News
Apr 23, 2018
May 25, 2018 is the day that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect. The GDPR provides EU citizens specific privacy rights regarding the collection, storage, transfer and use of their personally identifiable information. Non-compliance with the GDPR may result in significant fines and penalties of “up to €20 million, or 4% of the worldwide annual revenue of the prior financial year, whichever is higher,” according to the GDPR’s regulation 2016/679.
In March, I attended a roundtable event co-hosted by Key Events and Lenos Software on GDPR compliance and how it will… more
Apr 20, 2018
The Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA) Board of Directors has appointed global entertainment and convention venue management company, SMG, to oversee operations at Reno-Sparks’ major convention and entertainment facilities.
The four-year operating agreement includes the RSCVA-owned Reno-Sparks Convention Center (RSCC), the state-owned Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center (RSLEC), as well as the Reno Events Center (REC) and the National Bowling Stadium (NBS), which are both owned by the City of Reno.
“This is a great opportunity for the entire Reno Tahoe region and an… more
Apr 19, 2018
Editor's Note: Earth Day is April 22. To help illustrate how event planners can help move the industry towards a more sustainable future, we are sharing this inspiring TSNN interview with Kimberly Smith, director of conferences and events at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
When Kimberly Smith began as director of conferences and events at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), she already thought she was doing her part to be environmentally conscious, both in her career and personal life. Two years… more
Apr 18, 2018
When disaster strikes, people need to know what is happening and how they should proceed. In late February, I attended a workshop at the MPINCC Annual Conference & Exhibition entitled “Crisis Communications: The Most Important Tweet.”
Alex Plaxen, MTA, president and founder of Little Bird Told Media, initially asked three questions of the event professionals in the room:
“Do you have a crisis communications plan in place?”
“Who executes your plan?”
“What are your vulnerabilities?”
You are responsible for the safety and well-being of your attendees. In the event of an emergency, people… more
Apr 17, 2018
If you’re an event professional, chances are high that you are also a frequent flier. Delta Airlines has just launched a new biometrics program for Delta Sky Club members: Sky Club members who also have CLEAR® can now use their fingerprints to enter all 50 U.S. Delta Sky Club locations.
The experience is made possible through Delta’s new biometrics program – Delta Biometrics Powered by CLEAR – which is free for Delta Sky Club members who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This new program has the potential to streamline check-in for millions of Sky Club visits each year.
“From… more
Apr 16, 2018
On Thursday, April 12, meeting professionals around the world came together to celebrate our great industry. I was lucky enough to be in Las Vegas – the meetings capital of the world – for a media tour centered around Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID).
Some key facts about meetings and Las Vegas:
Las Vegas offers more than 11 million square feet of convention space
In 2017, nearly 6.7 million people attended conventions in Las Vegas
Las Vegas hosts close to 22,000 meetings annually
Las Vegas is home to 3 of the top 10 largest convention centers in North America
Las Vegas has been the… more
Apr 13, 2018
Hilton Des Moines Downtown opened its doors for guests on March 21, with a public ribbon-cutting and a grand opening event.
Located just five miles from Des Moines International Airport, Hilton Des Moines Downtown is connected to the Iowa Events Center via the Des Moines Skywalk. It is the first convention hotel to open in Des Moines in more than ten years.
“We are immensely proud to bring this much anticipated facility to the Des Moines community,” said Mike Tousley, executive vice president and general manager of The Weitz Company, which developed, designed and built the property.
The… more
Apr 11, 2018
“Content is king!” The saying has become cliche because content marketing, still a relatively young marketing concept, has quickly become the go-to strategy of marketers in many industries. According to Forrester, U.S. marketers spent more than $10 billion on content marketing in 2016. Additionally, reports from Content Marketing Institute state that marketers increased their budgets in 2017 and plan to again throughout 2018. Beyond dollars, when used strategically, content marketing helps organizations get results.
Dax Callner, chief strategy officer at GES Events, said that content… more
Apr 10, 2018
One of the keys to event success is understanding your attendees. Who are they, why are they registering for your event, and what do they hope to take away when the event is over? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you design an event that will exceed your attendees’ expectations.
For corporate events, it’s common to design content around your attendee personas or audience segment, but have you thought about your attendee profiles when designing the event experience?
The American Express Meetings and Events 2018 Global Meetings and Events Forecast includes a section titled “… more
Apr 09, 2018
At Corporate Event News, our objective is to showcase the diverse people, programs, challenges and rewards of corporate events. Our ongoing Event Expert Profile series shines a spotlight on some of the many talented corporate event professionals who make this industry thrive.
While we usually focus on planners who are employed directly by a corporation, this month I chose a different tactic. There are a large number of companies that choose to outsource some or all of their meetings and events programs, and some great independent planners and meeting management organizations whose staff act… 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