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Year in Review: 2014

2014

JANUARYJanuary-calendar

Las Vegas welcomes back NFR through 2024

Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority was all too happy to have renewed its contract and authorized nearly $2.5 million in sponsorship for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) at its January board meeting.

After 29 years, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the umbrella organization to the NFR, had initially declined an offer from Las Vegas Events to extend their multi-year contract and keep the show at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Following weeks of negotiation, Las Vegas will remain the site of the NFR for a combined 40 years between its original agreement in 1984 and its renewal through 2024.

LVCVA Chairman Tom Collins unveils plaque commemorating its partnership with PRCA.
LVCVA Chairman Tom Collins unveils plaque commemorating its partnership with PRCA.

GES named as service provider of L.A. Auto Show
Global Experience Specialists (GES) signed a multi-year agreement with the Los Angeles Auto Show as its official services and electrical provider. GES was also selected to provide audio-visual services.

EDPA launches RFP Certification Program
Following results of a survey, Exhibit Designers + Producers Association (EDPA) aimed to set a benchmark for excellence among exhibit house vendors. Introducing the EDPA RFP Certification Program , EDPA sought to provide a directory of exhibit house vendors who meet standards and best practices as determined by the association.

Based on research from Exhibit Surveys to Corporate Exhibitors conducted in 2012, there “was unanimous enthusiasm for the concept of an EDPA ‘Good Housekeeping Seal’” that would evaluate the business integrity and operational practices and capabilities of vendors.

 

FEBRUARY

February-calendar

CIC honors first CMPs with health care sub-specialty
An inaugural class of 54 CMPs now hold the Certified Meeting Professional – Health care (CMP-HC) designation, the industry’s first certification for health care meeting professionals.

Offered as a beta exam in November and December 2013, the 54 CMPs passed the exam and displayed the specific knowledge required to manage health care meetings. CMP-HC is a subspecialty of the CMP program; only those who have already earned their CMP are eligible to pursue the CMP-HC.

EuroShop 2014 breaks previous records
Two thirds of EuroShop visitors traveled to Düsseldorf, Germany, from abroad with significantly higher numbers from overseas – both from North, Central and South America as well as from Asia. Delegations of large retail chains from Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the U.S. and China were welcomed at the retail show. A total of 109,000 visitors from 110 countries were represented.

EuroShop 2014 surpasses 100,000 visitors.
EuroShop 2014 surpasses 100,000 visitors.

International CES 2014 show was its largest
Announcing its 2014 show was its largest by far, officials with International CES said more than 150,000 were in attendance. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in January, CES staff said a record 2 million net square feet of exhibit space was provided, housing more than 3,200 exhibitors.

 

MARCHMarch-calendar

SMG implements changes in Pennsylvania venue
Managing Pennsylvania Convention Center since December 2013, SMG implemented changes and best practices at the venue while enhancing customer experience.

Changes implemented by SMG to improve the customer experience included establishing a new Labor Services Team working with streamlined work rules and a hands-on labor management; expanding the Center’s Event Services Team with additional floor managers; establishing a Production Services Department to provide customers with a seamless and cost-effective experience in A/V and high-end production; and providing an expanded management presence with a manager on duty for major events.
GES offering in-house A/V services
Global Experience Specialists (GES) will offer audio visual services. Initially introduced at IAEE’s Expo! Expo! in December 2013, GES made it official at EXHIBITOR2014 held Mar. 16-20 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Driven by client request, in-house audio visual services and production is being added for efficiency, according to officials.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2014 officially largest North American tradeshow
Held every three years, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2014 was crowned the largest tradeshow in North America for its colossal footprint and even larger draw. Co-located with IFPE at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the construction tradeshow takes longer to install and dismantle than to exhibit.

Totaling 43 days between installation and dismantling and actual show hours, the international construction industry education and exhibit brought in nearly 130,000 attendees in four days, achieving the second-highest attendance in its history. Twenty-five percent were international visitors hailing from 124 countries, mainly from Latin America, China, Canada, and Europe.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG requires 40 days from move-in to move-out.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG requires 40 days from move-in to move-out.

 

 

APRILApril-calendar

Tradeshow Logic launches disaster-preparedness service
Tradeshow Logic added disaster-preparedness planning to its growing menu of meeting, event and tradeshow services. Offerings include Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Plans for destination marketing organizations and individual entities as well as disaster preparedness planning education seminars for groups and associations.

Las Vegas ranked No. 1 for 20th year
Named the No. 1 tradeshow destination for the 20th consecutive year, Las Vegas received top honors from Trade Show News Network’s (TSNN) “2013 TSNN Top 250 Trade Shows in the United States” list for hosting 53 of the largest shows.

The coveted list by Trade Show News Network represents the top 250 trade shows held in the country in 2013, ranked by net square footage. Las Vegas encompassed 20,113,046 net square feet, or 31.2 percent, of the total space for all 250 shows. International CES was the largest single show held in Las Vegas at more than 1.9 million square feet.

Beating out its two closest competitors, Las Vegas outranked Chicago with 29 shows and Orlando hosting 24. In 2013, the destination held more than 22,000 meetings, welcomed 5.1 million delegates, produced an economic impact of $7.4 billion and supported 61,200 jobs.

LVCVA, manager of Las Vegas Convention Center, reported uptick in 2013 convention business.
Las Vegas leads the pack as top tradeshow destination for 20th year.

 
MAYMay-calendar

IFES World Summit 2014 in India for first time
For the first time ever, International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) announced it would host its World Summit in Delhi, India. The May 30-June 1, 2014, summit would lay special focus on specific industry-related knowledge of the Indian market and implementing environmentally responsible practices.

IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum breaks records
IAEE confirmed another successful Women’s Leadership Forum, held May 13-14 at the Washington Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. Debuting last year, the Forum sold out to an audience consisting of more than 100 women at all stages of their careers who attended a variety of education sessions.

Smooth move out under new Philly work rules
With two less unions, move out of the 2014 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology conference, the world’s largest industrial biotechnology event for business leaders, investors and policy makers, went smoothly at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on May 15.

Authorities ID and escort unauthorized workers off show floor at Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Pennsylvania Convention Center recovers from union strike over new work rules.

While the show’s opening on May 12 was met with picketing by Local 107 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters against newly instituted work-rule changes at the facility, all other unions continued their work as scheduled with the exception of the Teamsters and Local 8 of the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters.

On May 5, the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority issued an ultimatum to ensure all six unions signed the revised Customer Satisfaction Agreement, which provides expanded customer rights. By May 6, only four of the unions conceded to the new work rules. The Carpenters continued the protest they started on May 1.

In its 11th year, the conference was exhibiting for the first time at the facility. Reporting that attendees were not disrupted by the picketing, the conference overall seemed unaffected by the absence of the Teamsters and Carpenters’ unions.

 

JUNE

June-calendar

Exhibitions industry takes over the hill
IAEE launched the first-ever Exhibitions Day, an industry-wide effort to educate federal legislators, helping them to understand the impact of regulatory decisions on the exhibitions and events industry. Held Jun. 16-17 in Washington, D.C., the event was developed in collaboration with multiple industry organizations, including CEIR, EDPA, ESCA, IAVM, SISO and the U.S. Travel Association, working to develop and support this critical initiative to ensure members’ voices are heard by legislators.

Orbus completes Ill. consolidation and relocation
Orbus Exhibit & Display Group, one of North America’s leading trade suppliers of display, exhibit and event solutions, announced June 25 that the company’s Illinois-based facilities in Niles and Bolingbrook, Ill., consolidated and relocated into a new, custom-built 350,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Woodridge, Ill. In preparation for the expansion, Orbus added 47 new employees to its roster from January to June.

The Orbus team outside their new Woodridge, Ill., facility.
The Orbus team outside their new Woodridge, Ill., facility.

EDPA forms local chapters in three markets
Under the leadership of Dave Flory, ‎director of national accounts and exhibit house sales, CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings, the EDPA Chapter Development Committee announced the formation of three local U.S. chapters in the Northeast, Florida and Southern California.

Founded in 1954, the organization’s mission is to advance the interests of members engaged in the design, production and service of exhibits, events and experiential environments. Collaboration between chapters ensures relevant industry information reaches every member of the organization.

Underway are chapter formations in the Northeastern in New England, and the Florida and Southern California markets.

 

JULY

July-calendar

Prime EES and Absolute open office inside McCormick Place
Absolute Production Services and Prime Electrical & Exhibition Services opened a new office at McCormick Place in Chicago on July 21. The onsite office allows the service providers to immediately cater to customers’ needs while also providing cost-effective price points.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EXHIBIT CITY NEWS!
Exhibit City News celebrated our 20th Anniversary milestone at E2MA’s Red Diamond Congress. The celebration included an evening of bowling, bocce and Italian/American cuisine at Pinstripes, located near Oak Brook Hills Resort, the host hotel for the RDC.Happy-Birthday-ECN

Republican National Convention selects Cleveland for 2016
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus announced July 8 that Cleveland was recommended by the GOP’s site selection committee to host the political party’s 2016 convention. The city last hosted a presidential convention in 1936.

To be put up to a vote in August, the convention is set to begin either June 28 or July 28 of 2016 once negotiations with Cleveland representatives are finalized.

 

AUGUST

August-calendar Industry associations disapprove San Diego Convention Center ruling
While San Diego Convention Center may be celebrating its victory on Aug. 15 when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld its right to retain exclusive in-house cleaning services, leading industry associations are voicing their condemnation of the decision.

United National Maintenance, a vendor of tradeshow cleaning services, originally brought a lawsuit against San Diego Convention Center Corp. in November 2007 for violating antitrust laws when the facility instituted a policy in July of that year mandating that it would be the exclusive provider of cleaning services staffing within its facility.

SISO, ESCA and IAEE spoke out against the ruling requiring show organizers to use the facility’s exclusive services in a publically released statement signed by Lew Shomer, executive director, SISO; Larry Arnaudet, executive director, ESCA; and David DuBois, president and CEO, IAEE.

SISO, ESCA and IAEE joined forces against an appellate court ruling for exclusivity in San Diego.
SISO, ESCA and IAEE joined forces against an appellate court ruling for exclusivity in San Diego.

E2MA protests EAC fee at Construct Show
E2MA has sent a letter of protest, along with a copy of its White Paper on Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) Fees, to Hanley Wood, show management for the Construct show running Sept. 9-12 at Baltimore Convention Center. In dispute is a $200 fee that Hanley Wood is charging EACs for each exhibitor they are servicing at the tradeshow.

The organization believed Hanley Wood’s policy should be reconsidered for several reasons: The policy ultimately penalizes exhibitors selecting their own contractors, 98 percent of all show managers have effectively managed their events that contain similar numbers of EACs without charging fees and fees don’t solve the problem if show management has any issues with EACs.

Cox doubles Internet speed at Las Vegas Convention Center
Doubling the speed of three tiers of its wired Internet packages available to exhibitors, show management and other users at the Las Vegas Convention Center is Cox Business/Hospitality Network, a provider of telecommunications to the commercial services and gaming-resort verticals. While the Internet speed is doubling, there will be no additional costs for the faster service, creating an immediate value to end-users of the wired high-speed Internet product.

 

SEPTEMBERSeptember-calendar

GES A/V services expand globally with acquisition of UK-based Blitz Communications
GES announced on Sept. 17 the acquisition of Blitz Communications, a leading audio visual (AV) services provider for the live events industry in the UK and continental Europe.

GES' acquisition expanded A/V services to the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
GES’ acquisition expanded A/V services to the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

E2MA first to achieve ASTM exhibitor standard
E2MA became the first event and conference organization to be certified to the international sustainable meeting standard for exhibitors. The APEX/ASTM standards promote responsible environmental and social practices in the event industry. E2MA achieved Level One certification to the APEX/ASTM Standard pertaining to Exhibits, Exhibitors and Suppliers for Environmentally Sustainable Meetings, Events, Trade Shows, and Conferences (E2742-11).

EDPAF introduced Grantor ‘Good Works’ Program
In 2013, the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association Foundation (EDPAF) introduced the Grantor Program as a means of funding EDPAF “Good Works” programs. EDPAF “Good Works” consists of three industry specific programs including the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic, Industry Family Scholarship and Partner School Scholarships.

 

OCTOBEROctober-calendar

GWCC becomes world’s largest LEED certified convention center
Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. GWCC is now the world’s largest LEED certified convention center and the 14th largest LEED certified building in the world at 3.9 million square feet. LEED is a rating system for the design, operation and maintenance of green buildings.

IAEE updates display rules and regulations guide
IAEE updated its Guidelines for Display Rules and Regulations to promote continuity and consistency among North American exhibitions and events. This revised 2014 edition is a resource for exhibition and event organizers to use in creating consistent and fair exhibiting standards for their events. It is the model for most domestic exhibitions and events and therefore recommended that exhibition and event organizers include a copy in the exhibition or event prospectus and/or exhibitor rules and regulations.

‘The Randy’ celebrates 20 years of giving back
With tears in her eyes, the widow of the late Randy Smith was both saddened and humbled that her husband’s tragedy, a former IDEAS employee, brought out hundreds from the industry to both honor his memory and provide support for industry members and their families who suffered similar hardships.

Co-founders Rich Johnson and Ted Peterson equally felt touched and overcome by the record participation 20 years later.

Held Oct. 10 at Chateau Elan Golf Course in Braselton, Ga., the Smith family, including Randy’s first granddaughter, Emmalyn Grace Smith, gathered for the 20th annual Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic (RSMGC). Forty-two sponsors and 26 teams participated in this year’s historic outing for 12 total recipients.

"The Randy" celebrates its 20th year of giving back to the exhibition industry.
“The Randy” celebrates its 20th year of giving back to the exhibition industry.

 

 

NOVEMBERNovember-calendar

Hanley Wood Exhibitions sold to UK-based Informa
Hanley Wood Exhibitions, formerly part of the diversified enterprise Hanley Wood, was sold to the UK- based publishing and events company Informa PLC for $375 million.

Upon the closing of the transaction, the Exhibitions business will be rebranded Informa Exhibitions U.S. and will include 17 tradeshows, such as World of Concrete and The International Surface Event.

Hanley Wood and Informa PLC will enter into a long-term partnership agreement under which Hanley Wood will continue to provide editorial and marketing support for Exhibitions events.

GWCC becomes world’s largest LEED certified convention center
Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility became the world’s largest LEED certified convention center and the 14th largest LEED certified building in the world at 3.9 million square feet.

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority created an internal “sustainability committee” to explore sustainable options for the facility in 2005. Educating staff and implementing a paper recycling program were two of the team’s initial focuses. The center has been able to make substantial changes including waste diversion and energy conservation.

GWCC claims title as the world's largest LEED-certified convention center.
GWCC claims title as the world’s largest LEED-certified convention center.

 

 

DECEMBERDecember-calendar

Northeastern cities considered for 2016 DNC convention
Among the finalists for the 2016 Democratic National Convention are Columbus, Ohio; New York City; and Philadelphia. Birmingham, Ala., and Phoenix lost their bids to host the liberal party convention.

Eyeing the nation’s Northeast region for the next presidential campaign, officials stated the convention would take place during the weeks of July 18, July 25 or Aug. 22.

Columbus, Ohio, is located in a key swing state, but faces stiff competition from New York City, which has a financial stronghold, and Philadelphia, which offers convenience for delegates.

The Democratic National Convention committee considers Northeastern U.S. for its 2016 presidential campaign
The Democratic National Convention committee considers Northeastern U.S. for its 2016 presidential campaign

IAEE and EXHIBITOR launch program for show organizers
Exhibitor Media Group, owner and organizer of the annual EXHIBITORLIVE tradeshow, partnered with International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) to give show organizers an opportunity to help exhibitors and prospects participate in EXHIBITORLIVE, formerly known as EXHIBITOR Show.

The affiliate program provides an IAEE-member show organizer with a custom URL that is shared with their exhibitors and prospects, providing them with a 10 percent session discount for EXHIBITORLIVE.
exhibits, conventions, tradeshows, tradeshow news, exhibit news, convention news, booths, meetings

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