Second Annual Design and Construction Week Draws 125,000 to Las Vegas
January 25, 2015
More than 125,000 housing industry professionals came to Las Vegas for the second annual Design and Construction Week that ran Jan. 18-23.
The event brought together the inaugural members - National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show (IBS), the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the International Window Coverings Expo - and added The International Surface Event and the Las Vegas Market.
Registrants had access to all five events with one badge.
The move proved to be a success. Attendance at IBS was 55,257, up eight percent compared with last year. The show also added more than 50,000 square feet up to 478,000 and featured about 250 new exhibiting companies, with a total of 1,200.
Overall, Design & Construction Week boasted 3,750 exhibitors and 4.7 million net square feet of exhibit space.
“This is the best show we’ve had since 2008,” said Geoffrey Cassidy, NAHB senior vice president of Exhibitions & Meetings Group. “The construction industry is coming back. (The launch of DCW) was the right thing to do at the right time.”
Both IBS and KBIS expanded into the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and plan to continue to grow next year.
In 2017-18, the three inaugural shows rotate to Orlando, which presents an interesting brand challenge for the Design and Construction Week event as a whole. Las Vegas Market and Surfaces are committed to Las Vegas.
“We will have to rebuild something similar there. If there are other shows that want to get under that tent, we’re interested in talking to them,” Cassidy said.
In the meantime, DCW was “mayhem” as design and construction professionals packed the halls in search of new ideas and products.
High Performance Constructions Zone at IBS was getting lots of attention as was the concept kitchen in the central lobby.
Smart technologies that used to be confined to the New American Home, a concept home built off site, have found their way into a variety of offerings on the showfloor.
From app-controlled security systems, entertainment and lighting to Google-powered Nest thermostats, elements of a connected home brought a new dimension to the shows once focused on hardware.
A 10x10 exhibit of LG Hausys Surfaces drew a crowd for a demo of its countertop TechTop that wirelessly charges cell phones. “It’s taking off like crazy,” said exhibitor Cathy Soutier. “We’ve already got three large commercial jobs with fast-food restaurant chains and hotels. Now we’re hoping that residential fabricators and designers of high-end furniture will pick up on the idea.”
Attendee Megan Robertson with a home builder MLR Properties came to scope out building materials and take classes on connected home.
She said she was glad that she could pick up new ideas from the additional shows and found the experience valuable. “It’s a lot to take in in three days but it’s great to have it all together,” Robertson added.
Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started.
Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind.
“Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for."
What’s New – AT&T Discovery District
Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall.
Hotels Coming Soon
Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond.
JW Marriott
This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar.
InterContinental Dallas
Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.
Hotel Swexan
Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.
Add new comment