Before Disneyland and Epcot Center, before travelling carnivals, local amusement parks, and modern-day convention centers, there was the great grandaddy of all entertainment destinations—the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The place was a mile long, 73 acres in size, and “midway” between Jackson Park (home to the Fair) and Washington Park.
We need to have an honest conversation about “Cognitive Dissonance.”
In psychology, it describes the mental discomfort of holding two conflicting beliefs. In our industry right now, it describes the gap between the polished fantasy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the sweaty, chaotic reality of a tradeshow floor.
Joyce Leveston brings a depth of operational expertise and global perspective to her new role as the president and CEO of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Javits Center) with more than three decades of experience in the convention center and venue management sector. Javits Center is a six-block venue on Manhattan’s West Side, right by New York City’s most up-and-coming neighborhood, Hudson Yards. As a model of reinvention, the center is a sustainability leader with a living green roof and urban wildlife habitat, as well as a national space where business, culture, and ideas intersect.
I was excited to attend ISC West at the Venetian Expo Center in Las Vegas from March 23–27. Year after year, ISC West stands as the most influential gathering in physical security, public safety, and security‑driven technology. It’s where innovation, investment, and operational strategy converge. The 2026 event once again drew tens of thousands of leaders and more than 700 exhibitors, reinforcing its role as the industry’s central marketplace.
The exhibit and event industry is expanding. The talent pipeline to sustain it may not be. That is not a workforce issue, necessarily. It is more of a visibility issue.
Most young professionals do not know this career exists. They graduate with degrees in marketing, design, communications, and business, yet few are introduced to an industry where creativity meets strategy, where logistics meets storytelling, and where real-time problem solving drives measurable business results.
Across the global exhibition industry, leadership roles—particularly at the CEO and executive level—remain predominantly held by men. While this imbalance exists worldwide, it is often more pronounced in Latin America, where cultural norms, structural barriers, and limited access to executive networks have historically slowed women’s advancement to top decision-making positions.
Have we as a culture really changed that much in 100 years? Have we really advanced as a society? Has technology really had the great impact we think it has?
Las Vegas briefs this month track two forces moving in opposite directions: big-show volume inside the halls and softer demand signals outside them. April’s calendar
San Antonio International Airport
Airport Code: SAT
Location: 9800 Airport Blvd, San Antonio, Texas
Overlooking the scenic San Antonio River Walk, the Henry B. González Convention Center (HBGCC) (900 E. Market Street) stands as a centerpiece of the city’s vibrant downtown and one of Texas’s premier event venues. Built as the San Antonio Convention Center in 1968 for Hemisfair ‘68, its name was changed in 1977 to honor Congressman Henry B. González, a respected civic leader who championed the city’s development.
“I’ll play it and tell you what it is later.” Miles Davis mutters these words into the microphone at the beginning of “If I Were A Bell” and I have never found a clearer explanation of what jazz is. It is what it is. That’s jazz. If you look at the sheet music, there are a few markings for key changes and modes, a little phrase the musicians wanted to remember, and not much else.
Opening in 1957 as the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCC) (650 S. Griffin Street) has gone through multiple expansions and a few name changes throughout the decades. Renamed the Dallas Convention Center in the 70s, the center’s final name came in 2013, in honor of former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
