News

Jul 03, 2019
CEMA Summit 2019 is less than three weeks away! Not registered yet? You still have time to join 300 of your peers from July 21-23 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas — and if you work directly for a client-side brand, you don’t even have to be a CEMA member to attend (although we recommend you consider joining). The Corporate Event Marketing Association offers senior-level strategic event marketers and industry professionals a welcoming community for sharing knowledge and best practices. And I use the term “welcoming” first-hand, after attending last year’s CEMA Summit.  Prior to… more
Jul 01, 2019
Hotel ballrooms, expo halls and restaurants all serve important purposes for corporate events, but sometimes it’s necessary to break out of the event venue mold to create an impactful experience. The venue can play a key role in helping planners achieve the goals of the meeting — whether it’s a corporate retreat, team building event, client reception, seminar, user conference, or something else entirely. Here are some ideas for unique venues that can spark even more creative ideas and make corporate meetings more successful. Museums Museums — in all their diversity — offer elements of… more
Jun 28, 2019
For the second year in a row, Bizzabo was awarded Best Event Technology Solution of 2019 at the annual Software & Information Industry Association CODiE Awards. The SIIA CODiE Awards recognize companies producing the most innovative business technology products across the globe.  SIIA, the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, announced the full slate of CODiE winners during an award ceremony at InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco hotel this month. “We’re thrilled to have retained our leadership position as the best event technology… more
Jun 27, 2019
New York City has been making tourism headlines this summer for the big debut of Hudson Yards, which officially opened in March as the city’s newest neighborhood. It has more than 100 shops and restaurants, plus offices, 14 acres of outdoor space, public art and new cultural institutions like The Shed. It will also be home to the world’s first Equinox Hotel next month. Read on for more ideas on where to plan in Hudson Yards and beyond in the Big Apple. Open Now Those with corporate or individual membership, as well as nonprofits, can hold events at The Shed, the latest cultural space within… more
Jun 26, 2019
When planning show floor activations at user conferences, some industries lend themselves to immersive experiences that make a big splash while others have a challenge showing their benefits in interactive ways. Industries like finance or technology, where products are less tangible, often struggle to translate their benefits into visual experiences at events. They rely on demonstrations to showcase “how it works” but that technique leaves out “why it’s important”.   SAP, a multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations… more
Jun 24, 2019
Eldorado Resorts has agreed to acquire Caesars Entertainment in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $8.58 billion, creating a mega-casino company in the United States.  The combined company will provide its guests with access to approximately 60 domestic casino–resorts and gaming facilities across 16 states. “Eldorado’s combination with Caesars will create the largest owner and operator of U.S. gaming assets and is a strategically, financially and operationally compelling opportunity that brings immediate and long-term value to stakeholders of both companies,” said Eldorado CEO Tom Reeg… more
Jun 21, 2019
The Corporate Event News Event Expert Profile series features interviews with some of the many talented corporate event professionals who make this industry thrive. Mary Kelly Rich has been working in the B2B technology startup world for the past five years. For the last two, she’s been the event manager for cloud automation and management software provider SkyKick. Rich attributes her success in event management to having spent a number of years in customer-facing roles where her focus was on providing an exceptional client experience — something she strongly believes is vital to success in… more
Jun 19, 2019
ConferencePulse has relaunched as ExpoIQ, a marketplace that helps technology event organizers find and connect with the right exhibitors for their events. The new platform leverages a database of more than 20,000 technology exhibitors, 5,000 IT exhibitions and 30,000 key decision makers, which ExpoIQ founder and CEO Val Tsanev says is what makes it unique. “We’re trying to make the entire exhibition sales process — prospecting, finding and acquiring — seamless, expedited and much more efficient than it is today,” says Tsanev.   “Information is extremely decentralized in the public domain.… more
Jun 18, 2019
Michael Dominguez has been named president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International. The well-known, well-liked industry veteran previously served as senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International for the past seven years. He also directed sales development for Loews Hotels as vice president of global sales prior to MGM. Colleagues say Dominguez’s strategic leadership, innovative business development, hands-on sales oversight and implementation of effective sales strategies in both the MICE and transient segments will lead him to be successful in his new… more
Jun 17, 2019
Creating a sustainable food and beverage plan for your events isn’t just about reducing your carbon footprint. Ultimately, it’s about taking on the responsibility for making safe and healthy food choices for a number of people, says Tracy Stuckrath, president and chief connecting officer of Thrive Meetings & Event. Stuckrath discussed sustainability and the ways that event menu choices can impact the well-being of attendees, budget and the planet in PCMA’s Bites and Sites webinar “Creating A Sustainable Menu for Your Event,” held live on June 6. Here are some key take-aways to consider… 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