By Ray Smith, Exhibit City News
Keeping Las Vegas at the forefront of decision-making minds in the meetings and events industry amounts to an expensive proposition.
It’ll cost nearly $1 million for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to exhibit at IMEX America, a major tradeshow coming to Mandalay Bay Convention Center in October.
At its July 9 regular meeting, LVCVA’s board of directors approved a $528,000 contract with Miami-based Conex Exhibition Services to design and build an exhibit booth for IMEX America, in addition to a $372,000 agreement with IMEX Group for exhibition floor space.
Rebecca Deluca, vice president of destination sales for LVCVA, says the mere presence of the tourism agency’s exhibit booth, joined by 15 hotel partners, fosters a certain amount of respect at IMEX America.
The tradeshow is coming to Las Vegas for the 13th year, bringing together travel buyers and meeting planners from corporations, associations and third-party markets. It’s an appointment-based show and set an attendance record with more than 15,000 last year, including 5,346 buyers.
LVCVA board member Cedric Crear questioned the expenditure, recalling that the booth was built by Conex last year and touted for its sustainability and cost savings.
“A half-million (dollars) here and a half-million there, and we only use them one time,” Crear said. “It seems any organization would find a system that’s reusable.”
Lisa Messina, chief sales officer, answered that the booth can be used for five years, and most of the fee goes toward warehouse storage, transportation to the show, installation and dismantling, and other costs.
There is “internal dialogue” to bring the booth’s build and design in-house as costs rise and once the five-year life expires, she added.
EXPO! EXPO!
The board authorized spending $292,500 for the LVCVA exhibition booth at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) meeting and exposition taking place Aug. 10-12 at Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, and for the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) Expo! Expo! taking place Dec. 17-19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The contract is with Houston-based Pure Creative Solutions.
ASAE 2023 saw more than 5,000 in total attendance with a strong ratio of 65 percent buyers and 35 percent sellers. Expo! Expo! is the gateway to decision-makers for the $100 billion B2B exhibitions industry.
FIRE ALARM UPGRADE
The board authorized a $2.2 million contract with Pope Technologies to upgrade the fire alarm system and install emergency radio communications at Las Vegas Convention Center. Pope Technologies installed the West Hall fire alarm system. The expense was not included in the LVCC’s $600 million renovation budget, which has now climbed to $630 million.
RENOVATION UPDATE
Chief Operating Officer Brian Yost gave a brief summary on the progress of the Phase 3 LVCC renovation project. Structural steel is being installed in front of the convention center, with a topping-off ceremony scheduled for Aug. 13. The lobby atrium is taking shape, its volume quite evident as seen from Paradise Road. The glazed exterior wall also commands attention, Yost said.
A new escalator is being installed in the North Hall, along with carpet in the meeting rooms and LED lighting. Roof work includes installation of a new “air handling unit,” Yost added.
