News
Jan 24, 2020
The Expo Group is on a roll with acquisitions. Within the past two weeks, the exhibitions and events provider has announced the purchase of Orlando-based Allied Convention Service, commonly known as Brede/Allied, and Educe, a firm committed to adding value to the events and engagement strategy for higher education institutions.
With the Brede/Allied acquisition, The Expo Group expands its footprint in the southeast and deepens operations to better serve its clients, according to company officials.
“This acquisition expands The Expo Group’s service capabilities in an important region and… more
Jan 23, 2020
At PCMA’s Convening Leaders Conference in San Francisco earlier this month, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition announced its 2020 plans to promote the value of face-to-face meetings, as well as to safeguard the industry from financial and reputational threats.
MMBC’s co-chairs — Trina Camacho-London, vice president of global group sales at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company — shared the below plans detailing the organization’s approach to advocacy, engagement and continued growth. These were the five main focus areas:
1. Leveraging the 2020… more
Jan 21, 2020
Curious about the new Caesars Forum, Las Vegas’ major new conference center, opening this spring? You won’t have to travel to the Strip to see it—at least not right away. Caesars Entertainment will launch a country-wide tour called “All Roads Lead to Caesars Forum,” beginning next month.
Starting Feb. 11, the five-week tour will make stops in 14 U.S. cities and offer pop-up Caesars Forum brand experiences. The goal is to give meeting and event planners a glimpse into the 550,000-square-foot conference center, which officially opens March 18.
"This tour gives our team a monumental way to… more
Jan 20, 2020
Every successful corporate event is powered by suppliers. Once you’ve found the right agency and/or suppliers to work with you, it’s impossible to underestimate the importance of the partnerships — because that’s truly what these relationships are. Together, you can make your events greater.
Siemens Digital Industries Software (DI SW) has worked with InVision Communications since 2014 to ensure consistent, high-impact performance for its portfolio of 20 global events each year. We spoke with Lynn Randall, senior solutions strategist at InVision, about the relationship between the two… more
Jan 17, 2020
Looking for a great new getaway location for your next Midwest team-building event, retreat or small meeting? There are many options in the state of Wisconsin (and you get the added bonus of abundant cheese curds).
Take Rock County. Located just over the state border from Illinois, 83 miles from Chicago O’Hare Airport and 75 miles from Milwaukee General Mitchell Airport, Beloit and Janesville offer unique locations for small meetings.
Beloit
Ironworks Hotel has an almost-steampunk feel, with wood complemented by metal elements throughout. It offers 3,300 square feet of flexible event… more
Jan 16, 2020
In Spanish, “cambio” means “change.” And that’s exactly what SaaS-based job match platform Cambio aims to do — revolutionize the way job seekers, hiring managers and recruiters connect. Brokering connections is just the beginning.
Diversity (or the lack thereof) remains an ongoing issue for most corporations, and by extension, most event teams. Founder and CEO Neil Patwardhan believes that Cambio, which he describes as a “data-driven global talent matching platform designed to quickly match at scale,” can help by addressing the diversity challenge at the top of the funnel.
“As a job seeker… more
Jan 15, 2020
MGM Growth Properties and Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust today announced that MGP and BREIT have entered into a definitive agreement to form a new joint venture to acquire the Las Vegas real estate assets of the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay for $4.6 billion. In addition, BREIT will purchase $150 million in MGP Class A shares. MGP will own 50.1% of the joint venture, and BREIT will own 49.9%.
At closing, MGM Resorts International will enter into a long-term triple net master lease for both properties and provide a full corporate guarantee of rent payments. MGM Resorts will continue to… more
Jan 15, 2020
Ask anyone involved in the green events movement if they’re finding it challenging to move the needle forward on sustainability and you’ll probably see a row of hands, including those of Ryan Harvey, sustainability manager at Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. A former educator, Harvey understands the perfect balance of relaying key facts while making them interesting and easily digestible, a skill he brought with him when he stepped into his role at the OCC almost three years ago.
We sat down with Harvey to get his thoughts on the sustainability movement and what it’s like to… more
Jan 13, 2020
By now you’ve likely read the news reports and seen the photos. Australia is being ravaged by the worst wildfires the country has seen in decades, with many areas devastated since the fires began in September of last year. Record-breaking temperatures, months of severe drought and strong winds have fueled a series of massive bushfires across the country that have torn through bushland, mountain forests and national parks. At least 24 people have died nationwide.
According to local news reports, more than 24 million acres have been burned, and even with firefighting assistance from countries… more
Jan 10, 2020
What lies ahead for 2020 and the new decade? We talked with a few experts to find out. Take a look at their 2020 trend predictions below. Then, connect with us on Twitter to let us know your take!
Food & Beverage
Dana Pellicano, Marriott’s vice president of food and beverage experience for the Americas, says we’ll see:
Plant-based proteins everywhere.
Products from brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger will continue to grow in popularity and appear more frequently on meeting and event menus. For example, the San Francisco Marriott Marquis offers a Beyond Meat pasta Bolognese… 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