News
Mar 01, 2022
As the travel and tourism industry shows signs of picking up this year, global hospitality brands are opening new properties and investing in extensive remodeling projects to lure back business and leisure guests seeking upgraded hotel and conference experiences. Take a look!
New Hotels
Hampton Inn by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Canal IUPUI
Hilton recently expanded its multi-brand footprint with the Hampton Inn by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Canal IUPUI, a new hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Ind.. Situated on the Indianapolis Canal Walk and… more
Feb 28, 2022
Rob Svedberg understands what it takes to design a convention center able to meet the evolving needs of the global events industry. As a principal at leading architectural design firm tvsdesign, where he has worked for almost three decades, the Atlanta-based architect’s projects have included the expansion of New York’s Javits Center, Mumbai’s Jio World Centre and the Puerto Rico Convention Center, as well as the expansion and transformation of Nashville’s Music City Center and the Las Vegas Convention Center, including its new West Hall.
An in-demand industry speaker known for his… more
Feb 25, 2022
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) recently published the 2022 edition of its Winter Meetings Outlook, revealing signs of positivity for the industry’s full recovery as well as complications expected as a result of societal shifts that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The future-focused quarterly outlook identifies trends and innovations, allowing event professionals to budget and plan accordingly and ensuring a strong foundation for building sound strategies that keep businesses on the path to success.
According to the report, a balancing market reveals signs of positive… more
Feb 24, 2022
While the industry continues to ramp up to in-person formats again in 2022, the need for technology hasn’t waned, with event professionals relying more than ever on the latest innovations to streamline planning and engage attendees, whether for in-person, virtual or hybrid gatherings. Event tech companies are delivering on the increasing demand. Check out some of the newest offerings!
Bizzabo
Bizzabo, which significantly expanded in 2021 with the acquisition of four companies (Whalebone, x.ai, TeeVid and Klik), the launch of its Event Experience category and the development of an open,… more
Feb 23, 2022
Nationally recognized diversity advocate, hospitality industry veteran and former Choose Chicago sales professional W. “Bill” Williams passed away on Feb. 4. He was 82 years old.
Following more than 37 years of exceptional service to McCormick Place and the city of Chicago, Williams retired from Choose Chicago in February 2013 after holding numerous sales positions for the CVB, most recently serving as vice president, diversity sales. In this key role, he developed and covered the social, military, education/ethnic, religious and fraternal (SMERF) market.
A pioneering leader in furthering… more
Feb 21, 2022
The Las Vegas hospitality community became a little greener recently with the announcement from Resorts World Las Vegas, the Strip’s newest resort, that all three of its hotel brands—Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts—have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, encompassing 3.9 million square feet of real estate.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED certification is considered the benchmark in the green building industry, providing building owners and operators with a framework… more
Feb 18, 2022
Events were never the “plan” for Carrie Abernathy, much like many of her colleagues. So how does someone initially on the path to become a psychologist end up completely changing direction and evolving into one of the most influential event professionals in the industry? It all boils down to passion.
While she was studying psychology at Virginia Tech and planning many social events for her dorm, a fellow student commented that she was so organized and passionate about logistics and events that she should do it professionally.
“I had a good laugh about that idea at first—and then I found out… more
Feb 18, 2022
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, grabbed everyone’s attention when he said he envisioned Dreamforce being an “always-on” type of event in the future—similar to a news channel like CNN. Asynchronous events "go live" at a specific date and time but offer a much longer event experience. Here are three benefits of delivering asynchronous event experiences:
Deliver evergreen and continuously evolving content: Imagine a session going live in the U.S. in Eastern Time and then people from other geographies discussing the learning in their respective time zones!
Event organizers will now have the… more
Feb 15, 2022
The rush to rebuild staff and grow leadership teams at event-related organizations continues in full force, as companies and CVBs anticipate a busier and more profitable 2022. Take a look!
Destination DC
Destination DC (DDC) appointed William Adams as its new director of convention sales, responsible for driving convention business and developing sales policies and programs to bring meetings of all sizes to Washington, D.C. Working alongside DDC’s vice president of convention sales and services, Melissa A. Riley, he will also oversee the CVB’s convention sales team.
Bringing more than 15… more
Feb 14, 2022
While the hotel industry will continue its progress toward recovery in 2022, its path will be uneven and potentially volatile, and full recovery is expected to be several years away, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)’s 2022 State of the Hotel Industry Report.
“Hotels have faced enormous challenges over the past two years, and we are still a long way from full recovery,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA, the sole national association representing all segments of the U.S. lodging industry. “The uncertainty about the Omicron variant suggests just how… 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