News
Feb 22, 2022
Rob Svedberg understands what it takes to design a convention center able to meet the evolving needs of the global events industry. As a principal at leading architectural design firm tvsdesign, where he has worked for almost three decades, the Atlanta-based architect’s projects have included the expansion of New York’s Javits Center, Mumbai’s Jio World Centre and the Puerto Rico Convention Center, as well as the expansion and transformation of Nashville’s Music City Center and the Las Vegas Convention Center, including its new West Hall.
An in-demand industry speaker known for his… more
Feb 21, 2022
The Las Vegas hospitality community became a little greener recently with the announcement from Resorts World Las Vegas, the Strip’s newest resort, that all three of its hotel brands—Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts—have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, encompassing 3.9 million square feet of real estate.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED certification is considered the benchmark in the green building industry, providing building owners and operators with a framework… more
Feb 18, 2022
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, grabbed everyone’s attention when he said he envisioned Dreamforce being an “always-on” type of event in the future—similar to a news channel like CNN. Asynchronous events "go live" at a specific date and time but offer a much longer event experience. Here are three benefits of delivering asynchronous event experiences:
Deliver evergreen and continuously evolving content: Imagine a session going live in the U.S. in Eastern Time and then people from other geographies discussing the learning in their respective time zones!Event organizers will now have the… more
Feb 18, 2022
As the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the event industry from in-person to virtual and hybrid over the past two years, a new challenge emerged: a lack of measurement standards for digital events. Enter global assurance provider BPA Worldwide, which formed a working group of 15 representatives from all segments of the industry to tackle the issue and create the newly launched Reporting Standards for Digital Events (RSDE).
RSDE, a standardized set of 17 data tables and glossary terms, is designed to benefit the entire industry, including event organizers, exhibitors and digital event platform (DEP… more
Feb 17, 2022
The rush to rebuild staff and grow leadership teams at trade show and event-related organizations continues full speed ahead as companies, associations and CVBs anticipate a more robust 2022. Take a look!
UFI
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, appointed international event management veteran Adeline Vancauwelaert as COO, effective Feb. 22. Working out of the organization’s Paris headquarters, she joins UFI from France-based global exhibition organizer Comexposium, where she served as event director and played a leading role in strategic positioning, team management and… more
Feb 16, 2022
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) kicked off 2022 on an overwhelmingly positive note, with its hotly anticipated ASI Show Orlando drawing 3,000 supplier and distributor professionals who were excited to reunite and make valuable in-person connections.
Held Jan. 4-6 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), ASI Show Orlando featured a busy showfloor with more than 500 booths spotlighting the top in-stock products of 2022 as well as education, a powerful panel discussion and numerous networking opportunities. The show attracted distributors from across the country, including 800… more
Feb 15, 2022
U.S. Travel Association leaders outlined a path forward during the organization’s annual State of the Industry Address on Feb. 2, which highlighted the progress made since March 2020, while emphasizing critical areas of importance to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels—including business travel and face-to-face events.
“The worst of the pandemic is truly behind us, but there is a lot of work ahead,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow, underscoring the $730 billion in cumulative travel spending losses since the pandemic began.
While the domestic leisure travel segment has largely… more
Feb 14, 2022
Look around at many organizations these days, and you’ve probably noticed a fair share launching corporate programs dedicated to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), an umbrella term for policies, programs, strategies and practices that promote the representation and participation of individuals of different ages, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures and sexual orientations. But to drive an authentic culture of inclusion and belonging, it takes a special person who can not only lead the charge but also remain passionately committed to creating… more
Feb 11, 2022
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has always been a showcase of thought leadership in exhibit design, and CES 2022, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in January, delivered next-level brand experiences that prove the value of in-person engagement.
From highly interactive installations to customizable activations that blended metaverse with reality, there was no shortage of creativity and revolutionary tech to help brands and attendees build meaningful connections.
If the entire show served as a blueprint for holding trade shows in the current climate, many of the exhibit designs at… more
Feb 11, 2022
As the industry continues to emerge from the pandemic and increasingly hold in-person gatherings, ASM Global, featuring the largest portfolio of convention centers, arenas, stadiums and theaters in the world, will hold an ambitious, three-day virtual job fair to hire 1,000 employees at 100 of its venues.
The international, collaborative event, titled ASM Presents: The Next Great Opportunity, will take place online Feb. 15-17, with representation from venues in the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
Aimed at addressing the global staffing shortages that have challenged the… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.