May 15, 2018
As part of its contribution to the campaign to fight the global crime of human trafficking, MGM Resorts International recently awarded $250,000 to the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University.
Founded in 2012 and inspired by the public service of Senator John McCain and his family, the nonpartisan think tank will use the gift to fund several initiatives designed to aid the vulnerable population of homeless youth and provide prevention measures.
“We are so grateful for the support of MGM Resorts International,” said Cindy H. McCain, who serves on McCain… more
May 10, 2018
GES recently reported its first-quarter 2018 earnings results in which revenues dropped 15.8 percent from $318 million in 2017 to $268 million during the same period this year.
Steve Moster, GES’ parent company – Viad - president and CEO, said, “GES delivered solid results, with continued same-show growth that partially offset significant negative show rotation. We remain focused on driving in-sourcing benefits and pursuing additional cross-sell opportunities from our ON Services audio-visual production business and capturing additional share in the corporate event space.”
He added, “I… more
May 10, 2018
Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo to Collocate with Healthy Food Expo West and Coffee Fest L.A.
The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, Healthy Food Expo West and Coffee Fest Los Angeles are gearing up to take place alongside each other Aug. 19-21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
According to Clarion UX officials, one registration will give industry professionals access to all three trade shows and conferences for the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industries.
“We are thrilled to be bringing three leading events together for the first time so buyers looking for new products and services for their foodservice establishments can find everything under one roof,”… more
May 09, 2018
Tech giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Google were among some of the brightest minds to converge at the annual IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP), held April 16-20 at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
As the world’s largest and most comprehensive technical conference focused on signal processing and its applications, the 43rdedition of ICASSP attracted 2,300 attendees and 28 high-caliber exhibitors spanning 21,000 square feet of expo space.
Touting the theme “Signal Processing and Artificial… more
May 08, 2018
In a move that CEO Tom Baugh has labeled as “highly strategic,” B2C home shows producer, Marketplace Events, has purchased three Atlanta-based home shows from SEMCO Productions.
The events include the Spring Atlanta Home Show and the Fall Atlanta Home Show & Outdoor Living Expo, held annually at the Cobb Galleria Centre, as well as the North Atlanta Home Show & Outdoor Living Expo, which takes place at the Infinite Energy Center in Gwinnett County.
“For more than 40 years, SEMCO has been synonymous with Atlanta and home shows” Baugh explained.
He continued, “The Atlanta market is… more
May 03, 2018
GES has named Jay Altizer president of its North America division, effective May 14.
Altizer will lead GES’ exhibition and exhibit program business in the U.S. and Canada, with a focus on accelerating growth.
He brings extensive management experience, including operational excellence, business development and product innovation.
Altizer successfully has led teams at Dean Foods, PepsiCo and Bain & Company.
Altizer will report directly to Steve Moster, president of GES, and president and CEO of Viad.
“Jay has distinguished himself throughout his career as a strategic and creative… more
May 03, 2018
Enterprise event management company Cvent has announced that it will acquire mobile event app provider QuickMobile. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of May 2018.
The addition of QuickMobile's technology will help Cvent expand its Event Cloud Platform's mobile capabilities, providing mobile apps for events of all sizes.
Together, the organizations will:
Serve more than 25,500 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 100
Deliver 16.7 million app downloads
Offer over 950 product support professionals to ensure customer success
Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Cvent,… more
Apr 29, 2018
While planning an event in an industry, show organizers quickly learn the leading voices of that industry. These voices influence large communities and offer a type of credibility brands themselves cannot. As a result, marketers have quickly engaged in “influencer marketing campaigns.”
“Influencers are a class of individuals who naturally attract emulation by their behaviors, relationships or opinions,” said Tamar Beck, CEO of Gleanin, an influencer marketing platform.
Ed Several, senior vice president of Reed Exhibitions-Americas, defines event influencers as any attendee or exhibiting… more
Apr 26, 2018
In a continuing effort to enhance its international business relationships, World Trade Center Las Vegas recently signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) at the 49thWorld Trade Center Association General Assembly in the Netherlands with host World Trade Center Leeuwarden, World Trade Center Twente and World Trade Center Denver.
The agreements encourage Las Vegas to co-market with the three cities under the WTCA’s expansive brand to create access to key trade information and market research as well as facilitate business trade missions around the world.
“Following a record-breaking… more
Apr 25, 2018
An event provides one of the most powerful opportunities for sponsors to get their brand and message out in a face-to-face environment. For event organizers, sponsorships can help offset costs, increase revenue, enhance the attendee experience and strengthen partnerships.
To help clients increase the value, efficiency and impact of their live events, GES has launched GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales. Announced on Apr. 10, the new program enhances the company’s sponsorship program offerings.
“We’ve blended decades of experience in live event marketing and domain knowledge with the… 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