
Jul 06, 2017
Blackstone, through funds managed by Blackstone Real Estate Partners and Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire International Market Centers (“IMC”), an owner and operator of showroom space for the furnishings, home decor and gift industries, from Bain Capital Private Equity, LP and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Fireside Investments also is expected to partner with Blackstone in the acquisition. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
At the IMC venues, there are several trade shows, including the High Point… more

Jun 13, 2017
At the 2017 Licensing Expo, held May 23-25 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the power of the brand story was evident to the more than 16,000 attendees and 406 exhibiting companies, including 185 new exhibitors.
The overall focus of the licensing industry is to help brands expand into new businesses, with licensing providing the necessary brand exposure in these new categories.
Visitors at the event were greeted by bright primary colors and an abundance of mascots and costumed characters.
According to Jessica Blue, senior vice president of UBM Americas, the first Licensing… more

Jun 13, 2017
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s Board of Directors gave final approval for the $1.4 billion expansion and renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center, paving the way for 600,000 new square feet of meeting space.
“Today marks a monumental occasion for not only the LVCVA, but also the entire destination,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, LVCVA President and CEO.
He added, “We commend the foresight of our community and state leaders for recognizing the importance of the LVCCD and we are eager to get to work! We will ensure that the LVCVA continues to provide the world-class… more

Apr 25, 2017
The ISA International Sign Expo 2017 enjoyed a record-breaking show in Las Vegas.
Held April 19-22 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the annual trade show and conference for the sign, graphics and visual communications industry broke its own attendance records, with more than 20,500 industry professionals, including just under 600 exhibitors, spanning a sold-out, 210,000 square foot showfloor.
At the time of the show’s opening, dozens of exhibiting companies remained on a waiting list, hoping to secure their spot on a packed expo floor.
Last year, the event attracted 20,044 participants… more

Mar 22, 2017
Positive vibes, robust attendance and a bustling, sold-out trade show floor added up to a record-breaking year for the International Roofing Expo, held March 1-3 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Owned and operated by Informa Exhibitions, the annual tradeshow and conference for the roofing industry drew 11,273 commercial and residential roofing construction professionals and 476 exhibitors spanning a 131,700 square foot showfloor.
“This was an amazing show to find leading-edge products, high-level education and numerous networking opportunities,” said Tracy Garcia, IRE show… more

Mar 21, 2017
Decked out with spring flowers, EXHIBITORLive 2017 offered a fresh take on attendee engagement and experiential marketing, blending ingenious design with seamless technology and thoughtful giveaways.
The 29th annual conference and expo drew approximately 6,000 trade show and event marketing professionals March 12-16 to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Among the show’s more than 200 exhibitors, the showfloor sparkled with ideas, including a wide range of innovative engagement experiences.
Czarnowski celebrated its 70th anniversary with a “Dinner Party” in an exhibit… more

Mar 16, 2017
The trade show industry is no stranger to teaming up with charities and demonstrating its commitment to social responsibility, and one recent Las Vegas-based trade show went out of its way to exemplify that dedication to helping those in need.
As the world’s largest trade show and conference for the construction industry, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE showed its solidarity with U.S. military veterans by hosting several fundraising events during its most recent event, held March 7-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Hosted charity events included a benefit concert, as well as a live and an… more

Mar 03, 2017
ConvExx, long-time show management company in the auto aftermarket space, has acquired Mobile Tech Expo from Kevin Halewood.
"Mobile Tech Expo is the premier showcase for the paintless dent repair, detailing and automotive mobile service industries, and we look forward to continuing that mission", said Chuck Schwartz, ConvExx CEO.
He added, "We understand and appreciate the Show's principles, and look to build upon what has been built as we strive to best serve the mobile automotive aftermarket."
Its founder, Kevin Halewood, will remain with ConvExx and continue as show director of Mobile… more

Feb 09, 2017
Last year was a good one for Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority’s recently released 2016 Executive Summary.
Driven by strong demand in both the leisure and convention segments, the city experienced another record-breaking year for convention attendance and visitation.
For the third year in a row, Las Vegas broke its visitation record, welcoming 42.9 million people to the destination, a 1.5% increase compared with 2015, while nearly 22,000 meetings attracted more than 6.3 million attendees to the city, a 7.1 percent increase compared to the year before… more

Feb 08, 2017
Trade shows dedicated to the poultry, beef and firearms industries have been enjoying extra boosts in attendance recently.
The Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show shattered its previous attendance record of 8,200 attendees by attracting 9,331 participants to its most recent event, held Feb.1-3 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN.
As the largest national trade show for the beef industry, the event drew 359 exhibiting companies spanning 268,000 net square feet of exhibition space. Last year, the show… more
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.