The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) awarded a $975,000 contract to the Ice Agency to design and build exhibit booths for seven tradeshows aimed at drawing meetings and events to the city.
The contract, approved by the board of directors at its May 13 meeting, runs through May 21, 2026. The booth will be used at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE); Connect Marketplace; IBTM World; IAEE Expo! Expo!; PCMA Convening Leaders; and twice at IMEX Frankfurt.
The contract with U.K.-based Ice Agency comes on top of the $1.3 million awarded to Conex Exhibition Services over the last couple of years, also to build and design LVCVA tradeshow exhibit booths.
“We still use them for larger shows,” Rebecca DeLuca, LVCVA vice president of destinations, explains about Conex. “Ice Agency is for small and medium-size shows.”
Conex was selected to design a booth for IMEX America in 2023, winning the bid based on its promise of “sustainability.” Parts of the booth are repurposed for other shows, DeLuca says. However, each show has different specifications for booth size, and these companies create the booth to those specifications.
The 2,600-square-foot exhibit booth built by Conex accommodates about 30 kiosks for various Las Vegas resorts and attractions.
DeLuca describes the Ice Agency as a “high-impact firm” specializing in the design, management and production of exhibition stands and temporary pop-up retail solutions. LVCVA has contracted with the company in the past, including Routes World 2023 in Istanbul.
The Las Vegas booth not only showcases the destination’s identity; it’s specially crafted to attract attention and drive business.
“One of the most expensive things we do is building these booths,” says LVCVA Chairman Jim Gibson, who remarked that he should get into the business following the approval of a previous Conex contract.
Industry tradeshows provide opportunities to develop business for Las Vegas through lead generation and sales; networking with industry executives, meeting and event planners, and travel buyers; and gathering intelligence on industry trends and buyer needs.
LVCVA board members representing Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Las Vegas, Allegiant Travel and MGM Resorts abstained from voting on the contract, citing potential business benefits.
EXHAUST UPGRADE
The convention authority approved an $8.8 million contract for Bombard Mechanical to upgrade the North Hall exhaust system, which has exceeded its 25-year lifespan and requires extensive repairs and maintenance, Chief Financial Officer Jim McIntosh tells the board.
Bombard was chosen from three bid responses. The scope of work includes refurbishment of 22 existing air handler units, replacement of supply air fans, heating and chilled water coils, and replacement of Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes and controllers in accordance with the project specifications.
PRELIMINARY BUDGET
Chief Executive Officer Steve Hill prefaced the presentation of the FY2026 preliminary budget with a reminder that he had mentioned a 5 percent reduction in room tax revenue at the previous month’s meeting.
“It’s an environment we’re uncertain of right now,” he says of the tourism economy. “We do not predict the future. We prepare for what responsible projections might look like.”
The general fund is projected at $459 million, with $348 million coming from room taxes, $78 million from the Las Vegas Convention Center, $28 million from monorail operations, $2 million in interest and $5 million in other revenue resources.
The Authority has allocated $27 million for marketing, a 35 percent increase from the previous year, and $141 million for advertising, up 22.6 percent.
