TEAMS WORK

THE STRONG CHOICE!

When you have the muscles, do not be afraid to flex them! The Arnold Sports Festival made its epic return to the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) at the beginning of March, and it was a weekend positively bursting with testosterone and adrenaline. Over 12,000 athletes strutted their stuff on stage as they benched, broke, threw, and lifted all sorts of heavy objects that would crush the arms of any normal person. It is one of GCCC’s most popular annual events, and Smart City loves participating in it. No, Smart City probably could not compete in any strong-man competitions, but we do know how to apply our sturdy expertise to allow these athletes to lift in peace. As always, the former Governator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was on hand to oversee the expo. Now excuse us, we are suddenly inspired to hit the gym…

GET YOUR GEEK ON!

The Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) was extremely special this year for multiple reasons. Not only was it ECCC’s 20th anniversary and absolutely packed with out-of-this-world cosplay and costumes, but it also took place at the Seattle Convention Center’s new state-of-the-art Summit building, which completed construction and had its grand opening in February. An incredible event in an incredible building!

SMART CITY SADDLES UP!

The world’s largest livestock show returned to Houston at the end of February and stayed through most of March, proving that, yes, everything is bigger in Texas. Everything a cowboy or cowgirl could want was available at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, ranging from bull riding extravaganzas, rabbit costume contests, and even celebrity goat milking competitions. The Rodeo is a phenomenal event for highlighting the best of Texas culture and its commitment to educating youths across the state. This year, the event pledged over $22.5 million to support Texas youth and statewide educational programs throughout 2023. Obviously, this is a large-scale event with many moving parts, which means Smart City had to hike up their boots, let out their best ‘Yee-Haw,’ and get to work!

HONOLULU FESTIVAL SPARKS JOY

One of the most rewarding aspects of partnering with convention centers nationwide is when we service local events and gain a hands-on cultural experience. For example, the Honolulu Festival is one of Hawaii’s premier cultural landmarks, which strives to promote mutual understanding, respect, economic cooperation, and ethnic harmony between Hawaii’s people and the Pacific Rim region. It is a beautiful celebration highlighting diversity through events like dance performances and traditional art demonstrations. Smart City was honored to play a small part in this immensely impactful event.

SMART CITY ANCHORS THE MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

Smart City got its sea legs thanks to the annual Miami International Boat Show. The 5-day event brought in over 100,000 attendees, showcasing more world and U.S. boat debuts than any other boat show in the country. Over 1,000 incredible boats were displayed, with specialty events happening throughout the boating extravaganza. This included afterparties like Yachts After Dark and the Progressive Boat Show Experience at Pride Park, which combined the fun of a carnival boardwalk with the charm of an old port town. It truly was a magical experience.

Preparing for this event took a lot of work. We knew Pride Park would be an extraordinary challenge, but Smart City was more than ready. Months of preparation led to the successful deployment of hidden Access Points across all corners of the park. The installation was tricky, but our team’s vision for success trumped any challenge that got in our way. Thanks to keen observations and a creative approach by our team, we brought our ideas to life and provided a seamless connection and an unforgettable experience for attendees. As a result, Smart City can proudly proclaim that Pride Park is open and ready for business…. or ready to set sail in this case.