News
Jun 27, 2024
Exclusively sponsored by Honeycomb Strategies.
Creating beautiful events requires a lot of materials, but the costs of sourcing and disposing of these can impact both the budget and the environment. For eco-conscious planners, aiming for zero waste is a popular goal, with certifications like TRUE Zero Waste rewarding sustainable efforts.
One useful tool for reducing event waste is the Zero Waste Hierarchy from the Zero Waste International Alliance. This chart classifies waste from most to least desirable, considering the entire lifecycle of items. It’s beneficial for individuals,… more
Jun 27, 2024
After leading New York City’s Javits Center for 12 years, Alan Steel will step down as president and CEO at the end of March 2025. A search for his replacement is already underway, according to the New York Convention Center Operating Corp. (NYCCOC), which operates and manages the facility,
Backstory: Leaving behind an indelible legacy of innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth, Steel’s journey with the Javits Center spans 38 years, including 12 years at the helm and 26 years as a customer. He was already a 30-year veteran of the trade show industry when he was appointed its leader… more
Jun 25, 2024
The Caesars Entertainment team, led by Director of Marketing Reina Herschdorfer, curated a wellness speaker list for its inaugural Global Wellness Summit for meeting planners held June 4-7 in Las Vegas. All speakers are featured on Caesars wellness menu but can also be booked independently.
Related: Want Wellness? 20 Ideas to Incorporate into Your Next Event
How are event planners incorporating wellness speakers into their events? One corporate event planner who attended the Global Wellness Summit told us they’re offering wellness tracks, in addition to industry-specific education tracks.… more
Jun 24, 2024
In honor of Juneteenth, we want to celebrate and highlight the efforts of African American leaders and organizations in the business events industry. Designated a U.S. federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth commemorates the day on June 19, 1865 when a Union general read orders in Galveston, Texas, stating all enslaved people in the state were free according to federal law.
Back in 1983, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) was officially established by six founding members. Forty-one years later, the non-profit boasts 1,500 members and is led by CEO Jason Dunn, who… more
Jun 21, 2024
A bevy of CVBs, venues and other event-related organizations have been expanding leadership and teams as they position themselves for growth via new business opportunities.
Sphere Entertainment
Live entertainment and media company Sphere Entertainment Co. announced a key promotion and a new executive hire.
Jennifer Koester has been elevated from president of business operations to president and COO of Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas. In her expanded role, she will continue working with executive leadership and across the broader Sphere team to grow the business… more
Jun 20, 2024
Google’s annual developer conference, dubbed Google I/O (or just “I/O”), took place for two days beginning on May 14. The first day, its long-awaited, buzzed-about “keynote day,” is touted as being one of the tech industry’s biggest events of the year. It’s when Google unveils what it’s working on, plus new products and features, as well as what it’s focusing on in the future.
Similar to years past, I/O 2024 took place for a small live audience from the Shoreline Amphitheater just down the road from its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, with the lion’s share of attendees tuning in via… more
Jun 19, 2024
Two hotel properties with rich histories in Cleveland and Colorado Springs opened their doors after extensive renovation and restoration projects that have preserved their storied pasts while offering contemporary comforts and amenities for leisure guests and event groups alike.
Hotel Cleveland Completes $90 Million Restoration Project
Following nearly a decade of planning, Hotel Cleveland, Autograph Collection completed a $90 million renovation project that has restored the historic downtown Cleveland building to its former glory while adding contemporary refinements and amenities.
Need… more
Jun 18, 2024
Did you know that, on average, about one out of seven of your attendees at a given event has a disability of some type? With 35 million adults in America dealing with a disability, planners must engage attendees ahead of time to understand the limitations they have, and then account for those limitations as they plan the event experience.
That was the message from Stephen Cutchins, senior manager–accessibility at meeting-technology company Cvent. To get planners to better understand and plan for the challenges that some attendees face, he delivered a varied menu of advice in a recent… more
Jun 17, 2024
Reaching $480 billion, the U.S. wellness market is growing at 5 to 10% per year, according to research by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. In fact, 82% of U.S. consumers consider wellness a priority in their everyday lives.
As wellness trends up on the consumer side, how can business events incorporate healthy activities and food and beverage into their packed conference, networking and trade show schedules?
To find out, more than 120 industry professionals — including meeting planners, press and Caesars Entertainment staff — gathered at the inaugural Global… more
Jun 14, 2024
With the global business events industry facing increasing pressure to move in a more sustainable direction, three event industry associations teamed up to offer clear and actionable guidance to help exhibiting companies and exhibit builders reduce their environmental impacts and promote responsible practices.
Big picture: In May, the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), the Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) and the Events Industry Council (EIC) released the EDPA, ESCA, and EIC Sustainability Guidance for Exhibition Stand Construction, which is… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more