New Tech from Concept3D, Giant iTab and More

November 7, 2019

Several event technology companies have been busy creating new and enhanced platforms as well as upgrading technologies to help venues and exhibiting companies enhance the trade show experience. 

Concept3D Unveils New 3D Panorama Feature

Concept3D, provider of immersive online experiences with 3D modeling, interactive maps and virtual tour software, has launched a new 3D Panorama feature that integrates into its interactive map and virtual tour platform.  

Designed to replace cumbersome, static practices such as setting up and photographing rooms with multiple layout options or providing basic 2D sketches, the new feature allows users to simply and easily present multiple 3D-rendered layout options for any space.

According to Concept3D officials, the Hawaii Convention Center and Colorado Convention Center are among the first to integrate the 3D Panorama feature into their Concept3D-powered maps. For example, the HCC now uses 3D Panoramas to not only showcase different rooms with a variety of layouts, such as banquet hall, classroom or theater sets but also feature its three large exhibit halls in 3D Panoramas for basketball, futsal and volleyball setups. 

Concept3D 

“The cross-industry potential for the 3D Panorama application is huge, and while we’ve had immediate interest from convention centers and event needs, we anticipate the new feature will also appeal to higher education, businesses, real estate and other Concept3D clients,” said Gordon Boyes, CEO of Concept3D. 

He added that 3D Panoramas not only help simplify the space planning process but also make the spaces more appealing and easier to understand.

As an add-on system to the Concept3D platform, the 3D Panoramas feature can be toggled on and off by the user and allows them to explore a space from a bird’s eye view, find a space that works and scan through layout options. 

Giant iTab Launches Customer Experience Center

Giant iTab, a U.K.-based event technology and digital company providing giant touchscreens, tablets and smartphones for enhanced digital engagement, has launched a customer experience center at its company headquarters in London. 

Giant iTab

Designed as a learning and collaboration zone, the new center features a range of giant smartphones that event organizers can interact to understand how the technologies can be used to enhance their events. The center is also available via live feeds using Skype, Facetime or video conference for those based abroad or unable to attend in person.

According to Mark Jones, Giant iTab CEO and founder, the new center allows the company to create its own interactive customer environment.

“To truly appreciate the scope and range of digital solutions, you have to see them first-hand and engage with them directly,” Jones said. “It gives a much deeper understanding and ability to find out how our technology can best fit with our clients’ needs and deliver a combined solution of software and hardware [that] has relevance and impact.”

To check out the new customer experience center, please contact Mark Jones at mark@giantitab.com.

Orange County Convention Center Teams Up with ConventionCalendar.com and Swift RFP 

The Orange County Convention Center has partnered with ConventionCalendar.com and Swift RFP to assist U.S. planners in finding convention center availability in Orlando. 

Designed for event professionals as a single hub for destination and convention center availability, ConventionCalendar.com and Swift RFP also track online analytics and reporting for digital advertising. A subsidiary of Destination Advantage, the platform enables planners to shop for venues and access top site selection criteria including availability and special booking incentives. 

“We look forward to generating new leads and as we focus on marketing our availability on specific dates during the coming years,” said Yulita Osuba, OCCC deputy director. “The online calendar and booking search engine links the Orange County Convention Center with nationwide convention planners and guides them through the site selection process for potential new conventions.” 

The partnership has launched with a “Sunsational Vacation” promotion for convention planners requesting dates in Orlando through ConventionCalendar.com. Planners who complete and submit their RFP by Dec. 5 will be entered for a chance to win an Orlando vacation including airfare, hotel accommodations and two tickets to SeaWorld and Universal Orlando theme parks. To learn more, go here.

Smart City Networks Finishes Fiber Optics Project

Exhibitors at the San Diego Convention Center can now enjoy more bandwidth, thanks to a fiber optics project recently completed by convention industry technology services provider Smart City Networks. As part of its contract with the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, Smart City designed, procured and managed the entire project. 

In this upgrade, category 6 cable and fiber optic cable were added to 234 floor boxes in Halls A, B and C. This allows for the installation of high-speed internet connections to exhibitor booths without dropping cables from the catwalks above, preserving the aesthetics for the event producer, according to Smart City officials.

“While wireless connectivity is always top-of-mind, other events need robust wired connections for their exhibitor’s high bandwidth needs to stream video,” explained Mark Haley, president of Smart City Networks. “The fiber optics upgrade, while not as ‘sexy’ as a Wi-Fi upgrade, meets the specific needs of high bandwidth events and enables quality events to meet more cost-effectively in San Diego.” 

Smart City financed the project with its allotted technology fund, which enables it to upgrade equipment and keep up with technology throughout the life of a contract.  

“The continuous innovation and increased connectivity from Smart City allows us to provide a high quality of service for our customers’ technology needs,” said Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, president and CEO of the SDCCC. “We are proud to be able to adapt to each event and create platforms for our customers’ life-changing moments.”

  

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.