News
Jan 20, 2023
Meet AC, Atlantic City's destination, meetings and events marketing organization, rebranded as Visit Atlantic City to enhance the destination's appeal among event professionals as an ideal place to gather for business while also experiencing all that it has to offer.
The initiative comes on the heels of a successful 2022 in terms of meetings, conventions and trade shows, and the organization is eyeing another positive year of business for 2023.
As Atlantic City is going through a major reinvestment to create a safer, culturally rich and sustainable community, the time was ripe for the… more
Jan 20, 2023
The Seattle Convention Center (SCC) is gearing up to host opening celebrations on Jan. 25 for Summit, its $2 billion high-rise convention center in downtown Seattle. With 573,770 square feet of event space, the addition nearly doubles the capacity of the SCC.
Summit features 62 meeting rooms, a 58,000-square-foot, column-free and divisible ballroom with 3,900 suspended planks of reclaimed wood, 248,450 square feet of exhibit space, 140,700 square feet of naturally lit lobby space and the 14,000-square-foot outdoor Garden Terrace. Covering 1.5 million square feet, Summit and SCC’s… more
Jan 19, 2023
Event Tech Live (ETL), which was founded 10 years ago and has been held annually in London, is revving up for its grand in-person entrance in the U.S. with a Las Vegas edition this spring—the only conference and exhibition in the country focused exclusively on event technology.
Registration is now open for Event Tech Live, Las Vegas, which will take place April 26-27 at The Expo at World Market Center. As with Event Tech Live, London, which this year is set for Nov. 15-16 at ExCeL, London, the Las Vegas edition is dedicated to bringing global event professionals together to experience and… more
Jan 17, 2023
Following the swearing-in of the new Congress on Jan. 3, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) announced its public policy priorities for 2023, reflected upon its advocacy accomplishments over its first two years and encouraged industry professionals to join its annual Legislative Action Day, which is returning to an in-person format this year in Washington, DC.
Founded in early 2021, ECA is an advocacy group for the face-to-face business events industry, designed to champion and support its recovery and advancement with legislators on Capitol Hill and in states and cities… more
Jan 16, 2023
A leading hospitality partner and a top exhibition industry organization announced some major leadership changes recently.
Sodexo Live!
Sodexo Live! tapped proven international business leader Belinda Oakley as its new CEO, North America. Bringing two decades of foodservice management experience to her new role, Oakley is responsible for leading more than 20,000 team members at more than 150 partner venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Oakley replaces outgoing CEO Steve Pangburn, who will stay on with the company to help with the transition in an advisory capacity through the end of… more
Jan 13, 2023
ExpoPlatform, which uses AI-powered solutions to build events, communities and marketplaces across in-person, virtual and hybrid channels, unveiled the Event Tech Forecast 2023. The report focuses on how the digital evolution of the industry will shape businesses this year and features exclusive findings from professionals and expert insights from top contributors.
The four sections of the report include:
The amount of annual revenue expected to come from digital channels
The biggest windows of opportunity for event technology
The most important challenges facing event… more
Jan 12, 2023
Long-time trade show industry veteran Martin C. ("Skip") Farber passed away Jan. 4 in Los Angeles.
Farber worked for many years in both the business-to-business events and media worlds. Starting his career with Security World in 1974, he held leadership positions at Cahners Publishing, Reed Exhibitions, Reed Publishing USA, and Advanstar.
The capstone of his career was his acquisition in 2006 of the World Shoe Association, a business he ultimately sold to a portfolio company of private equity firm Forstmann Little & Co.
Following that transaction, Skip co-founded Carlin Capital… more
Jan 12, 2023
The 2023 edition of the world’s most influential tech event, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which took place in Las Vegas Jan. 5-8, exceeded its own expectations and returned to six-digit attendance for the first time since the pandemic.
Spanning nearly 2.2 million net square feet of exhibit space (1.4 million in 2022), CES featured 3,200 exhibitors (2,300 in 2022), including 1,000 new exhibitors, and welcomed 115,000 attendees (45,000 in 2022), making it the largest audited global tech event since early 2020. With 40,000 international attendees heralding from 140 countries, it also… more
Jan 09, 2023
PCMA announced several major acquisitions, alliances and partnerships designed to forge a path forward for the global business events industry while furthering its role as a leading platform for meeting and trade show professionals. The announcements were made on the first day of Convening Leaders 2023, taking place Jan. 8-11 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. At a press conference, PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat outlined the association’s strategic plan, which is based on four foundational pillars supported by various key initiatives.
“As of today… more
Jan 09, 2023
As the trade show industry kicks off 2023, event-related organizations across the U.S. are welcoming new executives and promoting staff as they prepare for a year of growth, strong demand and continued post-pandemic recovery. Check them out!
Baltimore Convention Center
After a nationwide search, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has nominated certified venue professional Mac Campbell as the new executive director of the Baltimore Convention Center. His appointment follows the Sept. 1 retirement of Peggy Daidakis after 49 years of service to the City of Baltimore.
Campbell began his career… 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.