News
Oct 09, 2023
The Events Industry Council (EIC), the global voice of the business events industry, recently unveiled its Q2 2023 Global Events Barometer, which reveals a second consecutive quarterly uptick in hotel room nights and business event requests for proposals (RFPs).
The 2023 Global Economic Significance of Business Events Study, which EIC released in May, demonstrated the ongoing recovery of global business events from the impact of the pandemic. A vital aspect of this study involves understanding the industry’s recovery trajectory and its future direction, according to EIC officials.
A… more
Oct 05, 2023
Omni Hotels & Resorts is continuing to expand into new U.S. cities while elevating existing luxury properties to meet the ever-changing needs of leisure and business guests, including corporate meetings groups. Take a look!
Omni Raleigh Hotel
Omni Hotels & Resorts will soon be debuting in Raleigh, NC. On Sept. 19, the Raleigh City Council voted to direct staff to enter into negotiations with the hotel and resort company to develop a much-anticipated convention hotel in the city’s downtown. Expected to open in 2027, the Omni Raleigh Hotel will be built on a more than one-acre lot… more
Oct 05, 2023
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off the 10th annual Meta Connect developer conference on Sept. 27 at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. At the company’s first in-person conference since the start of the pandemic, Zuckerberg told the audience of developers, employees and journalists that Meta is “focused on building the future of human connection.”
Registration for the in-person Connect conference was limited, but the event was open to the public virtually. The in-person experience included access to the networking events and demos. As mentioned, this year’s Connect is an in-… more
Oct 03, 2023
Las Vegas welcomed a groundbreaking addition to its bustling entertainment landscape with the official opening of the Sphere on Sept. 29, kicking off with a performance by the iconic band U2. Sphere is a next-generation, immersive state-of-the art entertainment medium and venue, as well as the world’s largest spherical structure, according to officials from live media and entertainment company Sphere Entertainment.
Sitting 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide, the eye-catching orb features a wraparound exterior spanning 580,000 square feet that can be programmed to create dynamic and massive LED… more
Oct 02, 2023
“There's an old saying that goes … if it's measured, it's managed,” said Oliver Bailey, head of Interaction Design for IMEX Group. “So the opposite is also true. If you're not measuring something, you can't be expected to manage it effectively.”
But how do you measure event design and experiences?
Bailey and his team are working with Zenus to measure attendee sentiment, as well as traffic, dwell time and demographics in several locations at the upcoming IMEX America, taking place Oct. 17-19 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Always looking to experiment and try new event tech,… more
Sep 29, 2023
Simpleview, a CRM, CMS and marketing solutions company for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), has teamed up with Viator, a subsidiary of Tripadvisor, to bring an online marketplace offering more than 300,000 tours, activities and attractions to destination websites.
Event organizers will have a new tool to help attendees and exhibitors book experiences in the host city before, during or after their meetings, trade shows and conventions. By offering Viator's trusted platform, DMOs can provide visitors with a secure and reliable booking experience.
"At Simpleview, our mission is to… more
Sep 27, 2023
On Sept. 26, members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 voted 95% in favor of authorizing a citywide strike at 22 casino resorts properties on the Las Vegas Strip, operated by the three of the largest gaming employers: MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment Corporation and Wynn and Encore Las Vegas.
The strike authorization attracted tens of thousands of hospitality workers, who packed in two sessions to cast their votes at the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. According to union officials, 53,000 Las Vegas workers were eligible… more
Sep 26, 2023
The corporate event industry is continuing its strong hiring trajectory, with myriad industry professionals joining or moving up at event-related organizations, companies and venues throughout the U.S. Take a look!
Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority
The Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA) recently added two regional directors of convention sales: Christina Henshall and Misty Sparks representing Reno Tahoe’s group events business in the Northwest U.S. and the Midwest, respectively, responsible for soliciting and selling the Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe… more
Sep 25, 2023
A new luxury hotel is gearing up to debut in Fort Worth, Texas, later this fall, and an existing Aloft property recently reopened in downtown Denver following a property-wide upgrade. Take a look!
The Crescent Hotel
Companies and executives traveling to the Dallas-Fort Worth area will soon have a new premium hotel option to take advantage of in Fort Worth’s downtown Cultural District, just 2.5 miles from the Fort Worth Convention Center.
Debuting in late fall 2023, The Crescent Hotel will offer 200 premium guest rooms, including 12 suites, two chef-forward restaurants, a lobby bar, a… more
Sep 22, 2023
Touted as the largest AI event in the world, Dreamforce returned Sept. 12-14 to Moscone Center in San Francisco, but Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told the San Francisco Chronicle it could be the last in the city if the conference was “impacted by the current situation with homelessness and drug use.”
The 21st annual event drew an estimated 40,000 Salesforce customers, partners and employees who gathered for three days of learning, fun, community building and philanthropy.
Dreamforce was projected to generate $89.3 million in local spending. A CoStar Group report revealed a 93.6 percent… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.
Remodeled Guest Rooms
MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more