Kevin Dana
Kevin Dana is executive director of marketing and product development at CORT Trade Show & Event Furnishings, a leading provider of furniture rental for the meetings and exhibitions industry.
Update Your Stale Seminar Space
December 4, 2018
Traditional seminar spaces are a thing of the past. Replacing them are engaging, tech-enabled, bespoke spaces that are beautiful, functional and sharable. Events should feel tailored to each attendee and excite from start to finish. By rethinking what each attendee needs from your seminar space, utilizing tech-enabled furniture and understanding the need for collaboration, you can create a space that feels daring, yet completely practical.
Use these tips to create a fresh and engaging space that works for your client and your attendee.
Connect to Tech: The best technology integrates what’s next into what’s known. Now, event furniture helps make that possible. Tech-enabled chairs and tables mean attendees won’t rush to the sides of the room or fight overchargers, allowing them to choose seats that won’t disrupt their workflow.
Consider Your Audience: Millennials aren’t the only generation glued to their screens. In today’s constantly changing, digitally-minded workplace, employees across all demographics are creating content and connecting online through their laptop or smartphone. Catering to different segments of professionals can be challenging when designing your seminar space. Creating environments that facilitate engagement for each kind of thinker makes for a space that is both productive and inspirational.
At the Corporate Event Marketing Association’s (CEMA) annual conference, CORT Events created distinct spaces for different thinkers. One catered to professionals who have their phone, laptop and smartwatch keeping them on task and on time and offered powered soft seating, including the Tech Tablet chair, as well as sofas and loveseats for relaxed connection and listening space. Another was a more standard meeting space for those who like to work the old-fashioned way. The last was a space where attendees could claim a seat while sharing a large, powered table to collaborate for breakout sessions.
Cater to Collaboration: We are seeing a huge increase in demand for breakout spaces conducive for networking. Encourage teamwork by offering spaces that feel relaxed. Have your seating mimic the feel of a coffee bar or create a breakout space with reclined seating so people can get comfortable before they get creative. Consider a wider variety of furniture, including sofas, armchairs, communal tables and lightweight furniture for easy mobility, such as ottomans. Allow your attendees to make the room into the space they want.
For shareable, one-of-a-kind convention spaces, you’ll have to take a new approach. What can be personalized? What can be reimagined? What can be updated? Start with a thoughtful strategy and execute with high-quality, technology-enabled furniture that adds productivity to creativity. When you want your space to feel custom and connected, think about the attendee experience at every stage of event planning.
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is renowned for its exceptional service and diverse venue options across Las Vegas, Detroit, Springfield, National Harbor, Biloxi, and Atlantic City, providing flexible spaces for meetings of any size. Beyond these offerings, MGM Resorts distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, making it an ideal choice for your next meeting.
At the core of MGM Resorts' company values is its platform, "Focused on What Matters," dedicated to meeting customer needs while advancing socially responsible practices. This commitment is evident in several key areas:
Protecting Natural Resources
MGM Resorts is home to industry-leading recycling, renewable electricity and water conservation programs. Some highlights include a cogeneration power plant at ARIA, producing ultra-efficient electricity; one of America’s largest contiguous rooftop solar arrays atop the convention center at Mandalay Bay; and onsite wells that provide water for the celebrated Fountains of Bellagio, avoiding reliance on precious Colorado River water. These efforts and many more save on natural resources while boosting attendee satisfaction.
Committed to Community
Always striving to be good neighbors, MGM Resorts works to avoid food waste and combat food insecurity with the Feeding Forward program. In partnership with local food banks, they safely divert unserved food to food insecure members of the community. Since 2016, over 5 million meals have been provided, highlighting MGM Resorts' commitment to minimizing food waste and addressing community needs.
MGM Resorts supports clients in their responsible-meetings efforts, not only with efficient venues but also waste-reducing décor and signage; sustainable food and beverage options; and outreach to help planners communicate sustainability efforts to attendees. What’s more, they offer a Mindful Meetings series that puts attendee wellness first—through fitness and mindfulness activities, and in give-back events with local charity organizations.
Fostering Diversity & Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts offers unparalleled service and venue options while standing out for its proactive approach to sustainability and community engagement. Choosing MGM Resorts for your next meeting means aligning with a company that values social responsibility, efficiency, and attendee satisfaction, ensuring a meaningful and impactful event experience.
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