News
Dec 29, 2022
The event tech landscape continues to evolve as the industry approaches a new year. From security and trust certification to a virtual event and webinar benchmarking report to the opening of award submissions, check out the latest happenings with Bizzabo, Notified and the Event Tech Awards.
Bizzabo
Bizzabo, the Event Experience Operating System (OS), has achieved Service Organization Control (SOC) 2® Type 2 compliance, which recognizes the company as a secure, trusted industry leader. The accomplishment demonstrates Bizzabo’s ongoing commitment to information security and signals that its… more
Dec 20, 2022
With a looming new 6 percent Kentucky tax on 35 services, including business events, Louisville Tourism, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) are voicing strong opposition to the measure, which could be detrimental to the state’s trade show, convention and meeting business. It also would pose an undue burden on event organizers and clients, as the industry continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The measure is set to take effect Jan. 1 and apply to many new services that have never been taxed in Kentucky,… more
Dec 20, 2022
Over the course of each year, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., routinely works with sustainably minded clients to help them donate leftover food and unwanted materials after their events. With food and event waste still a glaring problem at many trade shows and conferences, this charitable effort not only helps keep leftover food and event items out of landfill, but also helps positively impact local community nonprofits working to combat hunger and assist those in need.
Most recently, the venue worked with two major event clients to collectively donate nearly… more
Dec 19, 2022
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) will soon be welcoming back international visitors, trade shows and events to its massive exhibition halls.
On Dec. 13, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (HML), the private operating and management company that oversees the facility’s day-to-day operations, announced that the Hong Kong SAR Government had removed its remaining anti-COVID-19 restrictions for inbound visitors, which included three days of medical surveillance and restrictions.
Starting Dec. 14, all international arrivals who test… more
Dec 16, 2022
Grip, a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered event platform, unveiled MustMeet, a robust meeting scheduler for event organizers, in response to a surge in demand for more valuable and impactful interactions between buyers and suppliers at events.
MustMeet uses AI to help organizers increase revenue and demonstrate ROI by easily adding transformational meetings to their events with automated meeting schedules. They can now automatically schedule, manage and host a range of meetings for participants at their in-person and virtual events with ease.
The benefits to buyers and suppliers… more
Dec 15, 2022
Destinations International Unveils Booking Agreement to Protect Destinations and Event Professionals
Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), announced a Destination Booking Agreement (DBA) that includes a toolkit to establish mutually agreeable terms to protect both the destination and the business event professional.
Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International, and three representatives from Destinations International’s Large Market Roundtable lauded the DBA's importance to the industry.
“The need for CVBs and business event [professionals] to come together to… more
Dec 14, 2022
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), the U.S. B2B exhibition industry continues to rebound, demonstrated by a continued improvement in Q3 2022 from the previous 10 quarters. This welcome news was announced by CEIR officials on Dec. 14 during Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting and Exhibition, taking place Dec. 13-15 in Louisville, Ky.
The in-person event cancellation rate remains low, although it increased slightly from 2 percent in Q2 to 3.1 percent in Q3, demonstrating a substantial improvement from 97.8 percent in Q3 2020 and 20.6 percent in Q3 2021, according… more
Dec 14, 2022
Starting a new job in a difficult business climate can be challenging enough, but what about during the height of a global pandemic? That’s exactly where Claude Molinari found himself when he took the helm of Visit Detroit as its new president and CEO in January of 2021 as the global events industry was reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. A self-proclaimed extrovert by nature, Molinari’s outgoing and positive attitude certainly came in handy as he worked tirelessly to guide the CVB and its team through one of the biggest challenges travel and tourism has ever faced.
“It is important to… more
Dec 13, 2022
In order to increase the selection and availability of sustainable, vegan menu options throughout its extensive network of arenas, stadiums, theaters and convention centers, ASM Global recently formed a multi-year partnership with plant-based global food provider Wicked Kitchen.
The new partnership establishes Wicked Kitchen as the “Preferred Plant-Based Food Partner” of ASM Global venues as well as “Exclusive Plant-Based Food Provider” across all catering, suite and concessions managed by SAVOR, the chef-driven culinary division of ASM Global.
With this announcement, Wicked Kitchen also… more
Dec 12, 2022
The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) has become the second facility following Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) where unionized Sodexo food service workers have voted 100% to authorize a strike if a contract is not reached through ongoing negotiations.
The announcement was made late Friday, Dec. 9 by Culinary Workers Union Local 226, affiliate of UNITE HERE!, following two days of voting by cooks, dishwashers, banquet servers, concessions cashiers and other workers employed by Sodexo and working at the LVCC, claiming that their wages are not enough to keep up with the cost… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.
Remodeled Guest Rooms
MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las Vegas Hotel & Casino recently completed a $63M redesign and remodel of its 1,830 guest rooms and 155 suites.
Down the street, Bellagio Las Vegas is sporting renovated rooms in the Spa Tower with sunrise-inspired decor and luxurious soaking tubs in Premier King rooms after a $110-million transformation.
Reinvented Luxury Experiences
The Luxury Meetings District, made up of Bellagio Las Vegas, ARIA Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas, is now more connected than ever before. A new interior walkway opened this October for a seamless attendee experience – connecting Vdara, Bellagio, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, guests can now walk from Park MGM to Bellagio in around 15 minutes.
New on the scene in the Luxury Meetings District is Cathedrale at ARIA, TAO Group’s upscale establishment specializing in exquisite French-Mediterranean cuisine offering elevated private dining experiences that opened in May.
Heralded by World’s Best 50 Restaurants, GQ and VOGUE, LPM at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is opening this fall and will deliver its signature spontaneity and imaginative celebration of France’s Mediterranean cuisine, art, and culture to the unique luxury resort in impeccable fashion.
A “New Wave for Mandalay Bay
A new wave of enhancements and experiences has arrived at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, including Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar, an 8,445-square-foot restaurant that opened this June, perfect for pre- and post-game eats and drinks. Event planner’s favorite, Chef Michael Mina’s StripSteak, received a full renovation and now includes one of the largest private dining rooms on The Strip. Retro by Voltaggio debuts a one-year residency with a fun take on pop culture of the 80s and 90s with classic American dishes. An exciting addition planned for 2024 is Swingers, a 40,000-square-foot oasis of street food, miniature golf and art at Mandalay Bay.
Most exciting for meeting planners, the 2.1 million-square-foot Mandalay Bay Convention Center is undergoing a complete refresh, with lightened space, added eye-catching art, and improved technology infrastructure for even more flexible space. Energy-efficient digital signage now leads the way with faster internet speeds and new AV options.
From renovated guest rooms and meeting spaces to celebrated dining options and dedicated teams, MGM Resorts is dedicated to delivering exceptional and innovative meeting experiences.