News
Dec 19, 2016
Last week, ITE Group plc’s subsidiary, ITE Asia Exhibitions Limited, announced that the company had received approval from the Chinese Government to complete the acquisition of a 70% stake in Shanghai Gehua.
The initial consideration payable for the transaction is £9.2 million (US$11.5 million) – with £5.7 million (US$7.1 million) in cash and about 2.3 million ordinary shares. The deferred consideration will be capped at £2.6 million (US$3.3 million) and is payable in 2017 based on the audited financial performance in the year ending 31st December 2016.
Shanghai Gehua, founded in 2001, runs… more
Dec 18, 2016
The International Association of Exhibitions and Event’s Expo! Expo! showfloor was packed with tech companies serving the trade show industry, many of which launched new products to the throngs of show organizers walking the aisles.
Convention Data Services launched the company’s new business intelligence tool, Data Sense. CDS’ Data Sense helps show management visualize, analyze and understand all event data by consolidating data across one or more events into a centralized framework.
Event managers now will have the ability to not only see the complete picture of their… more
Dec 18, 2016
Imagine packing the power of 14 cell towers inside a single convention facility. That’s exactly what the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has accomplished at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Continuing its commitment to ensuring the facility is the most technologically-advanced convention center in the United States, the LVCVA has successfully launched one of the nation’s largest Neutral-Host Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) throughout the property.
Through a partnership with Cox Business/Hospitality Network and InSite Wireless Group, LLC… more
Dec 17, 2016
Freeman Vice Chair Carrie Freeman Parsons grew up in the business, and as the third generation of Freeman leaders (her grandfather is founder Buck Freeman; her father is Chairman Don Freeman), Freeman Parsons employs forward-thinking strategies that maintain the company’s reputation as an industry innovator while staying true to its core values.
Freeman Parsons has been frequently recognized by her peers and the industry at large for her outstanding contributions and achievements.
She is involved with numerous organizations and nonprofits - one passion is her involvement with… more
Dec 17, 2016
Attendee registration was an incredibly manual and time-consuming process back in 1986 when Doug Fletcher saw the need to modernize it. So, he created Convention Data Services to benefit show management, exhibitors and attendees.
Fletcher worked with a business partner who built the software that eventually led to the CDS registration platform. Yankee Dental Congress, Metalcon, Build Boston and SPIE were some of the early clients.
The company grew from two to 15 employees within a few years. Working at the Cape Cod office in those early days had the feel of a start-up company — everyone… more
Dec 16, 2016
By Elizabeth Johnson
A lot of unknowns face the exhibitions and events industry in 2017. Recently, the industry’s leading marketing experts weighed in on how trends and current events will impact the event industry in the coming year.
Kevin Miller, president and chief strategist, Frost Miller
“In 2017, we will see organizers use data more effectively for trade show marketing. Conferences and trade shows live or die by the quality of their data. Old or disorganized data about attendees and prospects yields slow or no growth. Good data—both accurate existing data and creative sources of new… more
Dec 14, 2016
Emerald Expositions is on a buying streak, snagging another show recently - the American Craft Retailers Expo (“ACRE”) from IndieMe.
“I’m so proud of how far we’ve come with the ACRE events, and what we’ve done to help all constituents within the Maker Movement,” said Nancy Vince, president of IndieMe and founder of ACRE.
She added, “The timing was right for IndieMe to focus on our online marketplace, while handing over the ACRE reins to a first-class event company that can help it grow and add value for all who exhibit and attend.”
This is the fourth recent acquisition for Emerald. They… more
Dec 13, 2016
More than 1,000 industry professionals will gather this spring at the 2017 Visionary Awards to honor these luminaries’ extraordinary contributions.
Attendees will experience an Oscars-like evening with red carpet arrival, awards show, and after party, hosted by the PCMA Education Foundation and presented in partnership with the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and Austin Convention Center.
“The event last year was an incredible success.” said Chair of the Board of Trustees, Tina Wehmeir. “We are thrilled we have the opportunity to celebrate these three extraordinary individuals who have… more
Dec 13, 2016
U.K.-based UBM bought Allworld Exhibitions, a privately-owned Asian exhibitions business operating 51 tradeshows in 11 countries and across nine industry sectors, for $485 million.
Allworld generated revenues of $97.2 million and EBITDA of $37.6 million (38.7 percent margin) during the 12 months ended 30 June 2016.
“The acquisition of Allworld is wholly in line with our Events First strategy and represents an exceptional opportunity to accelerate growth by investing in a high-quality events business,” said Tim Cobbold, UMB’s CEO.
He added, “In so doing, we cement our position as the… more
Dec 13, 2016
Detroit’s Cobo Center recently completed a $2 million technology upgrade, which included an upgraded Nortel core switch that distributes the WiFi signal and along with several new Nortel edge switches located throughout the center.
“For the visitors that use our WiFi network, these upgrades will be like moving from a one lane highway to a three lane super-speedway,” said Claude Molinari, general manager of SMG/Cobo Center.
System improvements also include upgrading WiFi access points to 802.11ac Aruba APs and increasing the number of APs to 400 throughout the facility.
The network location of… more
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact