News
Sep 26, 2019
The results are in — SPIN:Senior Planners Industry Network has announced the 2019 recipients of the SPIN:40 Over 40 awards. This initiative was created in 2017 to recognize and honor senior meeting planners who are industry role models, influencers, innovators and pioneers.
This year, despite the 40 Over 40 moniker, the association has chosen to honor just 28 individuals.
“This is an evolving process and we changed some of our criteria, focusing more on giving back, innovation and accomplishments,” explained Tracey Smith, SPIN’s Executive Director. “While we had many candidates, the ones… more
Sep 25, 2019
Entertainment and event technology solutions provider Production Resource Group and 3D Live, creator of 3D holographic LED display technology, have formed an exclusive partnership to provide 3D LED technology to live event clients. Via this partnership, PRG will offer 3D Live’s patented “holographic” 3D LED technology to live concert, corporate events and e-sports clients, and 3D Live will exclusively use PRG’s LED walls on its productions.
“Most people have never experienced augmented reality such as this in any setting,” said Nick Jackson, senior vice president of PRG. “Our clients will… more
Sep 23, 2019
The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is getting ready to grow. On Sept. 19, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority board of directors accepted a proposal announced by Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Sept. 16 that includes expanding BCEC and selling Hynes Convention Center to fund the project.
According to Governor Baker, the expansion plan will make Boston’s convention space more efficient by consolidating the city’s major convention business in one central location. It will also maximize new economic opportunities in both the Seaport and Back Bay… more
Sep 20, 2019
Last year, Cori Dossett, president of Conferences Designed based in Dallas, spent two weeks in New Zealand. It was meant to be a holiday, but despite being 7,500 miles from home, it didn’t feel like one.
“I literally worked half the vacation — some days I did not leave my hotel room,” recalls Dossett. “It was unfortunate and sad in so many ways.”
This meeting planner’s experience is relatable on many levels. It’s hard to take time away from work in this industry, and even more so when you’re the boss. As a self-employed small business owner, Dossett says she has freedom to take as much… more
Sep 19, 2019
In an effort to solve the industry-wide challenges of digital event tool integration, in 2017 Freeman launched Fuzion by Freeman. The open product ecosystem is designed to give event managers the ability to choose and integrate the best-of-breed software solutions that work best for their programs. Establishing a common language that allows multiple software tools to talk to one another results in a more unified, meaningful view of events along with improved analytics.
Now, to further improve and simplify the event technology selection process, Freeman has added a Fuzion event tech directory… more
Sep 18, 2019
Arlington, Texas is a city uniquely dedicated to sports. The city is home to AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park, the eSports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center and Texas Live!, a sports, dining and entertainment district that opened in August 2018. Live! By Loews — Arlington, TX, which opened its doors last month, is the newest hotel to open in the district, and expands both the city’s convention and meeting capacity.
Billed as a “multi-concept sports resort”, the 300-room Live! By Loews – Arlington, TX offers 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 14,000 sq. ft.… more
Sep 16, 2019
If you were flying home from Las Vegas last week, there’s a good chance you were seated next to a fellow IMEX attendee. This year’s IMEX America, held at Sands Expo and Convention Center from Sept. 10-12, drew an estimated 14,000 attendees and generated an economic impact of more than $20 million, according to show officials.
Held in Las Vegas for nine years now, IMEX included more than 3,500 exhibitors from 150 countries on the trade showfloor. IMEX Group, which organizes the show, estimates a total of 76,000 individual and group appointments took place over the three-day event. That marks… more
Sep 16, 2019
Looking for an EventBot from Sciensio? You’ll now find the brand — and its chatbots — at 42Chat.com. Company officials say that the new name is inspired by three different things the number 42 represents:
The meaning of life – from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson’s jersey number
ASCII code for the asterisk
In a blog post detailing the reasons for the rebrand and the selection of the new name, 42Chat’s director of marketing Sarah McMullin describes the number 42 as being “synonymous with greatness.” (She also notes that “Sciensio” had proved… more
Sep 13, 2019
Ricky Kalmon isn’t your everyday motivational speaker. A mindset expert, celebrity hypnotist and motivational speaker by trade, Kalmon works to engage and inspire event groups through his customized entertainment and keynote program that blends hypnosis with high-energy mindset coaching. We sat down with Kalmon to find out how a positive mental attitude can not only help us become healthier, happier and less stressed, but also more successful in our personal and professional lives.
How did you get into hypnotism?
I grew up in the entertainment business and was a child magician. I went to a… more
Sep 12, 2019
Aventri and Meetingmax have teamed up to offer event planners a fully integrated registration and housing solution. The new platform integration connects the Meetingmax room block management and Aventri event registration systems to streamline planning, drive registration and increase attendee satisfaction.
The integration provides an enhanced customer experience, allowing attendees to register and book accommodations seamlessly without having to enter their information twice.
For event planners, housing logistics are simplified. Planners can run real-time reports that identify attendees… 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