Collaboration Powers Miami Beach Event Success
by Chris Kappes, Exhibit City News
In the heart of Miami and South Florida, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) stands as a testament to the power of collaboration. Here, venue management, labor, and contractors work in harmony to create memorable experiences for exhibitors and attendees alike. This unique synergy is the cornerstone of the center’s success, setting it apart as a world-class destination for large-scale events.
Originally built in 1958 for $4 million, the MBCC has expanded three times, fueled by interest and growth in business and consumer events, global tourism, and corporate relocations. Located on a 25-acre campus in the heart of Miami Beach, the MBCC hosts approximately 600,000 guests per year attending events such as Art Basel, Miami International Boat Show, Florida International Medical Expo (FIME), Supercon, and others. The MBCC is one of the most technologically advanced convention centers and was recently named one of the top 30 convention centers by the Wall Street Journal.
“Our most recent $640 million expansion, funded by the City of Miami Beach, allowed us to grow our overall exhibition space to 1.4 million square feet to better serve the eighty events we host each year,” said Freddie Peterson, MBCC General Manager, Oak View Group.
But this growth would not have happened were it not for a unified effort by venue management, labor, and contractors. “We work together, as one,” said JC Garcia, Emeritus, Rep, Sign & Display Local Union 1175. “The collaborative efforts started about sixty years ago. We are not about opposition, but about working together. We have the collective power to give exhibitors the best experience.”
Anthony Montanaro of the Vista Convention Services echos that sentiment. “It’s great to see that in the Southeast, labor really wants the shows to come back and be successful year after year.”
Peterson adds that the compactness and familiarity of the team contribute to their success. “We all know one another, and if you don’t get the back of the house right, the front of the house doesn’t happen. It’s all about teamwork.”
The Recipe for Success
Peterson describes three things as the recipe for their success. “I always share that our business is about relationships, partnerships, and friendships,” he explains. “When show organizers make the decision to bring their event to the MBCC, they are met with a unified team. External forces, such as the local hospitality industry, GMCVB, GMBHA, and industry organizations PCMA, IAVM, ESCA and others also influence what we do, next to our F&B venue partner Sodexo Live! and our technology partners. When you get here, you get a total package.”
This total package also includes what Peterson calls the 4 Cs: calm, cool, collected, and communicate responsibly. “We really go out of our way as a group to foster these attributes both internally and externally.”
Building the Future Workforce
It’s widely acknowledged and reported that approximately 30 percent of the labor workforce left during COVID-19 and didn’t return to the live event industry. The result has been a nationwide gap in skilled and experienced labor. This loss impacted all the convention centers under the jurisdiction of Garcia and team, from Key West to Palm Beach. “Post-Covid, the event business has taken off like a rocket,” said Darrell Starks, IUPAT 1175 Business Representative. “Workforce development is key to serving our growing event business.” Garcia stresses the importance of education and recruiting the next generation workforce. “We’re competing for talent and attend senior days at local high schools to share that trades are an excellent alternative to college. In fact, there are trade schools that pay for training, and you can earn six figures in some trades when you graduate.”
“After the pandemic, scaling up quickly was somewhat difficult and that’s where collaboration became very important. We had to make it happen and we produced spectacular events together,” said Rich Curran, Expo Convention Contractors. “Miami is competing with other cities so we must promote what we do and share information about the quality and caliber of events we produce.”
The MBCC, in cooperation with the local hospitality industry, universities, colleges, schools and City of Miami Beach, is also taking an active role in promoting event industry job opportunities.
Quantifying Value
With a market size of 234 convention centers in the U.S., competition to host events is fierce. Besides presenting a unified event team, quantifying value has been key to MBCC success in attracting new events. “We survey all of our event organizers and share results in quarterly reviews with labor, venue management, and contractors,” said Peterson. “It provides insights into the positive aspects, negatives and areas of indifference, and our task is to enhance performance to level-up across the board. Our teams want to know the performance gaps and we discuss ways to improve. We don’t put problems on the shelf. Areas requiring improvement must be actionable. We focus on innovative practices, safety and security, digital upgrades, and sustainability. Reputation management is key to generate economic impact for the destination.”
A Legacy of Excellence
In Miami Beach, the mantra “teamwork makes the dream work” is more than just a saying; it’s the driving force behind the success of contractors, labor, and venue management. Through strong relationships, continuous training, and a commitment to excellence, the MBCC remains a beacon of collaboration and a model for the events industry.
This story originally appeared in the Q3 2024 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 62. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_q3_2024/62.
