< PreviousA LEGACY OF MODERN LUXURY 70 YEARS OF WORLD-CLASS EVENT PLANNING FOREVER FONTAINEBLEAU COMING TO LAS VEGAS Q4 2023 FONTAINEBLEAULASVEGASMEETINGS.COM | FBLVSALES@FBDEV.COM themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2022 LAS VEGAS, NV — Wynn Las Vegas, the largest Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star resort in the world, has unveiled details of a new room concept that will transform its luxury guest accommodations across Wynn Las Vegas and Wynn Tower Suites. Currently under construction and scheduled to be completed soon, the project is the largest and most extensive design evolution ever made to the tower’s 2,674 guest rooms, suites, elevator lobbies and resort tower corridors. At its heart, the new guest room design intends to give travelers a sense of escapism that feels instantly comfortable and familiar. Rooted in a polychromatic palette of soft hues, layers of pattern and texture abound. Each room is highlighted by wood accent walls, a range of functional and atmospheric illumination, luxurious textiles and linens, and accents of natural stone, decorative metal and original artwork. New furniture, fixtures, lighting and artwork — all exclusive to Wynn Las Vegas — were either custom designed or commissioned from a diverse collective of global master artisans. Focal points include a dramatic four-poster canopy bed exclusive to the Wynn Tower Suites, a collection of commissioned artworks consisting of refined, modern pieces, as well as a lighting design created to enhance the ambient experience both day and night. Each guest room, from the standard 640-sf Wynn Resort King to the 1,817-sf Wynn Tower Suite Salon, offers a retreat- like environment and features a bespoke iteration of the new theme. Although individual touches have been created to suit differing room layouts, the most notable changes include an extended multipurpose table in the main living room for working and dining. Wynn Las Vegas Unveils New Accommodations FRISCO, TX — Omni PGA Frisco Resort, the country’s largest resort currently in development, recently announced that it is open for booking requests, in advance of its opening next spring. Omni PGA Frisco Resort will feature more than 127,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, including a 22,000-sf Grand Ballroom, complemented by a 11,500-sf Junior Ballroom. In addition, the resort will have a 5,000-sf event pavil- ion, which will offer a rustic setting seamlessly integrated with an adjoining patio and event lawn. The resort is 30 miles north of Dallas and will feature 500 guest rooms and suites, plus 10, four-bedroom, modern-Texas ranch houses, three pools, includ- ing an adults-only rooftop infinity pool and a destination spa. PARSIPPANY, NJ — Wyndham Hotels & Resorts recently released its 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report highlighting its dedication to operating in a socially, ethi- cally and environmentally responsible way. These commitments are underscored by recent accolades, including recognition by DiversityInc, which highlighted Wyndham as a company with leading diversity practices for 2022 and Forbes as one of The Best Employers for Diversity 2022. Deeply committed to a cul- ture of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the organiza- tion, Wyndham for the fourth consecutive year also received another perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index measuring LGBTQ workplace equality. Omni PGA Frisco Resort Now Accepting Group Bookings Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Commits to Sustainability and a Culture of DEI ORLANDO, FL — Visit Orlando, the official tourism association for Orlando, and Orlando Economic Partnership, the economic and community development organization for the region, recently announced the launch of one singular, comprehensive and consistent brand to promote the destination and region. The new “Unbelievably Real” brand platform is the product of a first-of- its-kind partnership between the two organizations, and was developed to speak to all audiences — leisure visitors, meeting planners, meeting attendees, travel professionals, site selectors, business relocation stakeholders and talent. Based on research and tested, the Unbelievably Real global brand’s goal is to highlight the region in a new way that tells a complete Orlando story. Tourism-focused advertising is now showcasing everything from Orlando’s theme parks and attractions, to outdoor adventures and world-class dining in TV commercials, and across digital and social channels, to promote summer and fall travel to Orlando. The campaign will also be augmented with outdoor boards in key markets such as New York, Boston and Chicago, and promotional programs with NBC, Univision, iHeart and Urban1. International audiences will follow with the rollout starting at U.S. Travel Association’s upcoming IPW conference in Orlando. This fall, a campaign targeting meeting planners and attendees will launch at the IMEX meetings industry show. Orlando Unveils New Global Brand: ‘Unbelievably Real’ Orlando 10 NEWS&NOTES Wynn Las Vegas will soon wrap up the largest and most extensive design evolution ever made to the tower’s 2,674 guest rooms and suites.A LEGACY OF MODERN LUXURY 70 YEARS OF WORLD-CLASS EVENT PLANNING FOREVER FONTAINEBLEAU COMING TO LAS VEGAS Q4 2023 FONTAINEBLEAULASVEGASMEETINGS.COM | FBLVSALES@FBDEV.COM COVID-19 Has Changed Event Planning There Are Dozens of New Details That Must be Considered BY JULIE ANN SCHMIDT A s an association planner, we face different challenges than our corporate peers. For many associations, our large conference of the year can be a signifi- cant source of association revenue. In addition, it can be a key part of our value proposition to members. Our relation- ship with our exhibitors is vital to our organizations and to our members. Post COVID-19, we needed to get back to live meetings quicker than everyone else. So how do you do that if you haven’t already? What are the changes we need to make in how we plan, and what are the new things we must consider? And, given the possibility of a new variant and another surge, how do we react? The first change is having deeper conversations with our venue and our catering team about how our meal func- tions will work. We know how a buffet was served before COVID, but now we need to ask how the food we selected is going to be served. The supply chain is an added factor that will impact our food and beverage. So, for example, if last year you were able to ask your ban- quet captain to add 30 more plates to your lunch a few hours before the start, now they might not be able to accom- modate that request. The second change in how we plan is the impact of social distancing. Most locations have gotten back to pre-COVID conditions, but we need to be prepared to adjust if a new variant strikes and the city or hotel changes their policy. This will also impact how we manage our flow in and out of the room and around our spaces to help maintain social distancing. As we move through the planning process with other vendors, the key question we need to ask is “What is 12 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2022 Planners now should develop a good COVID-19 protocol plan that outlines everything, including all the venue’s duties. PHOTO BY TOM CLARKdifferent in how you are delivering your services today?” Your production vendor might say that you need to modify the sound system to accommodate a larger space because of social distancing, while your registration vendor might recommend adding more stations to your plan. Everyone is doing everything just a bit differently, and we need to keep asking new questions as we go. Unlike our corporate peers, our attendees have a choice if they attend our conferences and events, and we have to sell them on the value of attend- ing. We now need to also sell safety of attending and communicate how the event will be different. If we do a good job communicating and setting clear expectations for both our attendees and exhibitors, we will have a success- ful event. Our exhibitors are a unique and important set of attendees, and it is worth considering scheduling a few conference calls for exhibitors prior to the conference to answer questions and set clear expectations. So what do we need to add to our planning tool box? A COVID-19 pro- tocol document that contains all the details on how we are addressing issues of COVID is as important as our conference resume. While COVID will be a part of every step of our plan- ning, our COVID protocol document will address things such as cleaning, screening, testing, contact tracing and reporting. The cleaning section will include all the details of what the venue is doing to clean our meeting rooms, public spaces and hotel rooms. It will also include details on our vendor’s clean- ing responsibilities and what cleaning we are a responsible for on-site. The CDC recommends cleaning high-traffic areas three times a day, but if you have 600 people go through your registration area in two to three hours, you might be wiping it down every 30 minutes. Screening and testing has given way to vaccine requirements, but all three might be part of your plan. While hav- ing your temperature taken everywhere has dropped off, asking screening ques- tions such as “Are you or anyone in your family awaiting the results of a COVID test?” still are common. Screening is used to eliminate anyone who might be COVID positive from coming to our event, whereas testing is used to elimi- nate someone from the event who is found to be COVID positive. The CDC states that 100.4 degrees or higher is a fever, and the Mayo clinic says 95-100 is a good oxygen reading, and that below 90 is considered low. If you choose to do screening, you need to decide if you will do secondary screening and what that will entail. A one-day meeting for 75 people is different than a 1,000-person meeting for three days. You have to determine what is right for your budgets, your meeting and your organization. Testing may be a part of our pro- tocol. If it is, we should be hiring a professional medical-testing firm to come in and administer rapid testing. Some groups choose to test every- one coming in, while some choose to have it only as part of their secondary screening process. As we move through the next 12 to 24 months, what it takes to execute a safe and successful conference will change and evolve. But just like after 9/11, we will settle into a “new nor- mal” and be better at our jobs than we were before. | AC&F | 13 Julie Ann Schmidt, CMM, CMP, C19CO, is founder and CEO of Lithium Logistics Group, a full-service MICE agency based in Minnesota. With more than 25 years of experience in the event industry, she has recently become a COVID-19 expert, Certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer, and has served on national and federal COVID-19 task forces. She trains planners on how to get back to live meetings and other COVID topics. For more information, visit lilogisticsreg.voicehive.com. MAY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES We now need to also sell safety of attending and communicate how the event will be different. CDC guidelines suggest cleaning high- traffic areas three times a day, but you might need to do it every 30 minutes. COURTESY OF MGM RESORTSReadiness Recalibration 3 Surprising Reasons Your Crisis Management Plan May Fail BY MERILEE KERN, MBA T he COVID-19 pan- demic has under- standably spurred renewed conversa- tion around how organiza- tions handle crisis manage- ment. This, pertaining to how to better plan for and preempt unforeseen disrup- tions, as well as aptly navigat- ing through the mire when perilous challenges present, helps organizations opti- mally emerge on the other side stronger than before. The problem with much of the current discourse — and rest assured there’s an overabundance to be found — is that it largely regurgitates mindsets and methodologies that are underwhelming in today’s complex macro-economic climate, at best, and that have been ren- dered entirely antiquated given current conditions at worst. Novel challenges such as the coronavirus demand com- mensurately fresh ideation — that most certainly intend to help organizations large and small survive and succeed amid today’s brand of chaos. With this in mind, I turned to Kiya Dowdy Frazier and Oscar Frazier, principles at nDemand Consulting — a global crisis-management firm that designs and implements leading-edge techniques helping federal government agencies, heads of state, corporations and entrepreneurial small businesses maneuver through, and beyond, men- acing circumstances. This includes countering violent extremism (CVE) across seven countries within the con- tinent of Africa. Team Frazier offers three modern crisis management techniques that, while somewhat counterintuitive, are duly compelling and convinc- ingly sensible. GAINING TRUST ISN’T ENOUGH Gaining trust, building relationships and even securing leads require radi- cally different approaches in today’s post-pandemic world. People have grown weary of misinformation and contradictory statements from those in positions of authority and are perhaps more jaded and doubtful now than ever before. When there is a lack of under- standing, or there are credibility con- cerns, fear and defensiveness take over as the default operating system and individuals put up their guard. Here is a reframe: The ability to gain trust isn’t entirely futile, but rather it’s the method of connecting with people that requires change. The first step now begins with “me too.” Far beyond trust, today’s reca- librated marketplace mindset requires relatability and authenticity on a criti- cal mass scale. Many are facing the exact same challenges, whether related to COVID- 19 impacts or otherwise. So, be empa- thetic, approachable and forthcoming about your own challenges and expe- riences. That level of vulnerability — demonstrating that you are just as concerned and effected as the person you’re meeting — is highly effective as a way to build trust. Prior to coronavirus wreaking havoc on the world, gaining trust and connecting with people often came by demonstrating achievements, a high level of training or subject-matter expertise. This kind of instant validity without emotional drivers is going by 14 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2022 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM How organizations recover from a crisis has taken a different turn now that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected every walk of life.the wayside. Sentiment matters. Now, people need to know that you can relate to them and them to you in kind. Being able to identify with one another will be the lifeblood of successful organizations. DATA MANAGEMENT FALLS SHORT Collecting and analyzing data to drive decision making internally within the organization is no longer enough. Today, transparency about what that data “means” is paramount and repre- sents both a gift and curse of data. While everyone is apt to share good news, even a simple, unintentional oversight or dull- ing of data can have costly implications. In today’s highly competitive market- place, there are fewer chances to “get it right” and even make up for what we’ve done. Not just curating and managing data, people who run organizations must be spot on with interpreting those data analytics and reporting in kind. Indeed, the ability to leverage those analytics for both short- and long-term modernization is key to survival. But, in this new environment, we have to find ways to do more with less in the here and now. Fewer resources, fewer shots to take and different methods of communication — even within an orga- nization’s own teams — is paramount. Data, good or bad, is a lifeline here, and processing of informational inputs for highly intentional and strategic deci- sion making is the order of the day. Nat- urally, the first step is clearly commu- nicating key findings. But organizations often miss the second and third piece: helping the audience, whether internal or external, make sense of everything, as well as following up with a clear plan of action to mitigate risk, resolve cur- rent issues and position themselves for a stronger future. It is one thing to pro- vide data, it is very different to provide data with actionable tactics. Migrating content and processes to the cloud, creating shared environments and establishing tools to strengthen communication and data access across constituencies has become part and parcel for a growing number of organi- zations. This kind of tactical and readily deployable adjustment is a step in the right direction toward better managing and aptly leveraging one’s data trove. MESSAGING METHODOLOGIES MISS THE MARK Validation-driven micro-communi- cation is now where it’s at. Rather than just asserting positioning and talking points, organizations need to demon- strate the impact of its messaging in as specific terms as possible. Everything an organization conveys to the masses needs to be demonstrated with results and reference points people can access. The ability to effectively and efficiently communicate virtually and remotely via digital solutions is no longer an option, but rather an imperative. Organiza- tions must be ever-mindful that there’s increased awareness of — and desire for — community, connection, humility and social responsibility that should now underpin most, if not all, communica- tions in this post-pandemic era. Organizations must also make a concerted effort to control its mes- sage across all platforms, including social media where information, and misinformation, spreads quickly. The right words conveyed with the right tone and with the proper imagery is what’s required. “The very thought of the word ‘cri- sis’ tends to spur a sense of panic,” Kiya Frazier says. “Even so, it’s wise to take emergency situations head-on and with a laser focus. Any crisis-management plan that tries to take on too much, or otherwise veers away from the actual and core crisis a hand, is one that’s likely to fall short at best or, worse, fail altogether.” “When people panic, they tend to inflate or deflate factual data to fit their own needs, desires, agenda or gut instincts,” Oscar Frazier adds. “This is the single-biggest mistake an organiza- tion in crisis can make, since processing data objectively is key. Situation analy- sis requires taking a cold, hard look at realities and making even the most dif- ficult — if not painful — of decisions to get back on a recuperative course.” Today’s class of challenges requires a recalibrated approach to crisis manage- ment and communications. Even tried- and-true tactics may deliver diminishing returns as industry and markets evolve in tandem with public health, political and socioeconomic events. Even under- taking the three tactical strategies above can foster the kind of progressive para- digm shift required to help organiza- tions best weather those inevitable and seemingly omnipresent storms. | AC&F | 15 Forbes Business Council, Newsweek Expert Forum and Rolling Stone Culture Council member Merilee Kern, MBA, is founder, executive editor and producer of “The Luxe List,” as well as host of both the “Savvy Living” lifestyle and travel and “Savvy Ventures” business TV shows. Connect with her at TheLuxeList.com, SavvyLiving.tv, at LuxeListReports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on LinkedIn at MerileeKern. MAY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Everything an organization conveys to the masses needs to be demonstrated with results and reference points.Hidden Gems The Best Mentees May Not Be Who You Think They Are BY BERT THORNTON AND DR. SHERRY HARTNETT W hen setting up a men- toring program within your organization, some prospective mentees are obvious choices. But high performers and superstars are not the only people in your organization who have the potential to achieve great things. That’s why we urge mentors to look beyond the “obvious choices” and develop hidden gems, too. Just as ships don’t “drift” into port, employees won’t “drift” into greatness. Mentoring is often the key to unlocking the potential in overlooked, seemingly average employees. So who, exactly, are these “non- obvious choices?” You probably have someone on your payroll who lacks experience on paper, but whose leader- ship skills and ability to drive change could make a tremendous impact. Per- haps there’s an employee whose talents might be a better fit for a different role. Maybe a new supervisor is technically proficient, but their communication skills and demeanor could use some polish. Almost certainly, you have mid- dle-of-the-pack employees who could quickly advance if given personalized training and advice. When you invest mentoring resources into non-obvious candidates, you pack your bench with engaged, loyal employees who are operating at the top of their game. You also broaden your talent pipeline and streamline the advancement process. That’s an ROI leaders can’t afford to ignore right now. Here are several powerful ben- efits you may receive when you build a mentoring program that develops a wide range of employees — not just the superstars: You’ll attract and retain talent. Especially in today’s environment of uncertainty and upheaval, organiza- tions need a strong team of employees. And it’s just as crucial that, once hired, good people stay on board. A mentoring program shows them there’s a path for advancement inside your organization. Millennials in particular deeply value training and development. By sharing their knowledge and experi- ence with younger employees, mentors help them grow and progress. At the same time, they teach younger people how to navigate challenges specific to their workplace so they are less likely to leave. New employees will hit the ground running a lot faster. We no longer have 16 VIEWPOINT themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2022 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMthe luxury of long onboarding peri- ods for new hires. The pace of busi- ness requires everyone to become a contributing member of the team almost immediately. Assigning new employees a mentor early on can help expedite progress while helping them avoid pitfalls. A solid mentoring program can help cushion training budget short- falls. Quite often in times of economic turmoil, like now, training budgets are on the chopping block. Mentors play a huge role in transferring knowledge and vital skills. They are a great source of on-the-job training that costs very little. A solid mentoring program also sets the stage for the ongoing learning that will be needed in the future. Increas- ingly, we need our employees to have a “just-in-time” skill set. The education system can’t keep up, and organizations will need to ramp up their training to bridge the skills gap. Mentors will likely play a vital role in helping employ- ees perform well while they integrate new learnings. Mentoring helps people weather tough storms. COVID-19 has put incred- ible stress on leaders and employees. In fact, many organizations have moved beyond stress and into the realm of trauma. By putting things in perspec- tive — “We’ve lived through other hard times and survived” — providing a safe space for mentees to vent about their stresses and struggles, and sharing cop- ing skills, mentors can go a long way toward helping employees build resil- ience while easing their isolation. It engages employees. Mentoring makes it more likely that people will “lean in” to their work. They’re being challenged to learn new things, so they don’t become complacent. Mentees have a chance to prove themselves daily and to use their skills and talents in new ways. They may become a wellspring of new ideas. They feel invested in and valued. All of this sparks their passion and energy for their work and shores up their commit- ment to the organization. Mentoring sharpens an organiza- tion’s ability to execute. Organizations must be agile, fast-thinking and fast- acting if they’re to survive. By sharing their years of accumulated wisdom, mentors help people broaden their per- spective, cut through the information overload and get to the heart of what matters. When we aren’t bogged down in extraneous details, we can move quickly and purposefully. It helps people build the relation- ship skills today’s organizations need to survive. Strong relationships — based on honesty, trust, transparency, and empathy — matter now more than ever. Organizations must be masters at innovation, collaboration and team- work. All of these things hinge on our ability to foster strong relationships. Mentoring builds relationships in two ways: First, the mentor/mentee rela- tionship creates a powerful bond as it evolves. But, both parties apply the skills they learn in the process to other relationships. Eventually, a strong web of accountability, support and con- tinuous learning spreads throughout the organization. Mentoring helps organizations become more diverse and inclusive. There is a huge focus right now on these issues. In many organizations, older employees may need to learn how best to work with those from different racial and cultural backgrounds, belief systems and orientations. This is where reverse mentoring — when a junior person mentors a more senior one — shines. But actually, any type of mentoring that puts people from different age groups together helps cre- ate more diverse, inclusive workplaces. The more folks from different genera- tions get to know each other and have meaningful exchanges, the more we break down barriers and the more uni- fied we become. In my coauthor’s 40-year career with Waffle House, he mentored hun- dreds of employees — and some of the most successful weren’t obvious choices for leadership to begin with. More employees than you think have the seeds of greatness within them. Remember, your employees don’t know what they don’t know. Often, all it takes is sincere instruction and guidance from a mentor to help them grow, thrive and drive your organiza- tion toward greater success. When you look at it that way, can you afford not to identify and develop the non-obvious candidates on your payroll? | AC&F | 17 MAY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Strong relationships — based on honesty, trust, transparency, and empathy — matter now more than ever. Bert Thornton is the former president and COO of Waffle House. He is coauthor, along with Dr. Sherry Hartnett, of the book “High- Impact Mentoring: A Practical Guide to Creating Value in Other People’s Lives.” His first book, “Find an Old Gorilla: Pathways Through the Jungle of Business and Life,” is a well-received leadership handbook. Dr. Sherry Hartnett is a marketing and leadership professor, consultant, author and mentor. At the University of West Florida, she founded the pioneering, high-impact, experiential learning Executive Mentor Program. P lanning a city-wide meeting requires attention to more than the usual detail. And there’s one thing expert planners all agree on: Relying on and partnering with a city’s CVB is criti- cal to the success of the event, wher- ever it’s held. PORTLAND, OR Rebecca Fazzari, CMP, CMM, DES, director of meetings & events with the Geological Society of America (GSA), says CVBs play a very important role. “They’re the boots on the ground. They know the ins/outs of what’s happening in their city, what new hotels are being built, any renovations/repairs to the hotels or convention center, and they’re a great partner when it comes to nego- tiating and working with the hotels to get the concessions needed to host our meeting in that city.” Others point to CVB assistance with street closures, permits, traffic patterns, security, health and safety issues, and their value in terms of connections and resources. Beyond that, each city is dif- ferent, and each has specific attributes that may make it the perfect fit for a particular city-wide event. That was the case with Portland, Oregon, where GSA held GSA Connects last fall with 3,000 attendees. “Our members are geologists, so all the geology around Portland makes the city a good choice for our meeting as we run field trips before and after the meeting to various geological sites,” Faz- zari says. “In addition, hosting our meet- ing in the Pacific Northwest allows many of our international geologists to attend.” Travel Portland was instrumental in GSA’s ability to move forward with an in-person meeting. “They were our part- ners 100%-plus in navigating the COVID guidelines, locating testing sites and making sure the hotel partners under- stood our meeting goals,” Fazzari says. Hyatt Regency Portland at the Ore- gon Convention Center served as the primary hotel, but Fazzari notes that GSA tries to offer hotels from every major brand and at various price points. “Hotels were chosen based on GSA hav- ing hosted its meeting in Portland in 2009, so we kept with the same hotels and added the Hyatt Regency as the headquarters hotel since it was directly across the street from the center.” GSA used all the convention center space except Halls D and E, as well as meeting space at the Hyatt Regency and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland. “All staff were eager to have our meeting and to make it a success,” Fazzari says. “The convention center worked well for us as we had a lot of technical sessions spread throughout the venue, which helped with social distancing. The exist- ing signage at the center made it easy for most to navigate their way from one side of the center to the other, but we also added additional directional signage.” She also praises the catering staff, and says she received great comments from attendees about the food and staff. “They’re key players in making the overall event successful,” Fazzari says. “Don’t be afraid to ask for menu customization, as many times they can accommodate your needs.” Fazzari’s biggest challenge in plan- ning a city-wide event is comparing all of the proposals from various cities, then presenting them to leadership and convincing them to go with the city that makes the most sense for GSA’s budget, which isn’t necessarily the most popu- lar city with leadership. And, she adds, “It requires looking at cities at least five to seven years in advance to make sure the cities can fit our preferred dates/ pattern, number of meeting rooms and number of hotel rooms needed. For PLANNERTIPS CITY-WIDE EVENTS Partnerships Are the Key to Their Success themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESMAY 2022 Houston had everything planners needed to host the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Cattlecon 22, held early this year. ALL ABOUT COURTESY OF KRISTIN TORRES 18smaller meetings, you can usually get away with booking one to two years out.” Fazzari advises those planning a city- wide event “to speak with other planners who have hosted a city-wide in Portland or elsewhere about their experiences working with that city’s CVB, convention center and hotels as they vary greatly,” she says. “There are a lot of planner groups out there, such as on Facebook, that are more than willing to help and share advice, so don’t be shy to ask.” LAS VEGAS, NV Las Vegas is a favorite destination for city-wide meetings, with good reason. “The city of Las Vegas has a strong inter- national brand,” says Tom Gattuso, vice president, events, with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). “By hosting our event in Las Vegas, we benefit from the awareness of the inher- ent value of the city and familiarity our attendees have with it. In addition, Las Vegas has grown the international flights in and out of its airport and that gives us a great global reach.” The SEMA Show draws more than 100,000 attendees, requiring a block of 40-plus hotels throughout the city. “With an event this size, you really need all of the hotels in the city to be part of the plan,” Gattuso says. “Our visitors are all over the spectrum of how they represent their brands at our show, and Las Vegas offers an unmatched variety of world-class hotels at all price points. Many of the hotels are connected via the monorail system, and those that are not participate in our shuttle-bus program. As a 55-year-old event, we find that our attendees now know their favorite properties and tend to return to them year after year. With the support we receive from the taxi companies, ride-share providers, shuttle buses and the monorail, we find the city is well connected to the convention space we host our event in.” SEMA uses hotel and convention- center meeting space. “We use meeting space in many hotels throughout the city. Our industry comes from all over the world for this four-day celebration of performance automotive innovation, and attendees can find the perfect space to connect with their peers or clients to help them achieve their goals,” Gattuso says. “We typically use every available square foot of the convention center. Recently, the [Las Vegas Convention Center] added a brand-new exhibit hall. That will allow us to build a foundation for growth over the next decade.” He continues, “The new hall is among the best in the world, and our buyers and exhibitors enjoyed being the first full- facility event to use all of the space. In fact, the new West Hall was an attrac- tion in and of itself. It was easy to see what a purpose-built facility with the newest technology can do to energize a trade show. Over the next several years, we’ll be working closely with the con- vention center as they renovate the rest of the buildings and continue to raise the bar for events.” The convention center’s growth has already necessitated the launch of the new people-mover, the state-of-the-art, underground transportation system built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company. “That tunnel system was the first of its kind at a convention center, and eventually will connect with the hotels in our block, the airport and many of the popular attrac- tions in the city,” Gattuso says. “When you truly partner with the convention center, you’re also connected to its sup- port system and the people that run it. We’re fortunate to work with the best people in the industry to support every- thing from concessions and catering, to safety and security.” Gattuso calls SEMA’s partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) one of the organization’s highest priorities. “All levels of our management and opera- tions teams are connected with all levels of the [LVCVA] stakeholders. We’re con- tinually looking to evolve our show and innovate the ways people connect,” he says. “As we push the limits of what can be done, it’s nice to have a partner we can lean on to help make things happen. We share our success with every event that takes place in the city throughout the year. LVCVA is the central place where we learn about the event innova- tion that’s taking place and new ways we can create the optimal experience for our attendees.” In terms of planning a show the size of SEMA, Gattuso says from a 19 MAY 2022 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES ENTS By Christine Loomis Tom Gattuso, vice president, events, with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), says Las Vegas, with its firmly established meetings infrastructure, was the ideal destination to host SEMA’s event last fall. The show attracted more than 100,000 attendees. COURTESY OF TOM GATTUSONext >