to his uncle being inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. His parents divorced when he was five and his mom moved the family to Las Vegas in 1967, where she managed Louis Prima’s Fairway to the Stars golf course and ran Howard Hughes’ mining operations.

He’d spend summers at the family farm in Oklahoma learning how to ride, shoot, fish, hunt and wrestle with his cousins. At five, he started lessons in Taekwondo and Kenpo and various mixed marital arts, and was undefeated in Golden Gloves boxing as a teenager. With all those survival skills, he took his GED at 16 and went to join his friends in special ops/private contractor work in Vietnam, later joining the Air Force. As he explains, “Due to my knowledge of the arts and weapons I was asked to join covert operations in Vietnam through private contractors. I received an honorable discharge in 1975 with Strategic Air Command U.S.A.F. I received a bachelors degree from the University of Texas after my return. I moved back to Las Vegas and worked in law enforcement and had friends in the conventions/631 Teamsters—and began the

greatest show on earth—the convention industry!”

Over the years, he’s worked as a traveling foreman for GES, Las Vegas city manager for Eyecatchers, a project manager (but he just couldn’t fire people), and a chief steward for Teamsters 631 (solving problems, grievances and contract issues). Currently he spends a lot of time training the newbies—teaching them that “what you put into it, is what you get out of it.” On the show floor, he’s known for his big heart and he’s been with his honey, Janet Sue, for nearly 20 years. He has two grown children, three grown stepkids and eight grandchildren.

ECN: What do you like best about your job?

MR: I love the versatility of the convention industry, where it’s never boring, never ending and being around all the wonderful people in the industry, who’ve become my family. With the hours we work, I’ve spent more time with all the people in our industry than I’ve spent at home.

ECN: Did you have a mentor? If so, could you tell us a little about him/her and how they assisted you? Are you a mentor yourself now?

MR: There are many that have helped mentor me through my 37 years. Billy Geller, whom I consider a legend. He is a brother in the industry and a Vietnam Veteran. Billy was general foreman at GES and he taught me all the ropes on how to run a tradeshow for the general contractor. Billy was a person who stood up for everybody and taught

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everybody how important it is to be nice and enjoy what you do. He’d say, “we’re here to work but let’s enjoy it—it’s all about being nice.”

ECN: Do you have something you wish you could tell exhibit managers to make your job easier?

MR: All of those exhibit managers are friends of mine. I am very grateful to the 631 Teamsters for this opportunity. The management and Teamsters that I work with are making Las Vegas the very best!

ECN: Do you have a favorite tradeshow? Or a favorite tradeshow city? Or a favorite tradeshow memory to share?

MR: I’d have to say SEMA

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because for years I drove a top-fuel chopper (a stretchedout, custom-built motorcycle) and I used to build hotrods.

Billy Geller retired in 2000 and he races cars at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway—392 Challenger street car racing.

ECN: Do you have any advice for someone just entering the industry?

MR: The advice I have for new hires in the industry is to keep a good work ethic, attendance record and be the best you can be each day. This industry has provided my family new homes, vacations and a lifestyle that is not affordable to most. I thank God every day for this and for all the wonderful people I have met and work

Mike and Janet Sue Robertson

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SHOP to SHOWFLOOR I&D and Event Labor

I&D PHOTO POLL: HOW DO YOU UNWIND AFTER A LONG DAY?

by F. Andrew Taylor

Tom DeBusk, operations manager for Las Vegas Expo for the Teamsters

“I just go home and relax and get ready for the next day.”

Liz Anderson, freight coordinator for AGS Expo Services in Orlando, Fla.

Kyle Bunkley, Teamsters

“I go home and have a beer. I’ve got kids so I never have a break.

When I do get home, my wife lets me have a little chill time and watch a few games on TV.”

“I go to my room, have a glass of wine and put my feet up.”

Joe Miller, forklift operator at the LVCC

“I like to lay down and watch some TV and drink a beer and enjoy the time with my wife and kids.”

Thomas Collie, AGS Expo

“Drink a cold beer and take my shoes off. What else can you do?”

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TRADESHOW/EVENT SOLUTIONS

Hi-LED curved wall

Hi-LED floor

Stand Design Award ‘best medium stand’

Stand Design Award ‘best medium stand’

Aluvision team @ ISE Amsterdam

Hi-LED 90° corner

Visitor statue handout

Hi-LED cube

Sweet Curves and Corners at ISE 2019 photos by Aluvision

Aluvision @ ISE Amsterdam

Aluvision’s award-winning booth brought the WOW factor to Integrated Systems Europe, the largest AV and systems integration show in the world. The developer and manufacturer of high-quality modular exhibit systems impressed visitors with its magical, playful and refreshing booth design. Therefore it’s no surprise that Aluvision was crowned with the Stand Design Award for best medium-sized booth out of 1,300 exhibitors. With curved LED tiles, perfect

corner tiles and floor solutions, Aluvision extended its Hi-LED 55 range, allowing even more creativity and flexibility for trade show booth and event designers.

The curved Hi-LED 55 tiles, available in both concave and convex shapes, match the exact same curves as the Aluvision frames. The finishes on the Hi-LED 90° corner simply looked fantastic and allowed for a seamless flow of images. With this booth, Aluvision truly brought its ‘World of Wonder’ campaign to life!

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JAPAN - THE TIME IS NOW Japanese companies are more eager than ever for international business opportunities.

Overseas businesses and organizers have never been more welcome.

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS Argentina

South American Countries Strengthen Ties with China

by Cynthya Porter

A

s the U.S. tussles with China over fair trade, the unlikely winners in that discord have been the Latin American countries that have seen their business with China grow exponentially as a result of the embargo war.

Soybeans, mineral products, agriculture and more are being exported to China in higher amounts than ever before as China seeks to fill the void left by its U.S. embargos.

In turn, exhibition halls in Latin American countries are dominated by Chinese firms hoping to expand their trade to Latin America as well, an effort that has vaulted China past the U.S. as the main importer and exporter in countries like Chile, Peru, Uruguay and others.

China’s trading ties to Latin America have a long history.

Diplomatic relations date to 1970, and the free trade agreement signed between Chile and China in 2005 was the first such agreement for China anywhere in the world.

With that agreement in place, by 2017 the value of trade between China and Chile had grown by 325 percent. Recent Chilean administrations have worked to remove even more trade barriers on things like Chilean services, Chinese automobiles, and tourism between countries.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a program that will invest in the infrastructure of more than 68 countries around the world, stands to further deepen trade ties in Latin America. For example, the Chinese government plans to build two hydroelectric dams in Argentina that will provide more than 5,000 jobs and help free the country from fossil fuels.

Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela have joined China’s Belt and Road project too, with those agreements expected to pave the way for more Chinese companies to do business within the borders of a growing number of Latin American countries.

In terms of tradeshow capacity for those gatherings, the venues in South America are miniscule compared to the gargantuan exposition centers being built across China. To wit, all of the convention space in Buenos Aires, Argentina, could fit inside a single venue in Shanghai. Even so, there a handful of Latin American cities, including Buenos Aires with 4.6 million sq.ft. of venue space, that have the capacity to host expositions of a significant size. Sao Paulo has 4.3 million sq.ft., Medellin, Colombia, has 2.6 million sq.ft., Ecuador has 430,000 sq.ft. and Santiago, Chile, has just over 100,000 sq.ft.

But what the emerging tradeshow and import/ex-

port market in Latin America lacks in size, it makes up for with an ambition to grow the gross domestic product of economies that have struggled in years past. Argentina, with what many consider one of the world’s most difficult customs processes to navigate for a tradeshow, has seen a reduction in trade barriers recently with the election of pro-business president Mauricio Macri.

Likewise, Chile elected new business-centric leadership in 2018, and the GDP was expected to expand by 4 percent by year’s end. At the G20 Summit it hosted in November 2018, Argentina was the first country to make sustained development a focus of the agenda to be discussed with world leaders, a strong indication that the priorities are shifting for a region that is just beginning to find its feet in global trade.

Cynthya Porter is a 70-time award-winning journalist recognized by national and international associations for her journalistic expertise in tradeshow topics, travel writing, photography and news. She has covered the exhibition industry for eight years and, though she makes her home in the Midwest, travels the world in search of interesting stories and photographs.

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AIPC

Why Embracing A Disruptive Leadership Mindset Is Necessary For Success

BY GREG O’DELL, WALTER E. WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER & EVENTS DC

We know that audience demands are always changing. With new developments and emerging technologies, convention leaders know that they must constantly pay attention in order to keep up.

As the president and CEO of Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, I realize that these changes also present great opportunity for us to improve and embrace new “outside-of-the-box” tactics. Events DC aims to break from the normal traditional quasi-government structure by making investments and taking risks in the development of new venues and services. For instance, a Strategic Initiatives Division was implemented that positions Events DC for future growth while also enhancing the ability to create premier event experiences that help achieve our mission to drive economic and community benefits for residents and businesses of the District of Columbia.

Only through a “disruptive leadership” mindset and embracing the need to shake things up–to innovate, ideate and execute–can we achieve the results we need.

INNOVATE Many of us host hundreds of

interactive technologies and engage their audiences. Our push to continue innovating has resulted in a tremendous amount of excitement among our customers who have fully embraced this technology at the majority of shows and led to numerous accolades regarding their experiences. Our Center will also undergo a face lift aimed at optimizing the public spaces by making them more flexible and user-friendly. We’re adding new seating, furniture and play areas to promote “communities” to actively gather and socialize during an event.

Greg O’Dell

events with millions of attendees each year. Each event comes with the challenge to outdo its predecessor, finding better ways to engage audiences–often by incorporating new technologies including mobile apps, crowd-sourcing, or social media tools–and turn them from passive attendees to active participants. Events are becoming more dynamic and interactive, and venues will have to keep evolving their strategies to meet these needs.

It is important for leaders

to keep pushing innovation forward, even when they are already currently seeing success.

For example, our Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. has more than 200 digital signage displays and is the largest signage network of its kind in the U.S. Despite already leading the industry, over the past two years we significantly expanded this program by adding new LED video walls to key locations that allow meeting planners to better implement new

IDEATE As convention leaders consider our future in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace, we must continue to ideate with cutting-edge and forward thinking. Strategic planning requires that we place emphasis on repurposing our existing assets, while simultaneously examining new opportunities. How can we extend our business and our brand beyond our venue?

This is a question I often ask myself, while also considering how we can best “pay it forward”–an adage I believe all leaders should live and work by.

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For instance, we recently broke away from the norm and set our sights on new market segments like esports.

We even sponsored a team– the first city to do so–to let the world know that esports events, gamers and the community are welcomed to our nation’s capital.

Additionally, we have strived to find ways to create greater community and economic benefits for the city and our partners. Since opening the doors to our convention center, the neighborhood has benefitted with additional consumer traffic and an explosion of new restaurants and retail. As a strategy to not only give back, but also further extend our brand, we have

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developed a “streetscape plan” to transform the exterior facade of the convention center through lighting, signage, canopies and furniture that will help activate and enrich the sidewalks throughout the surrounding neighborhood.

EXECUTE When executing any plan, it is important to recall the core qualities of the hospitality industry and provide a service to our clients that is helpful, trustworthy, courteous and kind. We must always acknowledge our audience’s presence, making each person feel recognized. Good leaders know that to accomplish this, we need to dare ourselves to break from the norms, to forge

unprecedented collaborations and to invest in innovation, new ideas and initiatives.

We must become “disruptive” leaders who place an intentional focus on thinking beyond our traditional operations. We must embrace innovation, develop bold ideas and execute these new strategies.

In leading by example, we also challenge others to develop their own ideas and engage in knowledge sharing. Together, this ultimately leads to further actions and initiatives that will drive your organization to greater success.

In addition to his role as AIPC vice president, Greg O’Dell is president and CEO at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Events DC.

AIPC represents a global network of more than 190 leading centers in 62 countries with the active involvement of more than 1,000 management-level professionals worldwide.

It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international representation, and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. AIPC also celebrates and promotes the essential role of the international meetings industry in supporting economic, academic and professional development and enhancing global relations amongst highly diverse business and cultural interests. For more info, visit www. aipc.org or contact marianne. de.raay@aipc.org.

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CORPORATE PROFILE

Full Circle Events Specializes in Tents, Pavilions & Full Service Management

BY AMADEUS FINLAY

Approaching the event industry with the attitude that all things are possible, Full Circle Events in Las Vegas really does live-up to its all-encompassing name.

Operating under the principle of “full service” management, the team at Full Circle Events specializes in providing companies in the tradeshow and exhibit space with temporary tent structures and pavilions of all shapes and sizes. What does this mean for the customer? Full Circle is equipped to handle all aspects of the event lifecycle, from project oversight to material and equipment sourcing, instal-

lation and teardown services.

And if all that wasn’t enough, the company also provides electrical services including lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as HVAC solutions.

However, all this scope also means the company is in high-demand, and the Full Circle touch has been seen just about everywhere; from a 400,000 sq.ft. pavilion at GSE expo to an installation just outside the White House in Washington D.C. Arguably, the company’s most prominent project is the 380,000 sq.ft. of temporary exhibit space located at the World

Market Center Pavilion in downtown Las Vegas, with some of their more famous work having been showcased during recent Super Bowls.

It’s perhaps little wonder, then, that the company is able to list behemoth global brands such as Shell and BMW among its clients.

Full Circle Events was founded by Rudy Lekar and Jason Gray in 2004, and is the result of a whole bunch of entrepreneurial acumen combined with an ability to identify a gap that was needing to be filled.

“We saw a niche in the tradeshow and exhibit indus-

try that no other tent companies were focusing their efforts on,” explains Lekar.

“Most tent companies are doing tree lots, car sales, parties, etc., so we decided to just focus on the exhibit side.”

But that’s not all. By working on becoming an integral part of their customers’ teams from concept to completion, Full Circle also acts like an in-house extension of their clients.

“Full Circle strives to remove as many headaches from their customers as possible,” continues Lekar, “meaning they can focus on their goals at a show.”

It is a policy that has passed

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with flying colors, and the impact that Full Circle Events has had on the tradeshow and exhibit industry since the firm started just 15 years ago is nothing short of remarkable.

From 200’ wide x 1400’ long pavilions for SEMA and CES, to intimate two-level chalets with glass walls, floors, integrated HVAC and fully custom graphic applications for shows like CONEXPO and World of Concrete, Full Circle Events has more than fulfilled the company’s promise to corner their market and provide a full gamut of tent-related services.

As a result of all this activity, the Full Circle team has had its fair share of unforgettable experiences. And for Lekar, more than one memory sticks out.

“It seems every week we are doing something extraordinary for our customers!” he exclaims. “From the Winter Games in Salt Lake City where we did all of Coca Cola’s tents, to the tenting work we have done at the White House for various presidents, being named the official outdoor supplier for the SEMA show and just last year picking up CES as an official supplier… so many of our jobs are top tier memories for me.”

However, in the ever-competitive world of the tradeshow and event industry, businesses can’t afford to rest on their laurels. Accordingly, Full Circle is forever striving to maintain its position at the cutting edge of developments—both

in product as well as in client management—and one of the ways the firm maintains its competitive edge is by providing clients with only the very best in professional show staff.

“We always assign a senior level member of our team to every project,” explains Lekar. “We also don’t take on too much work at once to ensure each customer gets the required focus and attention warranted for their project.”

Of course, no team is complete without the tools to compete, and Full Circle Events ensures its team is armed with the best arsenal going.

“Since all our equipment is exhibit quality” continues Lekar, “you don’t need to worry that it’s arriving to the

booth dirty or ‘just in time’ from the last rodeo.”

If anything, Full Circle will make your brand feel like it’s the only rodeo in town.

Full Circle Events specializes in temporary tent structures and pavilions for companies in the tradeshow and exhibit industries with “full service” management which includes project oversight, material and equipment sourcing, electrical services including lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, HVAC solutions, installation and teardown services. All their equipment is “exhibit quality” and their staff is professionally trained and experienced. For more info, visit www.fcelv.com

International Pavilions General Contractors Large Format Printing Custom Display Audio & Video Systems

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@ExhibitCityNews

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LOCALS IN: Mexico · Panama · Brasil · Argetina

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TRADESHOW/EVENTS PODCAST

The Don and Mike Show Now Podcasting Twice a Week

T

he Don and Mike Show is now podcasting twice a week—keeping their original Friday podcasts and adding a Tuesday Don and Mike Show— Extra, and has recently surpassed 15,000 listens. The new Tuesday shows highlight organizational news and interviews from EDPA, ESCA, IAEE, EACA and many more organizations related to tradeshows, events and experiential Marketing. In addition, it is now “Brought to You by SMT Expo,” their first sponsor. A division of Glenmore Industries, an OEM manufacturer of a wide variety of home, industrial and automotive products, SMT Expo is headquartered in Edison, N.J., and has manufacturing facil-

ities and offices in China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the U.K. SMT stands for Smart Modular Technology and is the exclusive provider of the industry’s leading, full floorplan, fabric booth system and the sole manufacturer of this revolutionary tool-free system.

According to show co-host Mike Morrison, “We are developing great content and super guests each show and after a year and a half, we are continuing to grow. We are looking for 2019 to be a break-out year for the Don and Mike Show and are looking for news and interviews to make the show a great listen for the industries of tradeshow, event and experiential marketing.”

Morrison adds, “There will be upcoming Facebook Live videos coming soon from the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic at ExhibitorLive, as well as from the show floor at ExhibitorLive 2019, and from the ACE Awards presentation.”

Watch for more on-site location recordings for the show at an event near you!

Explains Morrison, “The Don and Mike Show Extra is underway every Tuesday which brings news from the industry as well as association updates while the Friday version of the Don and Mike Show shares interviews from industry colleagues from tradeshows and the event and experiential marketing industries.”

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Past shows have included interviews with IAEE CEO/President David Dubois, Mitt Arnaduet and Julie Kagy from ESCA, Mohegan Sun’s John Washko and GameBuzz’ Tom Clark, Michael Center from Scaled Agile and Steve Goldman from CORT Events, Ray Baum of Core Apps and Steven Hacker of SMT Expo, Georgia World Congress Center’s Erik Waldman and Joe Bocherer and Get Synchronicity’s Fred Zimmerman.

Interviews include these industry people: »» Dasher Lowe - EDPA »» David Dubois - IAEE »» James Zacharias - Brumark »» John Washko - Mohegan Sun »» Michael Center - Scaled Agile »» Mitt Arnaudet and Julie Kagy - ESCA »» David Hofflick - President of Oscar & Associates »» Ray Baum - Core Apps

Don Svehla and Mike Morrison interviewing IFES’ Ute Goretzky at EDPA Access

»» Rich Johnson - The Randy Smith Memorial Golf Tournament

»» Sandra Braun - Nth Degree and SE Chapter of EDPA

»» Steve Golden - CORT Events »» Steven Hacker - Consultant, SMT EXPO »» Tom Clark - Game Buzz »» Vince Battaglia - TheTradeShowCalender.com and many more!

DON & MIKE SHOW ON FRIDAYS

Dec. 14: The Don and Mike Show with Rich Johnson, David Hofflich, EDPA Interviews and Big News from The Don and Mike Show!

Dec. 20: The Don and Mike Show TOP 10 LISTENED TO SHOWS COUNTDOWN ...

2019 is here!

Dec. 27: The Don and Mike Show Interview with Rich Johnson from EDPA Access 2018 Jan. 3:The Don and Mike Show IAEE Wrap Up with David Dubois, Mitt Arnaduet and Julie Kagy Jan. 10:The Don and Mike Show John Washko and Tom Clark on The Don and Mike Show!

Jan. 17:The Don and Mike Show Michael Center and Steve Goldman

DON & MIKE SHOW—EXTRAS! ON TUESDAYS

Jan. 24: The Don and Mike Show Apps, Photography, Pipe and Drape and More!

Jan. 15: The Don and Mike Show EXTRA!

Jan. 31: The Don and Mike Show Everything Superbowl LIII with Erik Waldman

Jan. 8: The Don and Mike Show EXTRA!

Jan. 22: The Don and Mike Show EXTRA! Jan. 29: The Don and Mike Show EXTRA! Feb. 5: The Don and Mike Show EXTRA! SOTU Address, TLS is purchased by Japan company, headlines from Trade Shows Events and Experiential!

@ExhibitCityNews

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Feb. 7: The Don and Mike Show SuperBowl Report Card, AR - A Tool or A Toy? and more!

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 59

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Suitcasing & Outboarding: Toxic For Tradeshows

BY CYNTHYA PORTER

Some people call it guerilla marketing. Others call it stealing. But one thing is certain: Few circumstances will make a show organizer’s blood boil faster than finding companies trying to do business with attendees of a show they didn’t pay to exhibit at.

The vernacular for the practice in the tradeshow world is either suitcasing or outboarding—terminology that was invented by the exhibition industry and thus wouldn’t be understood in any other setting. But the truth is they are sometimes not even understood well inside the tradeshow arena, at least in more nuanced situations, leading to awkward moments at best and the eventual destruction of a show if left unchecked.

The generally-agreed-upon definitions of the offenses at their most basic are straightforward: Suitcasing is the practice of attending a show as an attendee – or even just loitering around the nonshow-floor areas where showgoers congregate – and trying to snare business by handing out sales materials, setting up meetings or filling someone’s ear with a sales pitch for goods or services. Suitcasing’s ugly cousin is outboarding – the act of piggy-backing off of a show by hosting events, meetings, marketing activations, parties and more in the vicinity of a tradeshow

without being an exhibitor or going through show management to do so.

And while there may be 50 shades of gray in the scenarios possible for each, industry experts say that most of the time, ignorance is not a defense. “I believe that all companies that suitcase or outboard a show know full well that they are doing something inappropriate,” says David Audrain, executive director for the Society of Independent Show Organizers. In Audrain’s eyes, the matter is very black and white: If you are trying to engage in any way with a show you aren’t paying to do business at, and if you are doing anything that undermines the success of paying exhibitors, then it is theft from the show and from the businesses that funded it.

Charles Olentine, CEO of exhibition consultancy firm Consult NC Inc., is somewhat understanding towards small or new companies that may not understand suitcasing policies well, and he advocates for well-articulated show policies to educate them. But that is where charity ends, and for those who are deliberately gaming the system, Olentine is decidedly more merciless.

“To call suitcasers ‘parasites’ is being charitable,” he says.

“I’ve had non-exhibitors who are aware of the policies dare us to find them. Needless to

say, one should actively hunt them down.”

For a show floor, Audrain says, the practices of suitcasing and outboarding can be toxic. “Tradeshows are expensive to produce and most of the revenue comes from the exhibitors.

If a company suitcases or outboards a show, they are basically stealing access to the attendees and stealing from the exhibitors that have paid to support the show,” he explains. “If exhibitors start to feel like companies don’t need to exhibit to get the value of the show and so stop exhibiting to instead suitcase or outboard themselves, then it can even kill the event, and then everyone loses.”

While one might initially think of suitcasing as activities directed towards attendees in the aisles and lounges of a show, there is another form of the practice – one that is even more insidious – that is happening right inside an exhibitor’s booth, and its impact has a double whammy. This suitcaser is trying to sell to the exhibitor, says Al Mercuro, senior account director for Genesis Exhibits, and it’s often the worst suitcasing problem a show has. “I’ve seen my clients trapped in a booth space because they’re working, and someone comes in and tries to sell to them,” he says. “It’s really unfair to do that to someone

and it happens more than you think.” While a booth staffer is trying to extricate from an unwanted sales pitch, their potential leads are walking by, and now both the show and the exhibitor are losing out because of the behavior. “To have someone come into the booth and take your valuable time is really unethical,” says Mercuro, who notes that it is a nuisance that should be reported to show management.

Mercuro also believes that the number of people who don’t understand that what they are doing is wrong is a very small percentage of offenders. “For the most part I think it’s part of a calculated marketing scheme – maybe it’s to save money – but it’s unethical,” he says. The only latitude he extends is to college kids or others who are casing a show looking for job prospects. It’s still not a good practice, he says, but they probably don’t know better.

But in every other scenario, Mercuro says that it behooves show organizers to nip suitcasing and outboarding in the bud by whatever means necessary to preserve the show floor environment for the people who belong there.

That might mean posting an abundance of signage, confronting offenders in the act and asking them to leave, or screening out past offenders in future years. “Education and communication are the first lines of defense,” Olentine says. “One commonly used practice is to include a statement in the registration process outlining suitcasing and outboarding policies and that violators will be removed

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from the show premises. Try to make the potential suitcasers aware that you are monitoring for the practice and will take action.”

And though confrontations are awkward, show organizers need to be willing to have them if they are to protect the sales environment they have worked so hard to create.

“Confronting suitcasers is difficult and uncomfortable,” Olentine acknowledges.

But breaking up meetings, pulling badges and escorting people from the property for violating the suitcasing and outboarding rules sends the surest message to everyone that it won’t be tolerated.

However, first organizers need to make sure everyone is on the same page about the variety of ways that those two infractions can be made. Can non-exhibiting businesses schedule off-site meetings with their current clients? Can paying exhibitors host events at nonshow venues that overlap official show events? Can exhibitors allow non-exhibiting companies to have a presence in their booth?

What about the use of street marketing teams? Bathroom advertising?

The matter can get murky when it is paying exhibitors doing the suspected suitcasing or outboarding, though those infractions are more likely to be handled through a conversation and some education rather than ouster from a show floor. Things @ExhibitCityNews

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like visiting other booths to sell, setting up unsanctioned events during the show, and other marketing activities that work around the official show sponsorship system hurt a show’s bottom line, deprive an exhibitor of business partnership with the show, and put exhibitors at risk of not being invited back to future events. “For an exhibitor, if they have an idea for any activity – even a flash mob – just talk to the show organizer,” says Audrain. “If it doesn’t negatively impact other exhibitors or keep attendees from the exhibit floor, they will most likely be happy to work with the exhibitor.”

Though many tradeshows do so, when a show allows non-exhibiting manufacturers to register as attendees, things can get tricky too.

Audrain says shows need to have crystal clear communication on what the policies are.

In the presence of those, he believes most non-exhibiting Charles manufacturers Olentine at shows are trying to follow the rules and do honest business.

Olentine agrees. “It is legitimate for a non-exhibiting company to attend a show and try to link up with its customers outside of the show hours and off-premises of the show,” says Olentine.

“Also, a number of non-exhibiting companies may be casing the show out to determine whether exhibiting there in the future would be viable.”

Al Mercuro, Exhibits by Genesis

But Audrain says the reality is that, with very few exceptions, companies should be registering as exhibitors instead. “If they think a show is valuable enough to spend time and money to attend, and that there are customers or prospective customers that are attending that they wish to meet with, then they really should be exhibiting,” he says.

“In fact, most customers or prospects will likely wonder, to themselves at least, why these people want to meet with them there if they are not exhibiting. Maybe they will wonder if the company is having financial problems and cannot afford to exhibit.”

Mercuro agrees. “I would think they would want to exhibit or be a sponsor rather than working outside of a show,” he says. “Exhibiting lends legitimacy to a company and I wouldn’t have respect for a company that was suitcasing or outboarding.”

Another tactic to piggyback off of a show is for a non-exhibiting company to buy advertising across the host city, placing ads on public transportation, billboards, hotel TVs and more to capitalize on the influx of its target

market. There is little a show can directly do about it, says Audrain, but he suspects such practices hurt companies in the long run rather than help them. “What is an attendee to think when they see an ad for a company which they can’t find at the show?” he says.

“They are likely to be confused or annoyed if they wasted their time trying to find them.

Why would a company spend the money on advertising during a show to reach the attendee audience but not be part of the show? Seems pretty stupid to me.”

Although they can’t exactly prevent such practices, tradeshows, especially those with some size, can have a strong influence on the host city in order to curb outboarding and rogue advertising campaigns, Olentine says. “This is where the organizer must work closely with the city convention bureaus,” he says.

“They need to know that the organizer does not appreciate those practices and that they will jeopardize a return to the city.” Likewise, he says, contracts with convention centers and show hotels must specify the exclusivity of marketing opportunities for show orgaExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 61

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INDUSTRY NEWS nizers. City-wide hotel blocks can ensure that banquet halls, conference rooms and corporate hospitality suites can’t be booked without show organizer approval, and those agreements can have teeth.

“For example,” Olentine says, “with the International Production and Processing Show, we wrote clauses in our hotel contracts penalizing the hotel if they are found to violate the non-exhibitors meeting room booking policy, and the penalties were substantial. We found that hotels worked very closely with management to cross-check meeting rooms.

However,” he adds, “it is very difficult to prevent non-exhibiting companies from using hotels outside the block, and

it’s virtually impossible to prevent meetings at restaurants.”

Along with good communication and teams of people policing a show for offenders, something else that may curtail suitcasing and outboarding, Mercuro says, is for show organizers to look for ways to bring transgressors into the fold. Abundant sponsorship opportunities and myriad thresholds for becoming an exhibitor could naturally prevent some of those infractions, he says, helping companies and the show at the same time. It won’t stop the intentional freeloaders from trying to leech off of the event, but it could give those that mean well a path to legitimacy. “In marketing, you want to think

David Audrain, SISO executive director

outside of the box and make sure you stand out,” he says, “but if you tie it all together with the tradeshow, it sends

a much stronger message to your potential customer that you are a company they can take seriously.”

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CORPORATE PROFILE

Color Reflections: 70 Years of Nonstop Innovation & Working Nonstop THEIR LAS VEGAS LOCATION WORKS 24/7 EVERY JANUARY

BY F. ANDREW TAYLOR

Color Reflections has been in the industry for more than 70 years and provides a full spectrum of digital imaging and traditional photographic services. As innovators in photographic reproduction services, they employ technology, networked across platforms and across the continent, to create a whole new realm of imaging possibilities. They have developed a reputation for providing your world’s most life-like reproductions with uncompromising customer service. They specialize in the design of impactful images that will bring customer’s message to life through grand format signage, large format photographic prints, tradeshow graphics and hardware, wallpaper and fabrics, and cut vinyl and dimensional lettering. The Color Reflections team can also help develop a customer’s business through increased brand recognition by utilizing digital printing to create dynamic banners, vehicle wraps, billboards and brochures.

The company has deep roots in the printing industry. It began as a black-andwhite reprographics shop in Houston run by Carl and

Florence Magaziner called Arrow Graphics. Today the organization has grown to five large operations in four different states, with a staff of hundreds and state-ofthe-art color printing capabilities that can print everything from a letter-size piece of paper to a building-sized mesh banner.

Carl and Florence’s son, Paul, took over the company in the 1980s and expanded his family’s business into the world of color reproductions, later renaming the firm. Color Reflections prides itself on being a nationwide company and for the quality of work they provide for the top tradeshow displays across the country. Over the past 50 years, Color Reflections has continued to grow and revolutionize the large-format visuals market.

Joe Castellano is president and CEO of the Las Vegas office, the newest of the operations, which opened in 1995.

The other operations are Hollywood and Orlando Fla., Atlanta, Ga. and the original office in Houston, where Castellano was initially hired as their first outside sales rep before he moved to open their Las Vegas location.

“The best way to describe my job is that it’s my hobby,”

Castellano says. “I enjoy all of the people who work here. I enjoy the variety of projects.

I enjoy the technology and, most of all, I enjoy the problem solving.”

Each of the locations caters to the specific businesses of that area. For example, the majority of what they print at the Houston location is oil and natural gas company related. In Las Vegas, much of what they print is for the gaming, tradeshow and special events industry.

Castellano is amazed at the changes he’s seen in the technology of the industry.

“In 1995 we got a Cruse camera, which was basically a positive-to-positive camera,” Castellano says. “You could give us an 8x10 image and we could blow it up as large as 4’x8’. It was full color and the quality was very good. Shortly after that we figured out a way to put negatives on there and print like a traditional photo lab, so we brought equipment to make hi-res 8x10 negatives and transparencies, so everything was done with a negative or transparencies.”

With that system they produced high quality slot toppers and 22x28” signage for lollipop signs in casinos.

“In 1997 we purchased the Durst Lambda, which was

the first digital direct photographic printer,” he says.

“It allowed us to take a file, send it to the Lambda, which threw red, green and blue lasers through a series of mirrors and came out with a gorgeous, even tone. This was our first venture into the digital age. From there we found board printers and roll-to-roll devices. Today, we don’t do anything without a computer file.”

Their printers can make a single print on vinyl that is 16’ wide by 150’ long. They can weld several of those together to larger images, like eight large mesh banners they created recently for the World Market Center in Las Vegas. In addition to those 52x52-foot pieces, the project included two building wraps an a lot of tenant signage.

The company has done countless major projects over the years, but one of the ones that Castellano remembers as one of the most notable, fun and a personal favorite, are the two Super Bowls the company did extensive work on— Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz., and Super Bowl L in Santa Clara, Calif.

“We were on site for a few weeks prior to the game,” Castellano explains. “We got to see all of the behind-the-

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scenes preparation as we created banners, wrapped fences and worked on signage and branding on huge tents that held about 1,000 people.”

The industry faces a number of challenges, but one of the biggest ones is that a quick turnaround has become the norm.

“The equipment is so fast and the quality is so good that now everything is due immediately,” Castellano says.

“Fortunately, our people are up to the task.”

Another major issue in the industry is employee retention. The work is fast paced and the hours can be long, and not every employee is up to that. Color Reflections is aware of the issue and treats

@ExhibitCityNews

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its crew with respect and camaraderie that prompts loyalty and makes everyone proud to be a part of the team.

The Las Vegas operation is open 24/7 in the month of January, one of the busiest months for the tradeshow industry, thanks to CES, .

“We rotate everybody and people are pretty good about grabbing shifts and lending a hand,” Castellano says. We can get exhausted. We try to make it fun even though it can be really stressful sometimes. We fight like brothers and sisters, but at the end of the day we’re still friends.

That’s important.”

The majority of the Las Vegas staff are long-term employees who have been with

... A quick turnaround has become the norm. The equipment is so fast and the quality is so good that now everything is due immediately.

Fortunately, our people are up to the task ... the company, seven, ten and even 20 years.

“If you ask anybody who has been on the tradeshow business for a long time, they’ll tell you that it grows on you,”

Castellano says. “They like the fast pace and that the problems are different. The items that people ask us to create for them are different. You don’t get bored.”

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CORPORATE PROFILE

GEM Exhibits: A New Jewel in New England’s Crown

BY AMADEUS FINLAY

New England is a hotbed of exhibit houses, and the trend for enterprising event professionals in the northeast going out on their own doesn’t look set to stop anytime soon. One of the latest to spring up is GEM Exhibits in Webster, Mass.

Sharon Wharton is the firm’s part-time front office manager and wife of GEM Exhibits’ President, Scott Wharton. Standing outside the historic mill building that GEM calls home, Sharon explains, “Scott’s great at what he does because he puts passion into it, but he only achieves that because he puts the client first— whatever it takes.”

We’ve heard this line be-

fore; successful companies rarely place any factor other than their clients’ interests at the forefront of their operation, and the unique few that do are the Silicon Valley-type figures of the industry with an entirely different way of thinking. What makes GEM the company that can say this conviction without sounding like a thousand other voices in the choir?

Step through the door and the visitor soon sees why.

First, and most importantly, is the intentionally agile, low-overhead nature of the GEM Exhibits model. Unburdened by a large operating budget, Wharton and his team have removed a significant amount of day-to-day baggage

by establishing relationships with trusted vendors, allowing energies to be focused on client interests.

“I believe in making everything cost-effective for the client,” explains Wharton, “all the while ensuring they receive the high standards of exhibit building they’ve come to expect from the big players.

We accomplish this through an outsource model, a.k.a. my bag of tricks, populated by some of the finest and most experienced figures in the industry. This allows for a superior product, without burdening the client with the cost of unnecessary overheads.”

It works, too. Touring around the facility with Wharton and Director of Account

Services Heather Jenkinson, the visitor will be impressed by large, custom-built structures, as well as the attention to ensuring GEM’s branding is included on everything that is sent out on the road.

“You would never suspect it, looking at what we can produce,” comments Jenkinson, “but at GEM we can do all of this for a fraction of the industry standard cost, without compromising on quality.”

Wharton agrees, adding, “we also offer hybrid custom rentals. This allows the client to get their ultimate design on a rental budget, while allowing GEM to use elements in other booths between shows.

Sure, we take a small financial hit at the start, but that’s

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irrelevant because it leads to longer-term relationships and better results for our clients, so it all works out in the end.

Again, why compromise when you can have perfection with some foresight and planning?”

That’s not all, either. As GEM continues to grow, it will expand its operations into neighboring sections of the extensive mill complex, as well as investigating other ways to support client endeavors. These initiatives will include installing additional pieces machinery, an expanded production shop and, ultimately, full-service marketing solutions in the digital sphere.

“It all comes from a sense of duty,” explains Wharton. “We do whatever we need to do

to ensure client satisfaction.

And that is why we named the company, GEM. While I never served, my grandfather, Leo P. Gemme, was in the U.S. Navy during the WWII, and and my uncle Gerald P. Gemme, served for two tours during the Vietnam conflict. GEM is taken from their surname, and we pledge that 1 percent of all hardware, graphic and rental sales will be donated in their names to Veterans, Inc. of Worcester, Mass., and the Webster Dudley Veterans Council of Webster, Mass.”

The name clearly means a lot of Wharton, who appears visibly moved by the sacrifices of his family and others who have served in the nation’s military. “Given

SW_STM_8x475_Ad_04-2017.pdf 1 4/3/2017 11:34:00 AM

we pledge that 1 percent of all hardware, graphic and rental sales will be donated in their names to Veterans Inc. ... what some have sacrificed for our country,” he says, “giving all that I have to ensure that our clients and future clients are represented in the best possible way really is the least I can do.”

And then, looking around at the young firm quickly growing before him, concludes,

“We only began this in October 2017, and look how far we have come in such a short space of time. I am so proud of the team and everyone we work with.”

“You are witnessing the beginning of an empire. But it belongs to the industry, not just to me.”

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ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 67

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2/11/19 10:24 PM

Exhibit City News Magazine would like to Congratulate ALL the Nominees for the First Annual

ECN I&D ACE Awards!

Awards will be presented Sunday, February 24, 2019 at the Mesquite Ballroom, Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, 5-7 p.m.

As of press time, help us congratulate the following nominees for their stellar work and great submissions—check out Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and www.

ECNACEAwards.com to read their submissions!

Categories include: Rookie of the Year ACE Will Goza, Sho-Link Regional I&D ACE Dan Pienta, Nth Degree Best Traveling Lead ACE Brad Kearns. Laborinc.

Robert Lassiter,

The Trade Group Mike Macauley, Nth Degree Chris Pohanka, NuVista Firefighter of the Year ACE Brian Kaminski, Momentum Management Willie Matamoros, Nth Degree City Manager of the Year ACE Joey Brassell, Sho-Link

For more info, visit www.ExhibitCityNews.com AceAwards_FP_032019.indd 1 4 066_CorpPro_Gem_0319.indd

Seasoned Show Floor Veteran of the Year ACE Gino Apadula, Nth Degree Mike Haren, Sho-Link Frank Mennell, Momentum Management William F. Nixon Lifetime Achievement Award Brian Kearns, Laborinc.

Gary Wannemacher, Nth Degree Posthumous Hall of Fame Ken Broadbent, Sho-Link

2/12/19 2/12/19 10:49 10:50 PM PM

CONVENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT

EAT

by Jeanne Brei

L

as Vegas seems to be the Madonna of tradeshow cities—although it’s been ranked the number one tradeshow destination in North America for 24 consecutive years (based upon TSNN’s annual ranking of the top 250 tradeshows in the industry), it feels the constant need to reinvent itself.

The LVCC, built in 1959, has undergone 14 renovations and is currently in the middle of a $1.4 billion expansion that will add 1.4 million sq.ft. where the Riviera Hotel & Casino once stood to its current 3.2 million sq.ft., including at least 600,000 sq.ft. of new, leasable exhibit space and three stories of meeting rooms, making it the second largest convention center in the U.S. (behind Chicago’s McCormick Place).

Last year, the LVCVA locked in a 67foot shift of the entire project footprint to the west. So, revised plans include building landscaping and wall buffers along Paradise Road and Elvis Presley Boulevard and a canopy over the building’s loading docks for a total of $10 million and another $10 million for hazardous materials remediation and site improvements for newly acquired land west of the building.

Shifting the project slightly to the west will produce more room for trucks to access loading docks on the 70 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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east side of the building. Prior to this acquisition, trucks entering the loading dock area would have had to squeeze through an 18-foot pinch point near the SpringHill Suites by Marriott property near the southeast corner of Paradise Rd. and Elvis Presley Blvd.

Moving everything to the west was possible thanks to the LVCVA’s acquisition of 8.3 acres from the Irwin Kishner estate for $49.8 million last June as well as a land swap and another $9.8 million in cash to The Siegel Group for an apartment complex on 1.24 acres at 3064 Kishner Drive. Under terms of the deal, the LVCVA received the 1.24 acres and 0.9 acres of Kishner Drive in exchange for 0.8 acres fronting Convention Center Drive and $9.8 million cash. Siegel will retain ownership of commercial property just west of the Kishner land (and plans to open a Bagelmania there) while the LVCVA will get 9.64 contiguous acres that it will use for parking and outdoor exhibit space.

LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill says holding that land would enable the LVCVA to plan for an attractive point of entry along Las Vegas Boulevard. Total value of the transaction is estimated at $64.3 million—roughly $6.67 million per acre and below the $7 million-per-acre appraisal value.

SLEEP Who comes to Vegas to sleep? I love themed hotels like the Luxor, the NY-NY, the Venetian, the Bellagio, Caesars and Paris—it’s the gondola rides, painted ceilings and St. Mark’s Square replica complete with Renaissance entertainers that makes the Venetian a must-stop.

Don’t miss the Bellagio Conservatory and fountain shows, the half-scale Eiffel Tower at Paris, NY-NY’s Greenwich Village “food court,” the Forum shops at Caesars’ spiral escalator, etc., etc., etc.

PLAY Check out the Escape Rooms and the Kodak sets at HeadzUp, drive a bulldozer or excavator at Dig This LV; test drive a Ferrari or Lamborghini on the LV Motor Speedway; zipline the Fremont Street Experience, the Linq or Rio; ride the Strat’s Big Shot (4Gs at 1,149 ft.); visit the Neon Boneyard, Mob Museum, Springs Preserves, the Lion Habitat Ranch; barnstorm in a bi-plane or dog-fight at Sky Combat Ace., take a circus trapeze class at Trapeze Las Vegas; take a Hummer tour of Red Rocks, play at the Pinball Hall of Fame, shop at Gold & Silver Pawn Stars; take a scrumptious Foodie Tour, check out the Cactus Garden at Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory or destroy a room at the Wreck Room—there’s something for everyone!

Rendering courtesy of tvsdesign / Design Las Vegas via Las Vegas News Bureau

LVCC Expansion Phase 2

You can feel the “Rat Pack” presence and hear the fabulous Sonny Charles (from the Checkmates) sing with Pia Zadora at Piero’s Italian Cuisine, 355 Convention Center Dr, (just across the street of the LVCC), or go time-traveling back to the days of vintage Vegas with a visit to the Italian American Club, 2333 E. Sahara (at Eastern) built in 1960. Jazzin’ Jeanne Brei & the Speakeasy Swingers (yes, yours truly) have the longest running show there (we’re in our ninth year) with the Swanky Supper Club Soiree on the first Thursday of each month: dance lesson at 6:15, band plays 7-9, floor show with Vegas showgirls at 8 p.m. We’ll be celebrating Mardi Gras on March 7— l’aissez les bon temps roulez!

2/12/19 10:18 PM

ASSOCIATION NEWS

EDPA NorCal Hosts Dan Greene & Pat Friedlander

Chapter Also Holds Memorial for Past President Mary Ann Furnish

BY ROXANNE KOHLIN

O

n the third Thursday in January, at the Jamison-Brown House in Santa Clara, Calif., the EDPA NorCal Chapter held their quarterly meeting, “Opportunities & Challenges During a Growth Cycle” featuring benchmark statistics from the Annual EDPA

Economic Survey, presented

by Dan Greene, managing director of Nolan Advisory Services and the EDPA Research Committee Chair, along with Pat Friedlander, accomplished marketer, published writer and speaker in the exhibit industry. A memorial for prior chapter

CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS

ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD

president and beloved member, Mary Ann Furnish, was held following the meeting.

The NorCal Chapter plans to bring this relevant, time-sensitive information at the same wonderful location, same time next year as well. Overall, nearly 40 people joined the meeting, reminding us that not only are we connected by common business interests but by the experiences we share and the

people we share them with.

This was an extraordinary day for all.

The next quarterly meeting will be April 18 (third Thursday). Based on the feedback from the surveys at the Oct. 18 quarterly meeting at the Moscone Center, EDPA NorCal is planning another stimulating topic at a unique venue in the Oakland area, complete with an unforgettable meal and gift. Save the date!

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Installing and Dismantling Exhibits Throughout California

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MEET IN A PLACE WHERE YOU MATTER. COBO CENTER | CENTERED AROUND YOU Welcome to a place where you can be part of something. Where a city and center are humming with energy. A place where you can actually feel good about a meeting. Where people go out of their way for you because that’s what we do. Because here, you matter.

What matters to you? Value? Service? Sustainability? A positive voice guiding you, every step of the way? We get it. We have reinvented this city and center for you.

COBOCENTER.COM 313.877.8214 DOWNTOWN DETROIT

@ExhibitCityNews

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LISA HENNESSY

COBO CENTER EVENT MANAGER

What a pleasure it was to work with Lisa on our convention. She went above and beyond to make sure everything went smooth and all our needs were meant.

Nothing was impossible.

SHERRY DULEY | SEIU DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

EDPA NorCal Hosts Dan Greene & Pat Friedlander

Chapter Also Holds Memorial for Past President Mary Ann Furnish

BY ROXANNE KOHLIN

O

n the third Thursday in January, at the Jamison-Brown House in Santa Clara, Calif., the EDPA NorCal Chapter held their quarterly meeting, “Opportunities & Challenges During a Growth Cycle” featuring benchmark statistics from the Annual EDPA

Economic Survey, presented

by Dan Greene, managing director of Nolan Advisory Services and the EDPA Research Committee Chair, along with Pat Friedlander, accomplished marketer, published writer and speaker in the exhibit industry. A memorial for prior chapter

CONCERTS CONVENTIONS DINING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SHOPPING SPORTING EVENTS

ROSEMONT’S IMPACT FIELD

president and beloved member, Mary Ann Furnish, was held following the meeting.

The NorCal Chapter plans to bring this relevant, time-sensitive information at the same wonderful location, same time next year as well. Overall, nearly 40 people joined the meeting, reminding us that not only are we connected by common business interests but by the experiences we share and the

people we share them with.

This was an extraordinary day for all.

The next quarterly meeting will be April 18 (third Thursday). Based on the feedback from the surveys at the Oct. 18 quarterly meeting at the Moscone Center, EDPA NorCal is planning another stimulating topic at a unique venue in the Oakland area, complete with an unforgettable meal and gift. Save the date!

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Together we have made a real difference, and with your help, we will continue to do so.

The EDPA Foundation is getting close to reaching our initial goal of raising $1,000,000 to manage in its endowment and be able to meet its objectives for many years to come. To achieve this goal the EDPA Foundation needs YOUR help.

Supporting the Foundation demonstrates that we all collectively give back to care for people in our industry.

We have the results...and it’s over $150,000 raised between the Silent Auction and contributions in one night at ACCESS 2018.

Wow. Since it’s inception in 2001 the EDPA Foundation has been supported by 51 Founding Grantors and Grantor companies, individuals, and charitable events.

Our policy that 95% of money raised going to recipients and causes allows you to be sure that your donation will enable us to continue to make a difference together.

We can’t stop now.

J o in u s o n t he ‘R o a d to O ne M i l l i on’ To make a company or individual donation, please contact either Amanda Helgemoe at ahelgemoe@nuvistaonline.com or Rob Cohen at rcohen@dslgroup.com

Together, We Are Making a Difference.

www.edpa.com/edpafoundation

Together we have provided nearly 100 scholarships.

Together we have helped support the future.

Together we have helped more than 150 industry families in need.

The EDPA Foundation Scholarship Fund was created in 2004 to award scholarships for higher education to industry members and their families. To date, 80+ scholarships have been given nationwide, totaling more than $250,000.

We support the exhibit design programs at two partner schools; The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Bemidji State University.

The Foundation has provided financial and emotional support during times of hardship to 150+ industry families through support of the RSMGC and other ancillary events.

Be Part of the Story.

Visit www.edpa.com/edpafoundation to see how.

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VENUES/EVENTS Chicago

Corporate Risk Management, Inc., Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary

L-R: Deb & Scott Robinson and Ozzie Giglio

BY EDGAR NAVARRO

Corporate Risk Management, Inc., celebrated its 40th anniversary as an insurance consulting & broking firm on January 9 at Gibson’s Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago.

CRM was founded by CEO Robert A. Wilson on January 1, 1979 in Hinsdale, Ill. As consultants, CRM advised a variety of businesses on creating risk management programs, eliminating gaps in coverage and reducing premiums. In 1990, CRM began providing insurance to the tradeshow industry in Chicago and quickly expanded across the country.

The company, currently located in Westmont, Ill., moved into a new building that was constructed in October 2001.

President Rob Wilson and Executive Vice President Scott Wilson oversee operations and provide insurance and HR solutions to clients of all sizes.

Wilson explains, “Our 40th anniversary was a great opportunity to celebrate the founding of CRM with our clients, friends, family and team. My dad had a vision in

1979 to create a firm dedicated to helping businesses reduce their insurance costs and improve coverage. CRM led to the creation of Employco USA which provides payroll, workers’ compensation, employee benefits and HR support. Our combined businesses proudly serve more than 125 tradeshow clients across the country.”

Based in Westmont, Ill., with clients across the U.S., Corporate Risk Management, Inc., along with its sister company, Employco USA, provide insurance and HR solutions for businesses. With more than 20 years of experience in the tradeshow industry, they help businesses streamline their operations, lower labor costs and provide the ability to seamlessly expand their reach into countless cities across the U.S.—without the cost of new union agreements or being forced to fret over payroll management and labor calls. For more info, visit: www.crm-inc.com or www. employco.com.

CRM President Rob Wilson with his wife and three sons (L-R) Pierce, Spencer, Stacie, Rob and Griffen Wilson

Skinny Williams on saxophone

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CorpEvents New England is the oldest independent I&D company in New England. Since 1985 we’ve specialized in: General Service Contracting, Professional Installation & Dismantle Labor, Custom Exhibit Rentals & Event Planning.

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2/11/19 11:39 PM

VENUES/EVENTS Japan

Sakura International Celebrates Its Decennial

T

he inaugural Sakura International Decennial Meeting was successfully held on Dec. 18 and 19 at Tokyo International Forum, one of Japan’s most prestigious venues. A total of 370 people joined the Decennial Meeting of the premier global MICE producer, with 60 international guests from 35 companies around the world (including ECN’s publisher, Don Svehla) and 110 guests from 75 domestic suppliers. More than 200 Sakura employees were also gathered in Tokyo to welcome their partners, strengthen ties and engage in their future vision for the MICE industry.

A networking dinner started off the celebration on Dec. 18 to show the true spirit of Japanese omotenashi (hospitality) to all the guests.

The dinner was held at the spectacular Happo-en venue with a sprawling Japanese

garden that houses 500-year old bonsai trees and several tea-houses. The venue’s elegant surroundings and superb service was a big hit as guests enjoyed the sushi chef and a traditional Japanese harp (koto) performance at the ice-breaker event.

The following morning, all 200-plus employees of Sakura International gathered to talk about the company’s future and many valuable staff members were honored. The foreign guests were invited to join for lunch, where a special version of the traditionally modest bento box was served.

In this case, a special warm bento was provided, which was kept warm thanks to its in-built heating feature, a rarity even in Japan!

The second section began with a short opening address from Business Development director Justin and President Ken Myohdai presenting his

vision of the future for Sakura International over the next 10 years and further. This was followed by representatives of each division and branch who explained how they would also contribute to the company’s future growth.

After a short break Teglen Bat-orgil from Mongolia took over as emcee, and two panel discussions were held featuring both domestic and international viewpoints on the industry. For the first panel discussion, the logistics team was joined by Mr. Isezaki of Arek Ltd. to represent production and Mr. Machida of Iida Electrical Works to represent electricians to discuss the unique features of Japan’s event construction scene and deciding which things could be changed for the better of the industry.

The second panel discussion on the globalization trend and future of the event industry

featured Noor Ahmad Hamid of ICCA and Michael Tu of Kaohsiung International Convention Centre along with two Sakura staff. This was more of a macro-level discussion that touched on the ever-changing event landscape and how companies can continue to grow in an increasingly competitive environment.

The events industry in Japan is looking forward to hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in 2020 and the World Expo in 2025 and Sakura International, with offices in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan; Las Vegas; and Delhi, India; and with liaison offices in Dubai, Shanghai, Singaore, Paris, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and other offices coming soon, is looking forward to becoming the premier global MICE producer in Asia.

For more info, visit www. sakurain.co.jp

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(above) Ken and Maki Myohdai (founders) take a memorial photo in front of the old Tokyo office before re-locating Dec. 21, 2018. (below) Inaki Alonso and Begona Masip from Intermedio Ltd. (Spain) introduce themselves during the luncheon.

@ExhibitCityNews

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VENUES/EVENTS Future Las Vegas

Circa Resort & Casino to Debut in Downtown Las Vegas

BY CALANIT ATIA, RENDERINGS BY STEELMAN PARTNERS

Circa Resort & Casino, offering 777 rooms, suites, casino and spa, is the planned all-new integrated resort concept located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. Developers Derek and Greg Stevens are building the first groundup resort development in the area since 1980. Circa will be built on a 1.25-million-sq. ft. property at the corner of Fremont and Main streets.

Exhibit City News had the chance to sit down with chief executive officer of the D Las Vegas and Circa, Derek Stevens, to get a behind-thescenes look at his journey.

ECN: Had you ever envisioned buying an entire city block in downtown Las Vegas to create Circa?

Stevens: No, I did not, because the likelihood was preposterous.

ECN: How did it all start?

Stevens: When we purchased the Las Vegas Club, initially we began the process of examining the actual building structure, because we were trying to evaluate whether we

should renovate this building or demolish it. We thought initially that renovation is more likely, but there were a few things that ended up happening. While we were studying and X-raying the building, something came out I did not like--I was not happy with the heights of each floor—so then we really struggled with our decision. We knew we were going to add another tower, but how do we add another tower and have the floors match up appropriately; we struggled with that.

We had a discussion with the owner of Mermaids, Bayou and The Glitter Glutch office building and parking structure. While we were doing all the work on the Las Vegas Club, we struck up this relationship with Steve Bernstein, and for him, it was the right moment in time to sell. That was amazing because those businesses have been in his family for his entire life so we really never thought about acquiring them. Once I saw we

could get this deal to happen, I stopped everything. After a few months of negotiations, we got the deal done. We started evaluating what it is going to take to demolish the Vegas Club and other buildings and focused on that.

The last hurdle to overcome was a T-shirt shop in the middle of the property.

We thought they would never sell and we started thinking about what it is going to be like building something like a horseshoe shape similar to what had to happen with the Cosmopolitan and the Jockey Club.

The amazing part is that he

would never have thought of selling the shop, but he had another deal going on at the exact same time buying the World’s Largest Gift Shop on the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The timing was just perfect—all the stars aligned. We purchased the Las Vegas Club in August 2015 and accumulated all of the properties by the end of 2017 with a little more than two years putting this deal together.

ECN: Who is your target market?

Stevens: Locals as well as tourists since Fremont Street attracts more than 24 million

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we have designed very specific freight elevators that can easily handle an Escalade, John Deere tractor and large products ...

visitors and we will have a lot of walk-in traffic. Also, with the expansion of the World Market, we will definitely see a boost since it is much easier to stay downtown. We plan to have shuttles during the weeks of Market.

ECN: What about the design of Circa?

Stevens: The property’s design will respect Vegas’ history and being located downtown gives it the ability to be authentic. Event planners will love the pool area.

It will be more than just a pool; it will be an unbelievable corporate event space for events and product launches. @ExhibitCityNews

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Most venues have limited size and weight capacity for large product launches. We have designed very specific freight elevators that can easily handle an Escalade car, John Deere tractor and large products. We worked with the LVCVA and they helped with their advice.

According to Stevens, in the spirit of staying true to the city, Circa will deliver a new experience built on the original principles of old-school Vegas hospitality. It will mix the glamour of vintage Vegas with modern luxuries and cutting-edge technology, honoring the golden age of the city.

The resort will be defined by a bold design, accented by a backlit roofline and an expansive multi-tiered pool amphitheater. The amphitheater will offer a unique watch-party atmosphere for sun seekers and sports fans. Another signature element will be a multi-level, stadium-style sportsbook, equipped with the biggest screen in sportsbook history featuring several pools and a massive display with the latest high-resolution technology.

Circa will also be home to a state-of-the-art parking structure playfully dubbed “Garage Mahal,” specifically designed with ride-sharing in

mind. Catering to the growing use of Uber and Lyft, and housing 1,201 parking spaces, the centrally located nine-story garage will be the first of its kind in downtown Las Vegas.

Circa’s interior will include the famous Vegas Vickie, the kicking cowgirl, which was part of the Glitter Glutch.

She was a feature of downtown for decades and will be a signature piece inside the property as a “great Instagram photo op for people,” says Stevens.

Circa will definitely change the face of downtown. For more info, visit Circalasvegas.com and to see more of the interview with Derek Stevens online and the Circa Reveal, visit www.YouTube. com/CalanitAtia.

Calanit Atia is the founder and president of A to Z Events and Trade Show Entertainment, an award-winning event planner, social media maven, columnist, Air Force veteran and speaker. She can be contacted at 702-212-2500, by email Info@ AtoZevents.com, or visit www.AtoZevnets.com.

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VENUES/EVENTS Colorado

The Gaylord Rockies Resort & CC Opens in Aurora

BY LARRY KULCHAWIK

We in the exhibit industry often speak a lot about the exhibits we do at the top shows in the top convention centers in the U.S. With more than 13,000 shows held in North America each year, the truth is that the majority of the events are held in smaller convention centers and hotel facilities. The Gaylord Hotels and Marriott International recognized the need for a hotel conference facility in Denver and opened the Gaylord Rockies Resort in December 2018 for its first conference and convention event.

From the scenic banks of the Potomac in Washington, D.C., to the lively heart of Music City in Nashville, Gaylord Hotels celebrate the

heritage of their destinations. Fueled by the brand’s hallmark “everything in one place” concept, Gaylord Hotel designers blend magnificent settings, well-appointed rooms, friendly bars, quality restaurants, and state-of-theart convention facilities to host meetings and conventions all under one roof.

Located minutes from Denver International airport, and a short train ride away from the city of Denver, the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center features more than 1,500 guest rooms and well-appointed suites with 485,000+ sq.ft. of meeting and convention space. As a gateway to the Rocky Moun-

tains, Gaylord Rockies offers a memorable experience for its guests with first-class restaurants, a luxurious spa, a lobby with winding waterways and picture-perfect sunset views.

Rustic alpine charm and an “open-air” environment make this Rocky Mountain front range retreat an adventure in itself. Organizers and suppliers will really like the physical design of the convention center—all on one floor with high ceilings, indoor loading docks, accessible electric ports, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Most conference visitors elect to attend any given meeting event for three reasons. (1) Speaker sessions (in many cases to earn CEU credits), (2)

Networking (to meet with peers and potential customers), (3) The tradeshow (to discover new ideas and meet suppliers), and (4) an attractive location to visit and enjoy. The Gaylord Rockies Resort offers show organizers and attendees all four reasons to plan their event under one roof.

“Our five Gaylord properties in the U.S. each offer a similar setting to achieve the “under one roof concept” to achieve success for a show organizer to deliver a memorable meeting experience for each attendee,” says Michael Kofsky, sales & marketing/Gaylord Rockies Resort. This new state-of-the-art facility in the front range of Denver is surely worth a look when planning your next meeting.

The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is located at 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora, CO 80019, (720) 452-6900, www.marriott.com/ hotels/travel/dengr-gaylord-rockies-resort-and-convention-center.

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VENUES/EVENTS Future Las Vegas

Event Planners Look Ahead

Activity Planners DMC is Looking Forward to Future Vegas Venues

by Jeanne Brei & Mira Duramin

E

vent planners and DMCs are looking forward to the myriad “Future Las Vegas” venues that will be opening in the next couple of years. Las Vegas is exploding with massive projects opening in the next couple of years—in addition to three new convention centers (and the LVCC expansion) and three mammoth resorts, event planners and DMCs are very excited about the 18,000- seat MSG Sphere behind the Venetian and the 65,000-seat Las Vegas Stadium across from Mandalay Bay. Also highly anticipated and opening April of this year are the new $150-million, 10,000seat Las Vegas Ballpark with 22 suites, a centerfield pool, kids’ zone and several bars near Red Rock casino as well as the first Vegas megaclub to be built as a year-round venue, KAOS at the Palms. KAOS is a 100,000-sq.ft., multi-level dayclub and nightclub with a massive glass wall-operable door dividing indoor and outdoor spaces, a DJ booth that

rotates 360 degrees, a supplemental dome cover, a 65-foot bronze sculpture of a headless demon, 39 private cabanas across multiple levels with cantilevered glass pools and “the city’s largest LED wall” on the eastern side of the hotel’s Ivory Tower, streaming live shots of the club for visitors outside the resort to enjoy.

Activity Planners President and General Manager Stephanie Arone says she is looking forward to the Las Vegas Ballpark and KAOS at the Palms, explaining that “there is a shortage of venues that can accommodate very large groups for off-site events, and both of these will open new opportunities to some of our biggest corporate and convention-based groups to get outside of a traditional ballroom setting for their events.”

Founded in 1977, Activity Planners, Inc., has grown from one of the first DMCs in Las Vegas to a flourishing business that partners with a large variety of corporate clientele, often including Fortune 500

companies, major insurance and pharmaceutical groups, and large financial institutions. More than 60 percent of their clients return and remain loyal to AP to provide services for their multiple Las Vegas programs and events.

Event planners and DMCs have so much repeat business that they’re always looking for something new, different and unique to propose that cater to their client’s budget, event specifications, audience demographics and the organization’s goals.

Arone explains, “As a DMC, there are so many amazing venues in Las Vegas, that it’s difficult to identify one that stands out more than others.

I think that in all, the view is what sets a Las Vegas event venue apart from a similar location in any other city. From the glittering lights of downtown Las Vegas under the Fremont Street Experience to the panoramic view of the city from the Skyfall Lounge at the Delano, I would say that any venue that offers the opportu-

nity for guests to truly take in the unique atmosphere that our city creates is my favorite to host an event.”

When asked to describe her favorite corporate event that AP has produced, Arone says, “Over the 20 years that I’ve been with the company, it’s hard to pinpoint just one… but one of my favorites was an event I called “double booked” where we had the ballroom set as if it were to be a wedding, and had actors portraying the bridal party. The event “host” communicated to the corporate group in the pre-function that the space had been double booked and they’ve come to an agreement that the two events could share the space. The “wedding guests” were entertainers, intermingled with the corporate guests, and throughout the evening performed magic and various variety acts, with a “flash mob” performance being a focal point of the evening. It was a fun, interactive, non-typical Las Vegas twist for the unsuspecting corporate group!”

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The Experiential Designers & Producers Association awards scholarships for higher education for families of industry members.

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2/12/19 1:08 AM

IN MEMORIAM

Mary Ann (Mayers) Furnish May 2, 1955-January 7, 2019

M

ary Ann (Mayers) Furnish, NorCal EDPA chapter president from 2015-2017, ProExhibits’ VP of sales from 2009-2017 and VP/general manager of Structure last year, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 7 during surgery. “EDPA NorCal invites the tradeshow community, friends and family to join us as we celebrate our dear, sweet girl,” says the EDPA NorCal flyer. “We have gathered photos, stories, quotes and many memories of a woman who’s love of life spilled out on those around her.”

“The exhibit industry mourns the loss of Mary Ann who left us all too soon,” says EDPA NorCal chapter president Me-

linda Stewart. “Mary Ann was passionate about our industry and was most recently president of the NorCal EDPA chapter.

She was able to combine the energy of a new business hunter with the insights of a savvy senior manager...Mary Ann touched many lives in our exhibit industry, and her enthusiasm was legendary.

She will be missed by her family and her legions of friends.”

Originally from L.A., Furnish moved to Chicago where she joined Kitzing, Inc. in 1995. She then spent 14 years at Exhibitgroup/Giltspur first in the Chicago office and then later, back in California, at the San Jose office. She later filled management roles at General Graphics (GGE),

Pro Exhibits and Structure Exhibits.

Most recently, she accepted a position at Art and Display in Santa Cruz.

Her friend, Maria Emmet wrote, “I’ve known Mary Ann since 1968…..she was a beautiful sophisticate then! We worked together at EG for a couple of years in the San Jose office with Ben Einer—a great experience. I am attaching a favorite photo of Mary Ann from about 1995 that shows her true vibrant spirit. We will miss her terribly.”

A Celebration of Life for Furnish was held Jan. 17 at the Jamison-Brown House in Santa Clara, Calif. immediately following the EDPA NorCal chapter quarterly meeting.

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Eugene Edward Rogowicz March 9, 1934 Feb 5, 2019

G

ene Rogowicz passed away after a brief illness at age 84. Known by his friends as Gene and Geno, he was considered by many of his peers and his clients as a founding pillar in the tradeshow exhibit design and manufacturing Industry.

He began his career in 1954 as a journeyman union carpenter in Chicago. He was a master of onsite installations and did traveling and sales for two of the convention industry’s largest operations in both Chicago and Dallas. He was co-owner of his own exhibit firm, Industrial and Merchandising (I&M Displays), in Texas for more than a decade, eventually selling his operations to and working for Heritage Display Group until he retired in in 1996.

“I worked with him at my first job in the industry,” says Mike McDaniel, business development, Gist Specialties.

“Gene ran the shop. He was one of the best craftsmen I ever knew and also a good friend and mentor. He retired and moved to the Texas coast around 1990 to make his love for fishing his full time job.”

Gene’s career introduced his son, two daughters, grandson, granddaughter and grand-

daughter-in-law into the industry, and all are still actively involved daily in continuing on his lasting legacy. His son, Ray, is CEO/president of Exhibit Trader in Texas.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Delores Rogowicz, whom he lovingly cared for daily, and his children, Raymond (Tamara), Cindy Feris (Greg) and Cherie Word; his grandchildren, Chad Rogowicz (Lindsay), Lindsey Keith (Westbrook), Jules Word and Adalie Feris and his great-grandchildren, Miriam Rogowicz, Scarlett Keith and Abigail Keith. Gene was preceded in death by his parents Anton Rogowicz (Agnes), sister Lucille Sadilek, and infant son Eugene Rogowicz Jr. A funeral service in his memory was held on Feb. 9 at the Stella Maris Catholic Church Chapel. Interment followed in the Lamar Cemetery, Rockport, TX. If you would like to express condolences or share a memory, visit his guestbook at https://www. legacy.com/guestbooks/ chicagotribune/eugene-edward-rogowicz-condolences/191487986?cid=full The family requests that those who desire to memorialize him may make donations in memory of Gene for the preservation of the historical Lamar Cemetery in Texas.

All donations go for repairs caused from Hurricane Harvey and upkeep of the sacred grounds. Make donations payable to Lamar Cemetery Association, 222 Hagy Drive, Rockport, TX 78382.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the Move Brett Haney (right) transitioned from company president to CEO at Wisconsin-based Derse on Jan. 1. Bill Haney stepped down as CEO but maintains his role as Derse chairman. Derse has instituted an internal and external talent search to identify a new president who will oversee the company’s day-to-day operations that they expect to fill by summer 2019.

“Brett has been an instrumental leader in shaping Derse’s growth and transformation since joining the company in 2013,” says his father. Brett has served as Derse president for the past three years and also serves on the board of directors for ShoLink, Derse’s preferred I&D company.

MC2 promoted Gary Benson to chairman of MC2, and Richard McAdam (right) was appointed as his successor to CEO, effective Feb. 1.

Benson, who served as CEO since 2003, will continue to be active in an advisory capacity, focusing on strategic planning for several key accounts. “I would like to share my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to lead and work with such a devoted and talented group of colleagues,” says Benson, adding,” Rich is the ideal person to lead MC2 into the future.” McAdam joined MC2 in 2004 as corporate VP of production, and, in 2006, he was named president of the organization. Prior to that, he was corporate VP of production at Exhibit Dynamics and spent more than 12 years at a global exhibit company where he rose to the position of senior VP of eastern operations.

Mike Lima brings more than 25 years of industry experience to help the rapidly expanding production department of ProExhibits. In his new role as operations manager, Lima will manage portions of the operations and planning departments. “Mike started his career in the tradeshow industry and excelled in

by Exhibit City News

everything from installation and dismantle services to supervising numerous large-scale exhibits at major events globally,” says Dick Wheeler, president of ProExhibits. “He’s run projects from concept development to onsite management for major brands such as Home Depot and Michelin. We’re excited to have him on board.” beMatrix USA continues to grow and expand by adding Northeast Business Development Executive Ashley Campbell and Southeast Business Development Executive Jessie Fream. Campbell worked as a program manager in charge of more than 20 employees at a New York sports club and three years at a local exhibit company, Apple Rock, as a top producer in their N.J. team sales. Atlanta native Fream brings more than 11 years of experience as a manufacturer’s sales rep from the exhibit, medical, and sports industries. Her first five years in the exhibit industry were spent at Expand International, handling the portables market, followed by two years in medical sales and earning a top performing sales award; she worked for Duo Display before joining the beMatrix team.

Following the recent acquisition of KMK Industries, Exhibit Systems has strengthened its growing team of exhibit fabricators and carpenters with the addition of Steve Lockstaedt, Dan Schoenherr and Brian Hess. With almost 80 years of combined experience, these talented exhibit fabricators broaden Exhibit Systems’ production capabilities. “We are thrilled to have such skilled craftsmen joining our team at Exhibit Systems,” says Dave Jentz, executive VP. Scott Ciepley, Sho-Link’s Chicago

city manager, was named the 2018 ShoLink Employee of the Year. A 37-year industry veteran of the tradeshow convention business, he joined Sho-Link in April 2016 as Chicago city manager. “I am very happy to see Scott Ciepley recognized for his impeccable service standards and relationships he has built with our members,” says Jerry Regep, regional operations manager. Sho-Link also named Dave O’Keefe (left), Chicago crew member, as the recipient of ShoLink’s Power Performer Grand Prize 2018. Says Sho-Link President Scott Rudel, “The amazing Power Performer Recognition program keeps growing in the number of recognition forms that are submitted by our members and direct clients, every year.” The program honored 709 workers last year and the 2018 monthly winners were Jay Reyna, Robert Tatum, Gina Lanier, Kevin Gardner, Ken Hoskin, David Olszens, Ed Cagle, Scott Ciepley, Joe Reyna, Matthew Tidwell, David Boudreaux and Jonathon Jackson.

Shon Welsh has joined Zig Zibit, Inc., as the director of sales and account services working from the company headquarters in Durham, N.C. Welsh’s career began at a small shop in Raleigh where he learned everything from project management to crate building. Says President/CEO Jake Merzigian, “Shon is an all-star in the industry and offers a wealth of knowledge and experience that will greatly benefit the Zig Zibit team and our customers.

Rockway Exhibits + Events welcomes Liz Harper (above left) as the new director of account management. Harper has more than 20 years of professional experience; she was a corporate account manager for GES, leading the Boeing account. She also worked for Marketplace Events as a show manager, and was

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

responsible for the sales, show planning and execution of Home & Garden Shows in several markets across the U.S. Additionally, she was responsible for broadcast marketing at Walt Disney World for nearly 12 years.

2020 Exhibits has named Dave Brown operations director, St. Louis. He joins 2020 Exhibits after nearly 30 years in the industry. Previously serving as VP of sales with Optima, Brown led successful, award-winning programs and experiences for a diverse portfolio of clients across many industry verticals.

Clifton Park, N.Y.-based Creatacor, Inc., has promoted Todd Dennis (above right) and added Olivia Privitera to their team. Dennis joined Creataor’s logistics department in the spring of 2018 before being promoted to logistics senior technician. Privitera joins the team as a 3D designer and comes to Creatacor with a background in fine art, design and lighting.

ON Services hired Jeffrey C. Byrne (right) as senior VP of sales and Stan Egerson as national operations director, both newly-created roles.

Byrne will lead the ON Services sales team and has more than 15 years of sales leadership experience and a combined 30 years in the live events and tradeshow industry. Most recently, he was the chief revenue officer for SmartSource Rentals. Egerson will lead ON Services’ national operations team, and brings decades in the A/V industry including roles in product management, purchasing and as director of operations.

The San Francisco Bay area-based streamlinevents has hired Tracy DeMario as VP, sales and marketing. Prior to streamlinevents, she worked with companies offering solutions to hoteliers for the effective management of their reservation systems and operations, including Pegasus Solutions, Aventri, and Lanyon.

Event management software leader Aventri has named Brad Langley, CITE, as VP of Channel and Partner Management. Langley brings a 30 year track record of success, spanning the buyer, supplier and technology sides of the industry. Previously, he served as VP of Aventri’s global third-party markets.

Earlier in his career, Langley was president and COO at Creative Group, Inc., and president of Nth Degree Events. He also headed up regional sales and operations at Maritz Travel Company.

The Expo Group has added experiential marketing and business development leader Marisa Lichtenstein (right) to its Level5 Events by The Expo Group team. Lichtenstein has worked with world-recognized companies such as NBCUniversal, Moet Hennessy, Tesla and BNY Mellon and is a national sales director for the team based out of New York City.

Lisa Dworsky has been named senior director, sales development at ConferenceDirect. Most recently, she was director of sales at Hotel Californian where she was part of the opening team and managed the sales and catering teams. For 11 years, she held a variety of positions with Starwood Hotels & Resorts including global account director.

Prior to Starwood, Dworsky worked with Maritz Inc./McGettigan Partners for seven years.

Capitol Exhibit Services, Inc. has announced the promotion of Marco Vita-Finzi to VP of sales for its tradeshow division, Capitol Tradeshow Services. With more than 30 years in the industry, Vita-Finzi’s extensive experience in business development and creative consultation has benefitted companies such as RapierGroup, Hargrove and Acer Exhibits.

MatrixSystems USA has hired Ryan Chen as warehouse manager in Las Vegas. Ryan, a semi-pro baseball player (and active coach) on an extended rehab leave, also has eight years prior experience at Design Factory.

His role was pulling/prepping, as well as supervising installs, of their MatrixSystems type modular system exhibit systems. Ryan joins Don Lyon, EVP MatrixSystems USA, in establishing their sales and distribution center in Las Vegas.

In convention center news, SMG has appointed Bob Sauter, who had been performing as acting general manager, to general manager of Moscone Center. And, after a nationwide search, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has named Adam Straight as VP of operations.

Straight brings more than 19 years of facility operations and management experience to his new role. Straight served as the senior director of campus operations for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority in Atlanta, which includes the Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes Benz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park. He and his team oversaw the planning and management of multiple NCAA Final Fours, Super Bowls and the National College Football Playoff Championship Game.

Visit Indy has hired Baylee Johns as senior sales manager covering the Midwest market; promoted Brooke Godsey to sales manager covering the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia market; promoted Ashley Sisson to meetings express sales manager handling groups under 75 rooms on peak nationwide and up to 150 on peak in the Midwest; promoted Emily Scheiderer to senior sales manager of business development and customer relations; and promoted Chris Cecil (left) to business development manager.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Visit San Antonio has hired Shauna Goodman (right) as associate director of Destination Experience. Goodman, with more than 20 years of experience, will help lead San Antonio’s Destination Experience team.

The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau elected Dexter Warrior to serve as chair of the board of directors on Jan. 15.

VisitPITTSBURGH has hired Jerad Bachar as executive VP after a nationwide search. Bachar worked as a national sales director for the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau from 2004-2008, before he accepted a position in Dubai. Most recently, Bachar worked as the executive director of the Economic Development Board for the country of Bahrain.

ExCeL London has announced the appointment of David Miles as chief financial officer.

Reed Jewelry Group’s JCK and Luxury events team announce Jim Fox as portfolio sales director focusing on the industry and customer relations. Fox has more than 20 years of sales and business development experience in the luxury goods sector. He was sales director in the consumer products division of Swarovski for more than nine years.

In association news, the Events Industry Council announced on Jan. 11 that Karen Kotowski (right), who has led the Events Industry Council for the past ten years, has tendered her resignation as CEO. With this change in leadership, EIC has initiated a search to identify a new CEO. During her tenure Kotowski oversaw the growth of EIC’s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program and the completion of three studies on the Economic Significance of Meetings in the U.S., along with the first ever Global Economic Significance Study.

CEIR has named Robert McLean, CPA, CAE, and executive VP of PPAI, as

chairperson of the 2019 CEIR Board of Directors. Prior to joining PPAI, McLean’s most recent position was CFO and COO of QI Systems Inc., a publicly-traded designer and manufacturer of smart card systems for unattended payment devices to be used on vending machines, parking meters and laundry machines. Ian Sequeira (below right), VP of research and measurement at Freeman will serve as chairperson for the 2019 CEIR Research Council.

Diversified Communications President and CEO Theodore Wirth has promoted Mary Larkin to president of Diversified Communications’ U.S. operating division. This division, located in Portland, Maine, employs more than 200 people who produce 24 conferences and exhibitions annually, over 10 online publications and B2B platforms, and two monthly trade magazines.

“In 2014, we took the unusual step and established a three-person EVP team.

Bill Springer, Mike Lodato and Mary Larkin were able to grow the business, but three-person leadership teams are challenging at best and we felt it was the right time to appoint one leader,” says Wirth. “We greatly appreciate what Bill, Mike and Mary have accomplished together and throughout their careers here, and look forward to the future of Diversified Communications under Mary’s leadership.”

Larkin has been with Diversified Communications for more than 23 years.

She has risen through the ranks from her entry position in sales to show director in 2001, group vice president in 2004, executive vice president in 2014 and now president of Diversified Communications. She is also an active and contributing professional within the events industry, most recently as incoming

president of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry.

UFI has decided to expand its team at the Paris headquarters. Malgorzata Kozlowska will join as event and project coordinator, while Frankie Edwards will take the role of marketing and communications coordinator.

IAEE’s Major American Trade Show Organizer Council has selected Justine McVaney, senior VP, event planning and operations for the NAB as its 2019 chairperson. McVaney is joined by new MATSO Council members Senior Director Lenay Gore, Event Manager Tiffany Hale and Director and Ag Events and Show Director John Rozum.

ILEA recognized eight event professionals who recently earned the Certified Special Events Professional designation: Heather Arora, CSEP, MBA, CMP, Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo.; Michelle Casserly, CSEP, Hackensack Meridian Health Meridian Health Foundation, Neptune, N.J.; Stacey DeWine, CSEP, Panache Event Group, San Antonio, Tex.; Kate Edwards, CSEP, CMP, The Omni Grove Park Inn, Leicester, N.C.; Dena Eichhorst, CSEP, G Texas Catering, Mesquite, Tex.; Emily Miller, CSEP, Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, V.I.; Armando Seledon, CSEP, Capers DMC, Kirby, Tex.; Nora Shields, CSEP, Caruso, L.A., Calif.

And the SGIA congratulates the first 10 PDAA Master Certified Installers of 2019: Alex DaFonseca, Adrian Dixon and Walter Seidel (AdGraphics, Pompano Beach, Fla.), Matt Braswell (Arlon Graphics, Placentia, Calif.), Pablo Rubiano (Branding Concept Solutions, Atlanta) Chris Ulmer (Crystal Coast Graphics, Jacksonville, N.C.), Carlos Romero (I2K Digital LLC, Miami), James Campbell (JCGI, Louisville, Ky.), Christa Harden (MXC Media, Vancouver, Wash.) and Kim Magraw (Vivid Sign, Mt. Pleasant, S.C).

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THE D.E.A.L. By Jeanne Brei

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

Lakeside at the Wynn

Dining for AdventureSeeking Foodies in Las Vegas There’s more than 330 restaurants on the Strip and a three-hour Lip Smacking Vegas Foodie Tour will take you to the best Vegas has to offer on the Strip or downtown. My Savors of the Strip tour visited the Aria, Cosmopolitan and the Crystals with dessert from Wolfgang Puck’s Cucina, appetizers from Michael Mina’s Bardot Brasserie (French) and stops at Milos’ for fabulous Greek/seafood and chef Shawn McClain’s swanky Sage specialties. Tours rotate among 40 top restaurants depending on the size of the group and will create private and custom tours for team building events, birthday/bachelorette parties or requests for all-vegan, all-dessert, all-steak tours, etc.

But if not knowing where you’re going (they don’t divulge which restaurants you’re headed for) or what you’ll be eating (each restaurant has its signature dishes for you to sample) isn’t enough adventure for you, you could give Blackout Dining in the Dark a try.

Currently, it’s an unassuming storefront at a strip mall; once inside you sign a waiver, put all your light-emitting accessories (phone, watch, etc.) into a locker and pick out what you would like to drink for the night. You are then led into a pitch-black room and seated at your table by a waiter/guide who wears night vision goggles.

Slowly, you are served your seven-course vegetarian meal one course at a time. You are not told what you are eating so that it makes it more interesting as you try to guess what the dish is by tasting and touching the different textures. Each server has their own way of vaguely describing your meal.

Truthfully, the experience is “eye opening” as your other senses of smell, taste and touch are heightened. It’s a real treat to be away from all electronics—especially your phone—for several hours as it’s locked up in another room. And one Yelp reviewer wrote: “Certain types of food that I never thought I would have ordered (after being able to see the menu after the experience) in light was totally delicious ‘in the dark.’ I have a wider palette than I thought! I could not believe how delicious the food was, and even the drinks left me wanting more! This experience and food was, hands down, an

incredibly unique experience.”

Or, if you’d like a truly wonderful Sunday brunch experience with your eyes wide open, head to the Lakeside at the Wynn (pictured above), with its outdoor patio overlooking the scenic Lake of Dreams. Lakeside features the famous Jazz Brunch from the Wynn Country Club, a raw seafood bar (with fish direct from Hawaii), dessert bar and as many of the full entrees you’d like, from roasted chicken and mushroom crepes to flat iron steak and everything in between.

Throw in the amazing David Poe’s jazz band playing ragtime, Dixie and the Great American Songbook and you’ll want to personally thank Executive Chef David Walzog for an extraordinary Sunday afternoon.

The Lip Smacking Vegas Foodie Tour, www.vegasfoodietour.com, (877) 548-6071.

The Blackout Dining in the Dark, 3871 S. Valley View Blvd Ste. 8, Las Vegas, (702) 960-4000, www. dineblackout.com Lakeside at Wynn,3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, (702) 770-3310, opentable.com or www.wynnlasvegas.com/Dining/FineDining/ Lakeside

Photo courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas

DINING

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vegas: The Show!

Embodies the History of Vegas in Song, Dance & Feathers

Photo courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas

Glamorous showgirls, a live big band, singing, dancing… Vegas! The Show tells the story of how it all began—with legendary entertainers putting this little desert town on the map. The show opens in the Neon Boneyard, the resting place of those beautiful signs that defined the city during its glory days. The icons are soon sparked back to life by their caretaker, Ernie, who is determined to show visitors true Las Vegas entertainment, the way it was meant to be.

Showgirls, singers, dancers and a live band under the direction of talented musical director Pat Caddick take the audience on a musical journey through the decades— beginning with The Song Is You done 1940s style with a grand staircase, beautiful show-

girls and dazzling staging and choreography by the creative genius Tiger Martina.

There’s tributes to the dynamic Louie Prima and Keeley Smith with some fabulous swing dancing and the Rat Pack as Sammy sings and dances The Candy Man with the cutest candy bar dancers ever, Frank sings Luck Be a Lady Tonight and gives the featured dancer the chance to steal the show (on opening night nearly a decade ago, that was Tara Palsha Moats, who has gone on to perform in New York City) and Dino sings Mambo Italiano with a gorgeous set right out of Little Italy.

The show continues its ride through the decades with songs and dances from Elvis and Ann Margret, Sonny and Cher, Tom Jones, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Lola Falana, Elton John and so many more.

Specialty acts have ranged from the tap dancing duo of Sean and John Scott doing a tribute to the Nicklaus Brothers (they’re now in the hot new show Absinthe at Caesars) and a Liberace puppet to Russian hand-balancing acts, magicians, gymnasts, jugglers and more. The specialty

acts change regularly and keep the show fresh. As the story winds to a close, there’s video of many of the casinos being imploded between 1993 to 2007.

Written by show producer and theater owner David Saxe, collaborating with choreographer Tiger Martina and music director Pat Caddick, this show is a powerhouse. Saxe literally grew up backstage in Las Vegas: His mom was a showgirl in the Folies Bergere and his dad, a saxophone player and bandleader for The Rat Pack. For more than 20 years, he dreamed of bringing the story of Las Vegas to the stage… elaborate costumes, booming musical numbers, all with a classic Vegas vibe. Saxe, like his main character Ernie, can’t bear to think of it all crumbling away like the city’s landmark hotels. Creating Vegas! The Show is his way of keeping the legacy alive.

Vegas! The Show runs two shows a night, seven nights a week at The Saxe Theatre Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Call (866) 932-1818 or email tickets@vegastheshow.com.

Vegas! The Show

@ExhibitCityNews

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THE D.E.A.L. By Jeanne Brei

Dining, Entertainment, Attractions & Lodging

Fly Linq Zipline

ATTRACTIONS

Flying High Over Las Vegas I still recommend the “Haunted Vegas Tour and Ghost Hunt,” the “Vegas Mob Tour,” the “Good Springs Ghost Hunt,” “Frank Cullotta’s Casino Tour,” as well as the extraordinary Mob Museum downtown, which has now added an Underground Speakeasy with a working still (and they sell the moonshine!), wonderful period music with live musicians, a secret room and alcohol that is served in a bottle inside a box that is brought to your table so you can make your own drink—just like in Prohibition days (and yes, you have to know the password to get in but the doorman will take just about any word from the ‘20s).

But I wrote about those last year—and this year Las Vegas is back to flying high, with so many construction cranes that we may need to make the crane our state bird.

So, I’m going to recommend going flying yourself! There’s lots of choices!

You could go up in a hot-air balloon, a Stearman bi-plane (like Snoopy), a glider; or you could fly aerial combat with Sky

Combat Ace...but let’s stick to the more affordable ziplining choices.

The newest of the Las Vegas ziplines, Fly Linq, is at the Linq Hotel & Casino, across from Caesars Palace. You can choose to ride with a harness and take off in the seated position or there’s a Superman-style option as well. After taking elevators up, you’re launched from a 10-story tower above the Linq Promenade stores towards the High Roller Ferris Wheel. Seated prices are $30/daytime, $35/night and $40/$45 for the superhero style.

Just west of the Strip, the Rio AllSuites Hotel & Casino offers a Soaring Eagle Zip Ride, which is a two-seat passenger ride similar to a ski area chairlift only smaller and much faster. In fact, the Voodo Zipline reaches speeds of 30+ mph. The ride starts off 50 stories high, atop the Rio Hotel’s Masquerade Tower, soars over the resort’s pool area, arrives at the Ipanema tower, 800 feet away, and then, instead of disembarking, you go backwards on the ride back to your original starting point. A zip ride lets you share the experience (it’s a two-seater), hop on and off (no need for a harness—just a seatbelt) and enjoy the view 500 feet below. Tickets are $27.49

(after fees) and valid anytime during operating hours (Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-midnight). Must be 48+ inches to ride and 21+ to ride after 7:30 p.m.

SlotZilla is downtown on Fremont Street and its launch tower resembles a giant slot machine. The ride itself allows you to fly either sitting style or Superman style (they call it “zoomline”) as you traverse above Fremont Street but below the Fremont Street Experience light show canopy in downtown Las Vegas. So the lights, neon and noise surround you on all sides.

Tickets are $20 for day rides and $25 at night. For the Zoomline, daytime tickets are $40 and weekday night prices are $45.

Friday and Saturday nighttime rides are $49. These prices do not include an extra $3 service fee. The Slotzilla opens at noon, and closes at 1 a.m. on weeknights and on 2 a.m. on weekends.

Fly Linq Zipline, (702) 777-2782, www.caesars. com/linq/fly-linq. VooDoo Zipline, (702) 388-0477, www.voodoozipline.com/. SlotZilla Zipline, (702) 678-5780, vegasexperience. com.

Vegas Specialty Tours, (866) 218-4935, www. vegasspecialtytours.com. The Mob Museum, (702) 229.2734, www.themobmuseum.org.

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LODGING

Shhh...The “Secret” High-Roller Suites Las Vegas built its reputation on treating the “little guy like a king” with comps for food, lodging and front row seats to Frank Sinatra with a steak dinner. Corporations have upended this tradition with digital ways to see exactly how much money you spend gambling (so they don’t give you anything more than what you’ve “earned”) and they’ve also instituted the “charge them for everything” policy—from resort fees that may double the cost of your room to $30/day parking fees.

But they’ve also brought the luxurious amenities and lodging that were once only available to high rollers to those willing to pay for them. At least 20 luxurious, “secret” hotels have been operating inside the colossal properties on the Las Vegas Strip. These high-roller hotels feature amenities and VIP privileges that the casual Vegas weekender never suspects possible: butlers, round-trip

airport limousine service, front-of-the-line hotel check-in, and VIP treatment at clubs and restaurants. They may not be affordable, but hey, one can always dream!

The enormous MGM Grand has The Mansion with 29 private villas and the Skylofts with 51 top-floor suites. Guests of The Mansion enjoy private pools, wood-burning fireplaces, private dining experiences crafted by celebrity chefs, and dedicated butler service for about $5,000/night for the smallest villa in the off-season.

If The Mansion strains your vacation budget, the Forbes 5-Star Skylofts is the next best thing, with a private entrance lobby that includes airport transfers by limo or Rolls Royce. Arriving guests are met and taken up by secure elevators to the 29th floor, where their butlers do check-in within the suite.

Skylofts units are residential-style, luxury duplexes that feel like apartments. Designed

by Tony Chi, the one- to three-bedroom suites start at 1,400 sq.ft. with 24-ft. high windows spanning both levels and covered by automated blackout curtains. Everything is automated through high-tech touch

panels, and the Skylofts also feature Bang & Olufsen home theaters, mini-offices, Jura robotic baristas, whirlpool infinity bathtubs and walk-in steam showers with so many jets they’re called “immersion chambers.”

Larger units have billiard tables and all have niceties including personalized stationary, pillow menus, pressing, shoe shines, unpacking, VIP access to MGM restaurants and services, and much more. One-bedroom Skylofts begin at $700/night.

There’s no space left to describe The Villas at The Mirage (14 villas that each have a dedicated butler, airport limo service, separate gated entrance, a private pool, fire pit, outdoor TV and champagne bubble baths, etc., starting at $1,500/night), the Laurel Collection and the Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace, the NoMad Hotel at Park MGM (formerly Hotel 32), the Aria Sky Suites and so many more!

The Mansion at MGM, (702) 891-5820 www. mgmgrand.com/en/hotel/the-mansion.html. The Skylofts at MGM Grand, (877) 646-5638, www.mgmgrand.com/en/hotel/skylofts-mgm-grand.html.

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Tradeshow Calendar TRADESHOW SPOTLIGHTS

OUTDOOR RETAILER SNOW SHOW, JAN. 30-FEB. 1, COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER 2019 sees Outdoor Retailer switch all its shows from four to three-day events, and they kicked-off the stripped-down concept with the Snow Show in Denver.

As busy and energetic as ever, the event’s most popular attraction was the SIA/ WWSRA On-Snow Demo, the industry’s largest, international on-snow testing ground. Not only did the On-Snow Demo allow companies to demonstrate their latest equipment and accessories, but it also gave attendees a chance to try the products out for themselves. As much about product as education, Snow Show also opened the Trend + Design Center so attendees could learn from—and be inspired by—on-hand trend forecasters and experts. For more info, visit outdoorretailer.com

SEATTLE BOAT SHOW, JAN. 25-FEB. 2, CENTURYLINK FIELD EVENT CENTER/ SOUTH LAKE UNION (CHANDLER’S COVE) Despite the water off the coast of The Evergreen State hovering just above freezing, the SBS saw more than 77,000 attendees from across the planet during the nine-day event in downtown Seattle.

Showcasing everything from yachts to speed boats, attendees were able to peruse two pavilions; one in CenturyLink and the other at Chandler’s Cover on South Lake Union.

Alongside the knotpower on display, SBS also hosted the Marine Industry Career Fair where companies that included AAA, CSR Marine and Port of Seattle scrambled to recruit the best in local talent. Finally, SBS ran a food drive for furloughed Coast Guard employees and their families. Donations were given to the new food bank at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Seattle Base. For more info, visit seattleboatshow.com

ALBERTA GIFT FAIR, FEB. 24-27, EDMONTON EXPO CENTRE

The biggest event to hit central Canada in February, AGF saw 740 exhibitors team up with more than 10,000 buyers to uncover the latest products from international name brands and boutique enterprises. Events and décor trendsetter Cory Christopher created a stir on Feb. 24 in his keynote address, “How to Be an Online Influencer to Your Customers,” while marketing expert Darian Kovacs and merchandising strategist Natalie Tan joined forces to explain how the right combination of platforms, tools, content and creativity can get your brand seen and heard. However, the show’s biggest hit was arguably the complimentary massage chair at the back of Hall FGH; there’s nothing quite like taking a load off on the show floor. For more info, visit www. cangift.org

CHICAGO DENTAL SOCIETY MIDWINTER MEETING, FEB. 21-23, MCCORMICK PLACE With more than 600 exhibitors, CDS Midwinter show saw 29,700 attendees take a deep dive into all the cutting-edge developments in the dental industry. A timetable of 200 seminars was on offer during the three-day

event, with courses including “Anterior Tooth Positioning for Occlusion and Esthetics” and “Implants in the Digital Age.” Down on the exhibit floor, the power of the occasion was shown through the clout of those visiting the

booths; 80 percent of attendees had a direct role in a purchasing decision.

Perhaps it is little wonder that 85 percent of midwinter meeting exhibitors return every year. For more info, visit www.cds.org

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See complete listing of shows online at ExhibitCityNews.com/tradeshow-calendar

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, JAN. 8-11, LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER

CES is the big one, and this year’s show didn’t disappoint.

With more than 180,000 attendees and 4,500 exhibitors, not only did CES make an impact in its sheer size, but the innovation behind the products on display demonstrated just how steep the growth curve has become in the world of consumer technology. Voice activation is still hot, with almost everything on display boasting compatibility with Alexa and Google, while the demand for personalized experiences on every level has stimulated widespread growth in intelligence technology. As for bots, the increasing interest in anthropomorphism has led to some senior executives to explore the concept of combining the two; give it a couple of years and CES could be quite a different place indeed. The show also saw some big money deals, with a team of 44 Taiwan startups securing more than $178.44 million

in business opportunities during their four-day visit to downtown Las Vegas. However, the government shutdown did affect the line-up, with canceled speakers including Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and at least nine other officials from government agencies. One final takeaway; meat is slowly being replaced by plant-based alternatives. Companies such as Impossible Burger drew throngs of attendees and left with showers of accolades and rafts of converts, demonstrating that the switch towards sustainability is set to affect society at every level. For more info, visit www.ces.tech

YANKEE DENTAL CONGRESS, JAN. 31- FEB. 2, BOSTON CONVENTION CENTER Sponsored by the Massachusetts Dental Society (in cooperation with the dental associations of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) YDC is New England’s largest meeting for dental professionals. Highlighting the latest in education, products, services, and resources, this year saw more than 27,000 dental professionals from across the country

descend on Beantown to benefit from more than 450 exhibitors and 300 seminars. But that’s not all; the event also hosts a number of industry awards, including the prestigious Etherington Award, which is presented to a dentist who has dedicated much of his or her career to furthering the ideals and objectives of organized dentistry. This year’s recipient was Dr. Charles L. Silvius of

HEALTHCARE INFORMATION & MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, FEB. 12-14, ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER Another international monster, HIMSS returned to central Florida over Valentine’s Day and brought with it all the passion attendees have come to expect from the show dubbed the place to “connect with the who’s who in healthcare.” The show focused on demonstrating how disruptive companies are pathing the way with artificial intelligence, blockchain, IoT, virtual reality and biometrics, while presenting innovative solutions for enabling seamless, secure, interoperable health information exchange and improve individual and population health at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase. As ever, professional development was a highlight of the show, with @ExhibitCityNews

096_Tradeshow_CalendarNEW_0319.indd 2

Swampscott, Mass., and he was joined

by Clinician of the Year Dr. David Harte, and Hygienist of the Year Katherine Soal. For more info, visit www.yankeedental.com

more than 300 education seminars spanning 24 topics offered alongside a body of 500 sessions held on the exhibit floor. Industry professionals were also able to attain their CPHIMS and CAHIMS designations during the three-day event in Orlando, while those preparing for certification undertook the CPHIMS Review Course. And if that wasn’t enough to occupy the mind, more than 1,300 exhibitors were also on hand to present the latest and greatest in technological innovation. For more info, visit www.himssconference.org

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 97

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Tradeshow Calendar U.S. CENTRAL

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

Show ABB Customer World Subsea Tieback Forum & Exhibition - SSTB American Academy of Pain Medicine Annual - AAPM SXSW Trade Show The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Annual - TMS Midwest Poultry Federation Convention Recreational Vehicle Industry Association - RVIA RVX Texas Design-2-Part Show Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo - HPBA North American Farm & Power Show Association for Asian Studies - AAS Halloween & Attractions Show Association of Fundraising Professionals - AFPICON KnowlegeLab - Clinical Laboratory Management Association - CLMA North American Steel Construction Conference - NASCC National Student Nurses’ Association Annual - NSNA Oklahoma City Farm Show Institute for Supply Management Conference & Expo - ISM Space Symposium Craft Brewers & BrewExpo America Texas Apartment Association - TAA National Science Teachers Association - Annual - NSTA Association of Legal Administrators - ALA DUG Permain Basin - Developing Unconventional Gas Texas Library Association - TLA Oklahoma Osteopathic Association Annual Convention Utah Dental Association Minnesota Dental Association - MDA Star of the North Meeting PRSM - Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association

Start 03/04 03/05 03/07 03/08 03/10 03/12 03/12 03/13 03/13 03/14 03/21 03/21 03/31 03/31 04/03 04/03 04/04 04/07 04/08 04/08 04/10 04/11 04/14 04/15 04/15 04/25 04/25 04/25 04/29

End 03/07 03/07 03/10 03/17 03/14 03/14 03/14 03/14 03/16 03/16 03/24 03/24 04/02 04/03 04/05 04/07 04/06 04/10 04/11 04/11 04/12 04/14 04/17 04/17 04/18 04/28 04/26 04/27 05/01

Venue George R. Brown CC Henry B. Gonzalez CC Colorado CC

City Houston San Antonio Denver Austin Henry B. Gonzalez CC San Antonio Minneapolis CC Minneapolis Salt Palace CC Salt Lake City Gaylord Texan Grapevine Kay Bailey Hutchison CC Dallas Four Seasons Complex Owatonna Sheraton DT Denver Denver America’s Center St. Louis San Antonio Dallas St. Louis Salt Palace CC Salt Lake City Bennett Event Center Oklahoma City George R. Brown CC Houston The Broadmoor Hotel Colorado Springs Colorado CC Denver George R. Brown CC Houston America’s Center St. Louis Gaylord Texan Dallas Ft. Worth CC Ft. Worth Austin CC Austin Norman Salt Palace CC Salt Lake City St. Paul RiverCentre St. Paul Gaylord Rockies Denver

All Information Is Subject to Change*

St TX TX CO TX TX MN UT TX TX MN CO MO TX TX MO UT OK TX CO CO TX MO TX TX TX OK UT MN CO

Att 7000 2271 1000 18000 4000 3200 7658 1228 4833 32500 3419

Exh

Nsf 120K 249 58200 100 19000 145 20000 160 190 30000 299 727K 157 17000 375 128K 275 99000 100 11200 700 4000 250 30000 2565 449 2700 180 3500 300 30000 300 2500 150 124K 15000 202 55500 13000 800 5000 325 57500 14000 500 120K 1100 150 30000 2482 191 24600 7046 457 52000 1200 110 12000 6576 170 50000 8281 250 35000 300

Industry Electrical & Electronics Petroleum, Oil & Plastics Medical & Healthcare Art, Music & Culture Electrical & Electronics Agriculture & Farming Recreational Vehicles Manufacturing Building & Construction Agriculture & Farming Associations Gaming & Entertainment Financial & Legal Healthcare Metalworking Medical & Healthcare Agriculture & Farming Manufacturing Aerospace & Aviation Food & Beverage Housing Education Financial & Legal Petroleum, Oil & Plastics Libraries Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Stores & Store Fittings

98 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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See complete listing of shows online at ExhibitCityNews.com/tradeshow-calendar

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

U.S. MIDWEST Show International Home + Housewares Show The Work Truck Show - NTEA Ohio Safety Congress & Expo Midwest Foodservice Expo International Door Association EXPO - IDA FenceTech - AFA Ohio Beef Expo American Dental Education Association - ADEA Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development - ASCD Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo - C2E2 M-PACT - Midwest Petroleum and Convenience Trade Show ProFood Tech American Academy of Audiology - AAA America’s Beauty Show LeadingAge Illinois American Pain Society - APS Promat - MHIA Fire Department Instructors Conference - FDIC Automate - Robots. Vision. Motion. Solutions SAE World Congress Experience - WCX Association of College & Research Libraries National Conference - ACRL Midwest Podiatry Conference National Private Truck Council Annual Mgmt Conference - NPTC Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers/Convenience Store Assn National Catholic Educational Association - NCEA National Rifle Association - NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits Ohio Health Care Association Annual Conv. & Expo - OHA EXPONENTIAL - Unmanned Systems North America - AUVSI INFORMEX

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 03/02 03/05 03/06 03/11 03/13 03/13 03/15 03/16 03/16 03/22 03/26 03/26 03/27 03/30 04/02 04/03 04/08 04/08 04/08 04/09 04/10 04/10 04/14 04/16 04/23 04/26 04/29 04/29 04/30

End 03/05 03/08 03/08 03/13 03/16 03/16 03/17 03/19 03/18 03/24 03/28 03/28 03/30 04/01 04/04 04/06 04/11 04/13 04/11 04/11 04/13 04/13 04/16 04/19 04/25 04/28 05/02 05/02 05/02

Venue McCormick Place Indiana CC Greater Columbus CC Wisconsin Center Indiana CC Indiana CC Ohio Expo Center Hyatt Regency McCormick Place McCormick Place Indiana CC McCormick Place Greater Columbus CC McCormick Place Renaissance Schaumburg CC Wisconsin Center McCormick Place Indiana CC McCormick Place Cobo Center Huntington CC Hyatt Regency Duke Energy CC KI CC McCormick Place

City Chicago Indianapolis Columbus Milwaukee Indianapolis Indianapolis Columbus Chicago Chicago Chicago Indianapolis Chicago Columbus Chicago Schaumburg Milwaukee Chicago Indianapolis Chicago Detroit Cleveland Chicago Cincinnati Green Bay Chicago Indianapolis Greater Columbus CC Columbus MCCormick Place Chicago McCormick Place Chicago

St IL IN OH WI IN IN OH IL IL IL IN IL OH IL IL WI IL IN IL MI OH IL OH WI IL IN OH IL IL

Att 58000 10408 8000 6500 4817 6500 2700 12000 34000 3500 7000 3730 70000 3000 1800 40000 28061 18115 10221 3000 2200 1235 1000 4965 87154 3200 8000 3675

Exh 2.1K 480 275 300 183 365 125 100 400 453 361 450 178 414 250 100 704 821

Nsf 760K 235K 38850 125K

148 230 275 164 120 443 838 300 600 489

34940 42000

115K 65000 80000 40000 53000 150K 63100 181K 25000 20000 275K 425K

44300 289K 118K 69450

Industry Housewares Automotive & Trucking Healthcare Food & Beverage Building & Construction Building & Construction Agriculture & Farming Medical & Healthcare Education Toys and Hobbies Stores & Store Fittings Food & Beverage Healthcare Beauty & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Manufacturing Fire & Fire Protection Manufacturing Automotive & Trucking Education Healthcare Automotive & Trucking Food & Beverage Religious Sporting Goods & Rec. Healthcare Aerospace & Aviation Chemical

Where Can You Find Industry Features, Maps, Insider Information, Shop Talk And Free Stuff?

Exhibit City News, of Course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly!

GO TO EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM/SUBSCRIBE OR CALL 702.309.8023

@ExhibitCityNews

096_Tradeshow_CalendarNEW_0319.indd 4

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 99

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Tradeshow Calendar U.S. NORTHEAST

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

Show American Academy of Dermatology - AAD Biophysical Society Annual Meeting Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association - HMRA International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York & PMQ’s NY Pizza Show New England Food Show - NEFS Federation of American Hospitals - FAH JA International Jewelry Show Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America - MJSA Tri-State Camp Conference Academy of Osseointegration National Art Education Association - NAEA United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology - USCAP Washington DC Travel & Adventure Show New England Made Giftware & Specialty Food Shows Pittcon - Conference On Analytical Chemistry & Applied Spectroscopy Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America West Virginia Construction & Design Expo Imprinted Sportswear Atlantic City - ISS Vision Expo - East Building Operating Management’s NFMT - Nat. Facilities Management & Technology American Medical Group Association - AMGA JLC LIVE Residential Construction Show - New England Interphex & Biotechnica America Pennsylvania Music Educators Association - PMEA Washington Auto Show The Hospice and Palliative Care Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC) New York International Auto Show Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. - RIMS SpeechTEK & CRM Evolution

Start 03/01 03/02 03/03 03/03 03/03 03/03 03/10 03/10 03/12 03/13 03/14 03/16 03/16 03/16 03/17 03/17 03/20 03/21 03/21 03/26 03/27 03/28 04/02 04/04 04/05 04/15 04/19 04/28 04/29

End 03/05 03/06 03/04 03/05 03/05 03/05 03/12 03/12 03/14 03/16 03/16 03/21 03/17 03/18 03/21 03/19 03/21 03/23 03/24 03/28 03/30 03/30 04/04 04/07 04/14 04/17 04/28 05/01 05/01

Venue Walter E. Washington CC Baltimore CC Ocean City CC Javits Center Boston Conv. & Expo Center Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Javits Center Javits Center Atlantic City CC Walter E. Washington CC Hynes CC Gaylord National Walter E. Washington CC The Portland Sports Complex Pennsylvania CC Boston Conv. & Expo Center Charleston Civic Center Atlantic City CC Javits Center Baltimore CC Gaylord National Rhode Island CC Javits Center David L. Lawrence CC Walter E. Washington CC Marriott Wardman Park Javits Center Renaissance Washington

All Information Is Subject to Change*

City Washington Baltimore Ocean City New York Boston Washington New York New York Atlantic City Washington Boston Washington Washington Portland Philadelphia Boston Charleston Atlantic City New York Baltimore Washington Providence New York Pittsburgh Washington Washington New York Boston Washington

St DC MD MD NY MA DC NY NY NJ DC MA DC DC ME PA MA WV NJ NY MD DC RI NY PA DC DC NY MA DC

Att 18830 7000 5000 16135 8996 1500 3748

Exh 409 100 300 367 530

243 250 3000 300 2300 110 4000 115 5021 105 14000 250 2000 300 11415 713 19905 1K 5000 6336 202 15000 700 9301 456 1400 110 7812 254 10466 617 3000 120 950K 125 1252 94 1M 185 8814 403 3000 100

Nsf 187K 20000 40600 64545 45475 70000 47650 40000 86300 44000 20400 20000 35000 30000 378K 182K 40000 49450 254K 65250 8800 54000 159K 20000 551K 30000 915K 104K 12000

Industry Healthcare Healthcare Hotels & Resorts Restaurants & Food Serv.

Food & Beverage Healthcare Jewelry Jewelry Sporting Goods & Rec. Healthcare Education Healthcare Travel Industry Gifts Healthcare Food & Beverage Building & Construction Apparel Healthcare Building & Construction Healthcare Building & Construction Healthcare Art, Music & Culture Automotive & Trucking Healthcare Automotive & Trucking Insurance Communications

PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP! Showcase your regional services with a calendar sponsorship.

Contact Sales@ExhibitCityNews.com For Rates and Details. (Design Services Available) 100 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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See complete listing of shows online at ExhibitCityNews.com/tradeshow-calendar

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

U.S. NORTHWEST Show OptoWest RSA Conference International Symposium on Quality Electronic Design - isQED Silicon Valley International Auto Show Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference - CHI Northern California Human Resource Assn - HR West Game Manufacturers Association - GAMA California Charter Schools Conference Central Valley Facilities Expo Redwood Region Logging Conference North American Handmade Bicycle Show - NAHBS Music Teachers National Association - MTNA Game Developers Conference - GDC California Park & Recreation Conference - CPRS American Contract Manufacturers Association - AmCon American Pharmacists Association - APhA Wildland Urban Interface - New Fire Frontiers - WUI California Academy of Family Physicians - Family Medicine Clinical Forum American College of Med. Genetics & Genomics - Ann. Clinical Genetics Meeting Oregon Dental Conference OptoWest Institute for Healthcare Improvement - IHI American Planning Association - APA Northwest Foodservice Show Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Assoc - SGNA American Case Management Association - ACMA Container World Inland Northwest Dental Conference ABC Educational Conference & Trade Show

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 03/03 03/04 03/06 03/07 03/10 03/11 03/11 03/11 03/13 03/14 03/15 03/16 03/18 03/19 03/19 03/22 03/26 03/29 04/02 04/04 04/07 04/11 04/13 04/14 04/14 04/14 04/17 04/18 04/30

View Complete Calendar Online

End 03/03 03/08 03/07 03/10 03/15 03/13 03/15 03/14 03/14 03/16 03/17 03/20 03/22 03/22 03/20 03/25 03/28 03/31 04/06 04/06 04/07 04/13 04/16 04/15 04/16 04/17 04/19 04/20 05/02

Venue SF Airport Marriott Moscone Center

City San Francisco San Francisco Santa Clara San Jose McEnery CC San Jose San Francisco Moscone Center Oakland CC Oakland Peppermill Resort Reno Sacramento CC Sacramento Modesto Centre Plaza Modesto Redwood Acres Fairgrounds Eurica Sacramento CC Sacramento Spokane CC Spokane San Francisco Moscone Center Sacramento CC Sacramento Tacoma CC Tacoma Washington State CC Seattle Peppermill Resort Reno Monterey Marriott DT Monterey Washington State CC Seattle Oregon CC Portland Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco Portland Expo Center Portland Portland Washington State CC Seattle Santa Clara CC Santa Clara Northern Quest Resort Spokane Reno

St CA CA CA CA CA CA NV CA CA CA CA WA CA CA WA WA NV CA WA OR CA CA CA OR OR WA CA WA NV

Att 1500 40000 650

Exh Nsf 88 7000 386 98000 13

3700 600 1696

200 25 2500

1900

225 23500

7000 150 15000 2000 88 28000 2700 250 40000 7000 400 350 3342 5586 1500 800 5200 5000 1400 2000

200 45000 55 5600 169 25300 264 30000 88 7000

400

30 667

86

Industry Medical & Healthcare Computers & Apps Electrical & Electronics Automotive & Trucking Medical & Healthcare Business Gaming & Entertainment Education Plant Eng. & Operations Agriculture & Farming Sporting Goods & Rec. Art, Music & Culture Gaming & Entertainment Sporting Goods & Rec. Manufacturing Medical & Healthcare Fire & Fire Protection Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Government Food & Beverage Medical & Healthcare

Exhibit City News’ best-read section!

Medical & Healthcare 10700 Apparel

SEE YOUR AD HERE! Sponsor your region in the Trade Show Calendar.

ExhibitCityNews.com/Tradeshow-Calendar Exhibit City News’ best-read section! @ExhibitCityNews

096_Tradeshow_CalendarNEW_0319.indd 6

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 101

2/12/19 6:12 AM

Tradeshow Calendar U.S. SOUTHEAST

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

Show American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry - AAGP Memphis Gift & Jewelry Show Heli-Expo Frame Building Expo - NFBA American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists - AAOP Aquaculture America International Window Coverings Expo - VISION TechAdvantage TESOL English Language Expo American College of Cardiology - ACC Enterprise Connect Independent Community Bankers of America - ICBA United States Institute for Theatre Technology Conference & Stage Expo - USITT Global Pet Expo - APPMA Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting Unleashing Print - Dscoop Duty Free Show of the Americas - IAADFS NACE CORROSION AUSA ILW Global Force Symposium and Exposition - Association of the US Army Mid-America Trucking Show - MATS American Association for Cancer Research - AACR American Occupational Therapy Association - AOTA Association of periOperative Registered Nurses - AORN Highpoint Market Spring Cruise Shipping Miami Aviation Week MRO Americas Coverings International Propane Expo & Southeastern Convention - NPGA Army Aviation Association of America - AAAA

Start 03/01 03/01 03/04 03/06 03/06 03/07 03/09 03/10 03/12 03/16 03/18 03/18 03/20 03/20 03/21 03/24 03/24 03/24 03/26 03/28 03/30 04/04 04/06 04/06 04/08 04/09 04/09 04/13 04/14

End 03/04 03/03 03/07 03/08 03/09 03/11 03/10 03/13 03/15 03/18 03/21 03/22 03/23 03/22 03/23 03/27 03/27 03/28 03/28 03/30 04/03 04/07 04/10 04/10 04/11 04/11 04/12 04/15 04/16

Venue Hilton Atlanta Landers Center Georgia World Cong. Center Kentucky International CC Caribe Royale New Orleans Marriott Gaylord Opryland Orange County CC Georgia World Cong. Center Morial CC Gaylord Palms Music City Center Kentucky International CC Orange County CC Georgia World Cong. Center Gaylord Palms Hyatt Regency Orlando Music City Center Von Braun Center Kentucky International CC Georgia World Cong. Center Morial CC Music City Center Miami Beach CC Georgia World Cong. Center Orange County CC Georgia World Cong. Center Gaylord Opryland

All Information Is Subject to Change*

City Atlanta Southaven Atlanta Louisville Orlando New Orleans Nashville Orlando Atlanta New Orleans Orlando Nashville Louisville Orlando Atlanta Orlando Orlando Nashville Huntsville Louisville Atlanta New Orleans Nashville High Point Miami Atlanta Orlando Atlanta Nashville

St GA MS GA KY FL LA TN FL GA LA FL TN KY FL GA FL FL TN AL KY GA LA TN NC FL GA FL GA TN

Att 1200 8000 19000 2000 1500 4500 5000 10000 6500 13882 5000 3300 4529 16366 19679 2000 4600 6500 5400 79032 16700 7640 10185 85000 10154 10000 22699 4100 8000

Exh 40 150 714 150 175 250 107 300 150 279 127 220 314 1.1K 412 100 169 400 200 1K 456 384 500 2K 983 800 979 240 300

Nsf 30000 30000 307K 30000 40000 45000 60000 55000 30000 124K 33100 28600 51100 352K 74000 32450 74194 77800 99064 664K 79600 43980 143K 583K 152K 96200 340K 54000 240K

Industry Medical & Healthcare Jewelry Aerospace & Aviation Building & Construction Medical & Healthcare Fishing Home Furn. & Int. Design Computers & Apps Education Medical & Healthcare Communications Banking Electrical & Electronics Medical & Healthcare Printing Stores & Store Fittings Science Military Automotive & Trucking Healthcare Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Home Furn. & Int. Design Travel Industry Aerospace & Aviation Building & Construction Energy Aerospace & Aviation

Where Can You Find Industry Features, Maps, Insider Information, Shop Talk And Free Stuff?

Exhibit City News, of Course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly!

GO TO EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM/SUBSCRIBE OR CALL 702.309.8023

102 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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See complete listing of shows online at ExhibitCityNews.com/tradeshow-calendar

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

U.S. SOUTHWEST Show International Wireless Communications Expo - IWCE International Pizza Expo Optical Fiber Communication - OFC Natural Products Expo West/SupplyExpo NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education International Technology & Persons with Disabilities American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - AAOS International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association - IHRSA ASD Las Vegas Southern California Plumbing Heating Cooling Industry - PHCC International Limousine & Chauffeur Transportation - LCT National Automatic Merchandising Association - NAMA OneShow Nightclub & Bar Show Travel Goods Show Amusement Expo - AAMA Digital Signage Expo - DSE Museum Store Association Conference & Expo - MSA Forward Inside Self Storage Expo - ISS Western Regional Dental Convention - ADA National Association of Broadcasters - NAB Show Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries - ISRI Channel Partners - Spring Conference & Expo ISC West - Security Solutions American Association of Neurological Surgeons - AANS Medtrade Spring Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit - MRS Imaging Technology Education & Exhibition - ITEX International Sign Expo - ISA TRANSACT - Electronic Transactions Association - ETA

All Information Is Subject to Change*

Start 03/04 03/04 03/05 03/05 03/09 03/11 03/12 03/16 03/17 03/23 03/24 03/24 03/25 03/26 03/26 03/26 03/28 04/02 04/04 04/06 04/08 04/09 04/10 04/13 04/16 04/22 04/24 04/24 04/30

End 03/08 03/07 03/07 03/09 03/13 03/15 03/16 03/19 03/20 03/23 03/27 03/26 03/27 03/28 03/28 03/29 04/01 04/03 04/06 04/11 04/11 04/12 04/12 04/17 04/18 04/26 04/25 04/26 05/02

Venue Las Vegas CC Las Vegas CC San Diego CC Anaheim CC Los Angeles CC Anaheim Marriott

City Las Vegas Las Vegas San Diego Anaheim Los Angeles Anaheim Las Vegas San Diego CC San Diego Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Fairplex Pomona Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Town and Country Resort San Diego The Mirage Las Vegas Renaissance Glendale Phoenix Las Vegas CC Las Vegas Los Angeles CC Los Angeles Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Sands Expo Las Vegas San Diego Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Phoenix CC Phoenix MGM Grand Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Las Vegas

St NV NV CA CA CA CA NV CA NV CA NV NV NV NV NV NV CA NV AZ NV CA NV NV CA NV AZ NV NV NV

Att 7387 6842 15500 60565 7000 5000 32118 8000 43707 4000 3800 4600 37000 4800 6000 4082 550 4000 6724 89313 4830 4300 36771 3300 4630 5611 3000 20140 4000

Exh 369 474 700 2.2K 150 200 517 316 2.8K 150 100 250 662 200 201 246 250 300 365 1.6K 300 155 1K 221 314 115 240 589 200

Nsf 91700 106K 106K 369K 64000 20000 221K 200K 675K 17000 60000 65000 196K 80000 48500 83290 42500 40000 41000 808K 91175 22500 292K 80000 56800 15000 106K 220K 40000

Industry Communications Food & Beverage Telecommunications Food & Beverage Education Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Sporting Goods & Rec. Gifts Building & Construction Automotive & Trucking Stores & Store Fittings Gaming & Entertainment Travel Industry Gaming & Entertainment Electrical & Electronics Stores & Store Fittings Physical Distribution Medical & Healthcare Communications Manufacturing Communications Security Medical & Healthcare Medical & Healthcare Chemical Computers & Apps Printing Business

• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!

Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else @ExhibitCityNews

096_Tradeshow_CalendarNEW_0319.indd 8

Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs

Promotional Products • Giveaways • Table Drapes & Signage • Branded Apparel • Gifts & Awards ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 103

2/12/19 6:13 AM

Tradeshow Calendar CANADA

Att = Attendance | CC=Convention Center | Exh = Exhibitors | Nsf = Net Square Feet

Show Start Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada - PDAC 03/03 Canadian International Turfgrass Conference 03/04 The Convenience U CARWACS Show 03/05 Quebec Auto Show 03/05 London Farm Show 03/06 Pacific Dental Conference 03/07 Ottawa Valley Farm Show 03/12 Vancouver International Auto Show 03/19 Canadian Special Events Live - CSE Live 03/26 International Studies Association - ISA 03/27 The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show 03/30 Together We Care - OLTCA & ORCA Annual Convention & Trade Show 04/01 Grocery Showcase West 04/01 Canadian Produce Marketing Association - CPMA 04/02 American Educational Research Association - AERA 04/05 ISA Calgary - Instrumentation, Systems & Automation 04/09 Western Canadian Pet Industry Trade Show - PIJAC 04/14 Blue Line Trade Show 04/16 Aeromart Montreal 04/16 Security Canada East - CANASA 04/24 JDIQ - Journees Dentaires Internationales du Quebec 04/24 MCEE - Mecanex Climatex 04/24 The National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show 04/27 Pediatric Academic Societies - PAS 04/27 Canadian Institute of Mining - CIM 04/28 Esthetic and Spa Trade Show 04/28

End 03/06 03/07 03/06 03/10 03/08 03/09 03/14 03/24 03/28 03/30 03/31 04/03 04/02 04/04 04/09 04/10 04/15 04/16 04/18 04/24 04/28 04/25 04/28 04/30 05/01 04/29

Venue Metro Toronto CC Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Toronto Congress Centre Centre des Foires Agriplex Vancouver CC EY Centre Vancouver CC Hyatt Regency Toronto Sheraton Centre Toronto Palais des Congress Toronto Congress Centre Vancouver CC Palais des Congress Stampede Park Calgary Stampede The International Centre Palais des Congress Sheraton Laval Place Bonaventure Vancouver CC

All Information Is Subject to Change*

City Toronto Banff Toronto Quebec City London Vancouver Ottawa Vancouver Toronto Toronto Montreal Toronto Vancouver Montreal Toronto Calgary Calgary Mississauga Montreal Laval Montreal Montreal Vancouver Baltimore Montreal Toronto

St ON AB ON QC ON BC ON BC ON ON QC ON BC QC ON AB AB ON QC QC QC QC BC MD QC ON

Att 30147 1800 5500

Exh 1K 75 300

15000 12147 11395 85000 1500 5900 5000 1200 2600 3700 14000 5800 350 700 1300 600 12550

320 300 62500 350

1500 6500 5000 7227

Nsf 260K 19000 42500

100 40000 95 25000 300 275 50000

Industry Mining Sporting Goods & Rec. Stores & Store Fittings Automotive & Trucking Agriculture & Farming Medical & Healthcare Agriculture & Farming Automotive & Trucking Exhibition & Meeting Ind. Education Business Medical & Healthcare Food & Beverage Advertising & Marketing Education Manufacturing

250 70 11000 66 14800 Police Aerospace & Aviation 80 12000 Security Medical & Healthcare 220 Building & Construction 390 75 24000 Business Medical & Healthcare Building & Construction 450 Beauty & Healthcare 550

*DISCLAIMER: Please note that tradeshow information is provided as a resource only. All show information is subject to change. Please check show dates and venues with official show organizers and producers. For updated show and event listings, visit www.exhibitcitynews.com/tradeshow-calendar.

PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP! Showcase your regional services with a calendar sponsorship.

Contact Sales@ExhibitCityNews.com For Rates and Details. (Design Services Available) 104 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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107_ServiceGuide_0319.indd 1

2/12/19 6:16 AM

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2/12/19 4:47 PM

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE Where to Find Professional Services, Products and Supplies—a Companion Directory to Our www.ExhibitCityNews.com/Service-Guide

Aadvantaged Displays 111 BWC Visual Technologies 108 CDS 112 CEP (Chicago Exhibit Productions, Inc.) 109 Champion Logistics 111 Clementine Creative Services 108 Collazo Expo Services 109 Corey Johnson Photography 110 Corporate Communications 109

Corporate Events Equip, Inc. Exhibitrac Direct Marketing Expoquarzo Exhibitions Horizon Print Solutions KB Lines King Size LED Displays KKOM Larry Kulchwik Consulting

108 113 113 110 113 112 111 109 108

Las Vegas Power Professionals Last Minute Venues LipSmacking Foodie Tours Prism Lighting TSEMA.org TWI Group YOR Design Your Event Audio

110 113 111 112 109 112 110 108

For Service Guide information and rates, call sales at (702) 309-8023. Inclusive categories are available for all your company advertising needs. @ExhibitCityNews

107_ServiceGuide_0319.indd 3

ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 107

2/12/19 4:44 PM

INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

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108 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Collazo Expo Services Established in 2003, the Collazo Expo Services specializes in business show managing, corporate custom booths, staging and lighting. Standing for “Consistently Exceeding Satisfaction,” C.E.S. has more than 30 years of tradeshow experience which provides a turnkey experience for everyone who wants to become a part of each customized event.

For more info, visit www.collazoexpo.com.

Event Management

Exhibitor Training

Exhibit / Trade Show Displays | Event Planning | Sporting Event Décor

Exhibits

Exhibits

Enhance your look.

BOOTH DESIGN & RENTALS PORTABLE SIGNAGE & HARDWARE BRANDED PREMIUMS VIDEOS & PRESENTIONS SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS

6 30.378.4 8 4 8 w w w.cepexhibits.com

PRINT & DESIGN SERVICES 262-250-2060 EXT 232 | RKOHL@KKOMINC.COM

@ExhibitCityNews

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Expoquardo Exhibitions Since 1976, Expoquardo Exhibitions has generated face-to-face experiences through the design, decoration, production and assembly of commercial exhibition spaces and events. They possess 100 percent Mexican manufacturers who work under quality processes, continuous improvement and high customization in exhibition solutions which guarantee the development of customized products for promotion and interaction.

For more info, visit https://expoquarzo.com.mx or send an email to irenea@expoquarzo.com.mx

Exhibits

Event Photography

exhibit and event experience photography

10% OFF

www.cjphotog.com

ECN10

Las Vegas, Nevada 218 - 209 - 1466 corey@cjphotog.com

PROMO CODE

Exhibit Services

Question: Where Can You Find Industry Features, Maps, Insider Information, Shop Talk And Free Stuff?

Answer: Exhibit City News, of course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly!

VISIT US ONLINE:

SUBSCRIBE@EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM OR CALL:

702.309.8023

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

The Attention You Deserve Displays Starting at $69.95

Aadvantaged Displays Aadvantage offers innovative graphic and display solutions, world-class products and unparalleled customer support.

With convenient lightweight portability and exceptional craftsmanship designs in every product, Aadvantage displays and graphically delivers important messages directly to the target audience. Special events, tradeshows, fundraising, recruiting and retail are just a few of the many applications of the Aadvantage line.

For more info, visit www.aadvantagedisplays.com

Food Tours

941-758-8444 866-239-8056

Visit us online for more of our products & services

AadvantageDisplays.com Lighting

Logistics Champion Logistics Group has a transportation division specializing in the coordination of trade shows and special events. Champion provides the most reliable and flexible trade show transportation in the industry.

ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE •Added value with your ad in print and on our website.

•Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month!

•Increase revenue and gain marketshare!

Print and Digital Distribution (Ads in print issues will run concurrently online.)

1 Issue: $500 per month 3 Issues: $400 per month 6 Issues: $300 per month 12 Issues: $200 per month Chicago | Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Las Vegas | Los Angeles | New Jersey

800.323.5401 | info@champlog.com | www.champlog.com

@ExhibitCityNews

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Contact sales for details: 702-309-8023 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com ExhibitCityNews.com March/April 2019 111

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

Prism Lighting Group Prism Lighting believes every exhibit and retail environment is an investment and that the value of that investment is increased through quality lighting. That’s why they focus on customized lighting solutions that fit their customers’ unique display needs. They invest in R&D to create a full line of innovative LED Lighting products that are beautifully designed and affordable with easy installation.

For more info, visit www.prismlightinggroup.com

EYE-CATCHING LIGHTING SOLUTIONS •Perfect Lighting for Exhibits, Retail Environments & Special Projects •Full Line of Innovative LED Products; Flexible Strip Lighting, Recessed Lights, Arm Lights, LED DMX and so much more!

•Fast Connect Cable System Saving Time and Labor •Eco-Friendly Battery Solutions •Easy to Install, Plug And Play Lighting Solutions

PRISM – INNOVATION LIVES HERE!

WWW.PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM | 1.866.620.1380 | SALESUSA@PRISMLIGHTINGGROUP.COM

Logistics

Logistics

Printing

Attention Exhibit and Event Companies Local Service for Trade Shows and Events In: Washington D.C. - Baltimore - Atlantic City Philly - NYC - Hartford - Boston All in same-day driving distance from us.

WHOLESALE Warehousing, Storage, Prep, Delivery Graphics, Supervision, & Rentals 800-367-2531

CDSpartner.com

We Can Provide You A Local Presence

Question: Where Can You Find Industry Features, Maps, Insider Information, Shop Talk And Free Stuff?

Answer: Exhibit City News, of course!

Sign up for six stunning, full-color issues of ECN and get our very special 20th anniversary edition, 52 weekly digital updates and free stuff to wear proudly!

VISIT US ONLINE:

SUBSCRIBE@EXHIBITCITYNEWS.COM OR CALL:

702.309.8023

112 March/April 2019 Exhibit City News

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INDUSTRY SERVICE GUIDE

• Delivery in Las Vegas, FedEx/UPS to all cities • Be a HERO use Horizon Print Solutions and make it EZ • Everything for your show or event from a top quality 25 year supplier!

Horizon Print Solutions Horizon Print Solutions bring decades of experience in all types of printed products with forms, tags, labels, promotional products and corporate attire. They work together with extraordinary manufacturing and decorating partners, mostly from the wholesale-only marketplace, to bring the very best solutions to clients—every project and every transaction!

Color Printing • Rack cards • Brochures • Booklets • Everything else

Meeting & Event Supplies • Lanyards & Credentials • Binders, Tabs and inserts • Tote Bags & Inserts • Tickets & Programs

Promotional Products • Giveaways • Table Drapes & Signage • Branded Apparel • Gifts & Awards

For more info, visit https://printefficiency.com

Tradeshow Furnishings

Tradeshow Lists

FIXTURE & DISPLAY COVERS TRADE SHOW DISPLAY COVERS COMMERCIAL FURNITURE

EQUIP YOUR SPACE inc

BEST QUALITY. BEST RATES. CALL TODAY!

W W W. E Q U I P I N C . C O M

7 1 9. 5 9 9. 0 3 0 0

Venues

ADVERTISE IN THE SERVICE GUIDE •Added value with your ad in print and on our website.

•Engage a captive audience with 38,000 readers every month!

•Increase revenue and gain marketshare!

Print and Digital Distribution (Ads in print issues will run concurrently online.)

1 Issue: $500 per month 3 Issues: $400 per month 6 Issues: $300 per month 12 Issues: $200 per month Contact sales for details: 702-309-8023 or sales@exhibitcitynews.com @ExhibitCityNews

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Engagement Technology Specialists 1.8mm LED Technology

Creative Content Development

General Session Production

Interactive Engagement Solutions

Breakout Management System

Themed Environment Lighting

Bringing Your ideas and visions to life sales@4productions.com | 774-568-5400

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Classifieds

HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF? Need an administrative clerk, project manager, CAD detailer, account executives? Exhibit City News Classifieds can help fill your positions with our popular digital postings.

V

CALL OR EMAIL TO RESERVE SPACE Christy DiGiambattista, 702-309-8023, ChristyD@exhibitcitynews.com

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INSPIRATION EXECUTION. YOUR

D E S E R V E S G R E AT

The moment you find inspiration, the soul of your show starts to become real. Your

next challenge is to identify and source the right elements and the right supplier.

Visit us at cortevents.com

Choose one with a huge range of designs, deep quantities and the ability to handle all those little bumps that happen on the way to “show ready.” Choose CORT.

Style & Service Delivered.®

© 2019 CORT. A Berkshire Hathaway Company.

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WE ENSURE YOUR TRADE SHOW SUCCESS! IT’S THAT SIMPLE.

As a unique Las Vegas based carrier, we are dedicated to one thing - trade shows.

With over 30 years of experience we are highly trained, skilled and focused on providing you with flawless service handling your exhibit materials in and out of Las Vegas convention venues.

What makes us so great? › › › › ›

24/7 nationwide service - year round Warehousing & exhibit crate repair Customized account management Show-to-show coordination On site show floor representation

› › › ›

Over 100,000 sq. ft. of booth storage Certified weight tickets/on-site truck scale Pad wrapping & color-coded show labels More than 100 vans, tractors & trailers solely serving the Las Vegas market

Proud member of

4120 W. Windmill Lane Las Vegas, NV 89139

CONTACT US: 118_AdBank_0319.indd 1

3741 Civic Center Drive North Las Vegas, NV 89130

sunset-lv.com

info@sunset-lv.com

3200 Gowan Road North Las Vegas, NV 89130

702.914.0185 2/12/19 6:33 AM

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2019 EDITORIAL CALENDAR*

*Content is subject to change

JANUARY-FEBRUARY

MARCH-APRIL

January (print & digital)

March (print & digital):

February (digital only)

April (digital only):

• Feature: EXHIBITORLive Preview • Furnishings • New Product Showcase International Focus: Chile & Argentina

• Feature: Year in Review • Transportation/Warehousing/Material Handling • Vendors International Focus: Thailand

• Exhibit Building & Design • Show Management/Kits • Extrusions Regional Focus: Southwest U.S.

• Technology Show/Products • AV/Lighting/Graphics/Photography • Corporate Social Responsibility Regional Focus: Northeast U.S.

MAY-JUNE

JULY-AUGUST

May (print & digital):

July (print & digital):

June (digital only):

August (digital only):

• Feature: Museums/Exhibits • ECN's 2018 I&D Ace Award Winners • EXHIBITORLive Post Recap International Focus: Australia

• • • •

• Mobile Exhibits • Warehousing/Material Handling • Corporate Social Responsibility Regional Focus: Central U.S.

Feature: Women in the Industry ECN's 2018 Convention Center Parking Survey Show Security/Safety International Focus: Dubai

• Insurance/Legal/Contracts • Floor Coverings/Flooring • Tension Fabric Regional Focus: Midwest U.S.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

September (print & digital):

November (print & digital):

October (digital only):

December (digital only):

• Feature: Giveaways/Incentives • General Contractors • Industry Salespeople International Focus: London

• Feature: Labor/Unions • Associations Healthcare • Booth Staff/Talent/Brand Ambassadors International Focus: China

• Lead Retrieval v. Data Matching/CRM • Tradeshow Marketing/Traffic • Social Media Regional Focus: Northwest U.S.

Content covered digitally and in print Jan., March, May, July, Sept. and Nov. Other months, digital coverage only.

• Special/Corporate Events • Hybrid/Co-location Events • Corporate Social Sustainability Regional Focus: Southeast U.S.

Deadline / Space reservation: 8th day, or closest business day, of month prior to print issue.

We would love to hear from you! Share the coverage you would like to see in future issues at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com 3

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ADVERTISERS

Advertiser Index 4 Productions

115

4Productions.com

47/124

Aluvision.com/us

62

AnglesOnDesign.com

2

beMatrix.us

114

bluehivegroup.com

5

Brumark.com

37

CamdenTradeshow.com

77

CBDisplays.com

45

ChampLog.com

Employco

17

91

CharliePalmer.com

Exhibitus

119

98

ClementineCS.com

ExpandMedia

106

71

CoboCenter.com

Experience Transport Agency

87

123

ColorReflections.com

Full Circle Events

48 63

35

Corpcom-Events.com

Hill & Partners

7

75

Horizon Print Solution

103

117

IFES Global Village

53 23/25

13

Lago Network

95

DMEexpologistics.com

43

MomentumManagement

Showdown Displays

21

ShowNets, LLC

122

Somers Furniture Rental

89

Specialty Lighting

63

StevensE3

105

Storage West

67

Sunset Transportation

118

Sunset-LV.com

49

Superior Logistics

19

ShipSuperior.com

57

Total Show Technology (TST)

68

TotalShowTech.com

77

LVStoreSupply.com

DEMcNabb.com

51

StorageWest.com

Labor Inc.

Las Vegas Store Supply

Sakura

StevensE3.com

LagoNetwork.com & OmegaExp.com.mx

Cort.com

72

SpecialtyLighting.com

LaborInc.ca

Corp-eventsid.com

Rosemont – RES

SomersFurniture.com

KSintl.com

Corporate Communications

95

ShowNets.net

Highmark Tech

K&S Flooring

Prism Tradeshow Lighting

Showdowndisplays.com

IFESnet.com

ColorReflections

4

Sakurain.co.jp

PrintEfficiency.com

Cobo Center

Orbus

Rosemont.com/DESConvention

HillPartners.com

Clementine Creative Services

71

PrismLightingGroup.com

HighmarkTech.com

CharliePalmer

Onsite Exhibitor Service

Orbus.com

FCELV.com

ChampionLogistics

EACA.com

81

ETALV.com

CB Displays

EACA

EliteXPO

Expandmedia.com

Camden Tradeshow Furnishings

15

OnsiteExhibitorService.com

Exhibitus.com

Brumark

D.M.E. Expo Logistics

73

Employco.com

BlueHive Group

D.E. McNabb

EDPAFoundation

EliteXPO.com

beMatrix

Octanorm Octanorm.com

EDPA.com/edpafoundation

Angles On Design

CORT Events

89

Edlen.com

Aluvision

Corporate Events

Edlen Electric

3

Trade Shows From One Country to the Next

55

LarryKulchawik.com

MomentumMgt.com

Willwork

NewGen Business Solutions

87

Willworkinc.com

NewGenNow.com

Zig Zibit

Nolan Advisory Services (NAS)

65

ZigZibit.com

40 83

NolanAdvisory.com

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Contact sales: 702-309-8023 ext. 105, sales@exhibitcitynews.com @ExhibitCityNews

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Let

showNets your next event

With fast, secure and reliable internet solutions showNets designs, deploys and supports custom Internet solutions for events and venues across the world. Cisco-certified professionals manage your network requirements every step of the way. showNets engineers the fastest, most secure, and most reliable networks and backs them up with responsive, professional, and client based services.

The showNets stress free conference and trade show internet solution includes: Redundant, fault-tolerant designs High-density, reliable wireless service Network Operations Center monitor 24/7/365 Dedicated teams of certified professionals • Flexible service offering includes: • Web casting • Automated access portal • Secure VPN • RFID

• • • •

showNets is the premier provider of high-density wireless and Internet. Our technical experts design and implement a state of the art network for your trade show. Let us show you why clients trust us with their Internet needs.

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Call today 1-800-310-4454 or check us out online www.shownets.net

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LED tile 55 P2

Omni-55 frame

Pixel pitch: 2.5 or 2.8

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