News
Jan 20, 2025
The Consumer Electronics Show brought a hotbed of innovation to 12 different venues scattered across the Las Vegas strip. The city is already busting at the seams with hotels, restaurants, and other engaging experiences vying for tourists’ attention, but during CES 2025, which ran January 7-10, these 10 activations and events won the attention of more than 141,000 onsite attendees and media outlets for their innovation, photo worthiness, and plain ‘ole cool touches of experiential.
Keep scrolling to see what we’re talking about, plus get an inside look at how the events teams behind each… more
Jan 17, 2025
As 2024 wrapped up, the corporate event industry continued to thrive, actively recruiting and promoting seasoned professionals in preparation for a promising 2025. Here’s a summary of some personnel changes that took place in December.
CEN’s take on the biggest move in the last month: Creative brand experiences agency Cheerful Twentyfirst welcomed Joe Rivers as its new U.S. brand experience director, responsible for overseeing business development and supporting the agency’s wider growth strategy for its North American division.
The big picture: Based in London, Amsterdam, and New York… more
Jan 16, 2025
Marking the latest development in the long-term strategic licensing agreement between MGM Resorts International and Marriott International, the W Las Vegas hotel recently made its debut at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Now part of the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, the resort’s 1,117-suite tower––formerly known as the Delano hotel––has transitioned into the globally recognized W Hotels brand.
The W hotel is the latest in the collaboration between the two companies since first announcing their partnership in 2023 and launching the MGM Collection in March 2024… more
Jan 14, 2025
Hearts and minds around the world are surely with the Los Angeles area, which has experienced catastrophic damage from wildfires that started last week and have ravaged idyllic neighborhoods like the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. As of publication time, approximately two dozen people have died, and more than 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed. Experts say that this could become the costliest wildfire disaster in U.S. history, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In the world of events, Los Angeles is a particularly special place. Countless planners, creatives, agencies, and… more
Jan 13, 2025
If you looked up the word “versatile” in the dictionary, you just might come across a photo of Natascha Williams, HMCC (Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate).
Since getting into event planning in 2001, Williams has handled logistical and strategic planning for meetings hosted by pharma companies, medical-device makers, physician societies, and a group that’s close to her heart: Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP).
Currently the account manager for events agency Touch Associates, Williams will tap her wide range of expertise for the benefit of fellow life-science event planners when she… more
Jan 10, 2025
While in college pursuing an undergraduate degree in communications and journalism, Robin Lickliter had envisioned a possible future as a magazine writer or sports broadcaster. But still unsure about her direction and feeling restless, she made the fortuitous decision to seize the opportunity to study abroad after winning a scholarship for Semester at Sea, an educational program that offers college students the opportunity to study abroad while traveling around the world on a ship.
While onboard, she met Annie Peiser, who introduced her to the vibrant world of events and live marketing and… more
Jan 09, 2025
To kick off the new year, Corporate Event News sat down with some of our industry’s most well-respected leaders to gain insights into what we can expect for business events in 2025.
In this second installment of our series running through the month January, we sat down with ASM Global Executive Vice President of Convention Centers Dan Hoffend and Visit Orlando President and CEO Casandra Matej. They shared what their organizations will be focused on this year and what they expect for the corporate event industry in 2025.
Dan Hoffend, Executive VP of Convention Centers, ASM Global
What… more
Jan 08, 2025
If you are planning a corporate event in Europe in 2025, attendees and exhibitors will be required to apply for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is set to launch later this year.
Citizens from visa-exempt countries, like the U.S., will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization before visiting the European Union (EU) for short-term stays of 90 days or less.
Due to start six months after the Entry/Exit System is deployed (no date is listed yet on the EU web site), every traveler entering Europe without a visa will need one, potentially… more
Jan 07, 2025
Whether it’s the Real Housewives franchise, Below Deck, Married to Medicine, or Southern Charm, Bravo’s suite of reality series has garnered passionate fan bases over the years. Bravo has celebrated these fandoms through experiential marketing—a strategy that the NBCUniversal-owned company has continued to expand since launching BravoCon in 2019.
After the network put BravoCon on pause in 2024 (the three-day fan convention is set to return to Las Vegas in 2025), Bravo used the hiatus to create new in-person experiences designed to immerse fans into the world of its shows. These have… more
Jan 06, 2025
Two major resort and casino brands recently unveiled new properties in the northeast and south with plentiful meeting and event space for planners.
Caesars Opens New Resort and Casino in Virginia
Caesars Entertainment celebrated the grand opening of Caesars Virginia, a new 587,000-square-foot resort destination casino resort and meetings property in Danville, Virg., which is located in southern Virginia along the North Carolina border about 60 miles north of the Research Triangle Park.
Opened on Dec. 17 with a ceremony led by Caesars executives and attended by local dignitaries and… 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