News
Jan 15, 2019
Karen Kotowski, who has led the Events Industry Council (EIC) for the past 10 years, has tendered her resignation as CEO.
With this change in leadership, EIC has initiated a search to identify a new CEO.
During her tenure, Karen Kotowski oversaw the growth of EIC’s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program and the completion of three studies on the Economic Significance of Meetings in the U.S.
In addition, she led the first-ever Global Economic Significance Study – research that has provided indisputable proof of the economic impact of our industry and a platform for articulating the… more
Jan 14, 2019
Event management solution provider Aventri and AI Chatbot company Sciensio have teamed up to offer an industry first: an end-to-end event management solution that leverages EventBots.
EventBots are now available as an add-on to the Aventri product suite, allowing planners to access the technology directly through the Aventri dashboard.
EventBots provide quick answers to thousands of the questions event attendees commonly ask. With the new Aventri/Sciensio chatbot technology, attendees simply text their questions to a phone number that the organizer provides (or use planner-defined channels… more
Jan 11, 2019
From black box spaces to renovated castles to cinemas, there are unique and transformative spaces around the globe. This ongoing series of articles will highlight a few of the many options available for corporate events.
The ability to take a blank slate and make it something amazing, unique and memorable is many planners’ dream. Enclave, a venue located just minutes from McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip, offers you the ability to brand to your heart’s desire without needing to worry about infrastructure, permits and individually sourced suppliers.
Enclave is a three… more
Jan 10, 2019
According to the Freeman Show Organizer Data Pulse Survey, 74 percent of show organizers use event data to inform their event strategy, event objectives and planning. Yet nearly half of non-profit show organizers find it challenging to get meaningful insights from their event data.
“Research has shown that attendees go to an event to learn, network and have fun,” said Richard Maranville, chief digital officer at Freeman. “However, until now, the industry didn’t have an all-encompassing solution to compile metrics and data that ultimately could help increase audience acquisition, retention… more
Jan 09, 2019
2018 was a banner year for the Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) — an industry-wide coalition focused on showing the value of face-to-face meetings — and this week, at the PCMA Convening Leaders conference, representatives shared plans for building on that success in 2019 and beyond.
Julie Coker Graham, MMBC co-chair and president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, stated that in 2018, the coalition created deeper, more sustained engagements among industry economic influencers.
“To do this, we introduced a new advocacy strategy and tailored our… more
Jan 08, 2019
Washington D.C. has been a destination for events of all sizes for decades. Now, the city is in the midst of another growth spurt which is adding new hotels, venues and destinations of interest to corporate groups and leisure travelers alike.
I recently spoke with Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, Washington D.C.’s official destination marketing organization. Ferguson talked at length about the exciting new developments that are continuing to make the city a hotspot for corporate events.
One of the benefits of the redevelopment and new development projects, including… more
Jan 07, 2019
Happy New Year from the team at Corporate Event News!
Whether you had a wonderful or less-than-stellar 2018, it’s our goal to help you have an even better 2019.
In the spirit of new year, new beginnings, we’re starting out the year with a focus on personal and professional development. In January, we’ll be bringing you news and information on events to attend, content to consume, tips for staying healthy in both mind and body, ways to connect with peers and mentors, and suggestions to help you overcome the challenges that we all face.
We’re beginning the year with some changes to our own… more
Jan 04, 2019
The Moscone Center expansion project, completed on schedule at the end of 2018, was celebrated with a grand opening gala event on Jan. 3, 2019. The $551 million expansion adds more than 157,000 gross square feet of flexible meeting space to Moscone North and South and increases the center's total exhibit space to more than 504,000 sq. ft.
“Our two main goals have been to create contiguous space and flexibility for the Moscone Center,” said Lynn Farzaroli, senior director of the Moscone expansion for San Francisco Travel Association. “It’s a brand-new center with state-of-the-art everything… more
Jan 03, 2019
More than 3,600 event professionals will gather in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Jan. 6-9 for the 2019 PCMA Convening Leaders conference. [Update: preliminary attendance figures released onsite by PCMA on Jan. 7 up that figure to ~4,800.]
While PCMA may officially be an association for professional convention managers, its reach extends further. Content at the annual Convening Leaders event may appeal to any member of the event industry. And the good news is, even if you can’t make it to Pittsburgh, you can still participate online.
PCMA is offering complimentary access to select livestreamed… more
Dec 31, 2018
The new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, opened Dec. 18, 2018, adds another option for large-scale meetings in the Denver area. The Gaylord Rockies, the largest combined resort and convention center in Colorado, is the first Gaylord Hotels property to open in ten years and the fifth addition to the chain, which is owned by Marriott International.
The Gaylord Rockies, located in Aurora, Colo., is just 10 minutes from Denver International Airport and offers shuttle access to the A Line airport rail with service to the airport and downtown Denver. The resort boasts 1,501 guest… 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