by Calanit Atia
Pool parties were the go-to solutions as the first large-scale conferences looked for outdoor venues for their closing night soirees. MPI’s World Education Congress hosted their closing reception at the new pool deck at The Venetian Resort, and Cvent CONNECT chose Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub on the rooftop of The Cromwell Hotel (formerly the Barbary Coast, across the street from Caesars Palace). Happy to be back enjoying in-person events, the guests were laughing, eating delicious bites, dancing the night away and cooling their feet in the refreshing pool water—and were treated to a surprise flash mob of splashing swimmers at MPI’s event.
The Venetian Resort recently unveiled a dramatic redesign of its pool deck, setting a new standard in luxury and extraordinary experiences in Las Vegas. Conveniently located within The Venetian hotel tower, the new pool deck takes design cues from the Italian Riviera, including sculptural art pieces and quaint gardens, to provide the worldly look and feel of a European escape. The addition of 10 well-appointed premium poolside cabanas provides over-the-top amenities, some of which feature private plunge pools, reflecting the needs of the resort’s most discerning guests. The pristine waters of The Venetian pools evoke the charm and irresistible allure of their seaside Italian influences. The addition of daybeds and chaise lounges within the pools put guests even closer to the refreshing water. The Venetian pool deck offers several group buy-out options for events and receptions.
At the MPI event:
- The night’s theme was a “night on the Italian Riviera.” As it was the closing night celebration and a special fundraising event, more than 1,200 attendees were treated like VIP’s and offered a firsthand glimpse of the newly renovated resort pool.
- Attendees enjoyed curated cuisine and refreshing cocktails at food stations and pop-up bars that featured a menu inspired by the Amalfi coast.
- There were unique musical experiences featuring roaming instrumentalists, a DJ and a busy dance floor.
- Guests were treated to a surprise splash mob experience as organizers found a way to utilize the pools during the party.
- Throughout the duration of WEC, the MPI Foundation raised more than $130,000 from both virtual and in-person attendees. Rendezvous brought in the largest amount of funds coming in at more than $90,000.
Cvent CONNECT 2021 brought together meeting, event and hospitality professionals in a hybrid event format of virtual and in-person attendees. Approximately 1,600 in-person attendees and more than 10,000 virtual attendees tuned in for the conference. It showcased the best of both worlds, creating unparalleled experiences for both in-person and virtual attendees. To pull it all off, they put Cvent event technology solutions to work. Cvent believes that there are six foundational pillars to think through when planning a successful hybrid event: Event Marketing, Venue, Content, Community, Sponsors & Exhibitors, Data & Insights. They used this strategic framework to demonstrate the solutions they’re using and to give their users/attendees a template to create hybrid events.
For Cvent’s closing night party, they chose one of the premier homes of live nightlife entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip—Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub on the rooftop of The Cromwell Hotel. It has unparalleled views and offers an experience unlike any other Las Vegas nightclub. The 70,000-sq.ft. club features 15 luxury cabanas, 15 VIP booths, premiere bungalows, 40 plush daybeds, stunning pools, four bars and more than 7,000 sq.ft. of state-of-the-art digital LED screens. The venue’s 360-degree multi-level, indoor/outdoor experience is reinventing the way guests enjoy Las Vegas nightlife.
Both MPI and Cvent held their conferences at the new Caesars Forum, a 550,000-sq.ft. conference center, located at the center of Las Vegas Strip behind the Linq. The Forum has a total of 320,000 sq.ft. of meeting space featuring the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world, each measuring 110,000 sq.ft. Caesars Forum has direct access to 8,500 rooms at Linq, Harrah’s and Flamingo hotels, and the Forum Plaza has 100,000 sq.ft. of multi-purpose outdoor space. For more info, visit www.CaesarsMeansBusiness.com or www.CaesarsForum.com
These pool parties will be remembered and talked about for years. Our events and convention industry are back!
Calanit Atia is an award-winning event planner and entrepreneur. Air Force Veteran, founder and president of A to Z Events, Las Vegas DMC and Entertainment Agency, 2021 MPI Advisory Board Member and speaker. She can be contacted at (702) 212-2500 or Info@AtoZevents.com.
This story originally appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2021 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 18. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_sept-oct_2021
