SPN Photography A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION JULY 2024 VOL. 17 NO. 4 $15.00 PAGE 34 IN THIS ISSUE CVB UPDATE MILLENNIALS AND WELLNESS SPONSORSHIPS FOR YOUR EVENT SUSTAINABILITY TRENDS CAROLINAS LAS VEGAS Attendees at the California Society of Association Executives’ Elevate 2024 Annual ConferenceTake center stage on your next event and escape the everyday in a truly extraordinary getaway with limitless possibilities. Contact our Sales Team today to learn more and book your group. 800.937.0156 | HardRockHolly.com | #GuitarHotel DISCOVER YOUR RHYTHM. © 2023 . If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-888-ADMIT.IT. FINE-TUNE YOUR NEXT MEETING.22 12 34 30 18 DEPARTMENTS DESTINATIONS FEATURES VIEWPOINTS 8 Entrepreneurs, Your Time Is Money Are You Being Too Generous with It? BY JULIE BEE 12 CVB Update Association Business is Thriving BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS 18 In-Person Events More Than a Networking Opportunity BY KELLY SARGENT 22 Sponsorships The Ultimate Social Media BY MAURA KELLER 26 Waste-Free Planet The Importance of Sustainability at Events BY SARA KARNISH 30 A New Approach to Wellness How Generation Z and Millennials Are Shaking up the Space BY RAYNA KATZ 34 Moving Up How Women Can Advance in the Association Meeting Space BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS 4 Publisher’s Message 6 News & Notes 50 Career Track 38 Meet in the Carolinas Where Southern Charm Meets Southern Hospitality BY CHRISTINE LOOMIS 44 Las Vegas The Neon Oasis in the Desert Lights Up the Sky BY NANCY MUELLER AND MARITZA COSANO ISSN 21628831 | USPS 003500 | A COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION | JULY 2024 | VOLUME 17 | NUMBER 4 JULY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 3 ISSUECONTENTSA COASTAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION PUBLICATION PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harvey Grotsky harvey.grotsky @ themeetingmagazines.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kristin Bjornsen kristin.bjornsen @ themeetingmagazines.com MANAGING EDITOR Maritza Cosano maritza.cosano@themeetingmagazines.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Rachel Galvin rachel.galvin @ themeetingmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Cynthia Barnes Erin Deinzer Cynthia Dial Marlene Goldman Dan Johnson Sara Karnish Rayna Katz Maura Keller Danielle Letenyei Christine Loomis Keith Loria Kathy Monte Kelly Sargent David Swanson PRESIDENT & CEO Harvey Grotsky VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Middlebrook david.middlebrook @ themeetingmagazines.com ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES 2500 N. 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Provide old and new addresses including zip code. Enclose address label from most recent issue and please allow five weeks for the change to become effective. Printed in U.S.A. ©2024 Harvey Grotsky Publisher Plan your meeting at VisitMDR.com Elevate your next meeting in Marina del Rey, L.A.’s favorite seaside playground. Seven resort-style waterfront hotels and dozens of dockside restaurants strike the perfect balance between Los Angeles’s chic sophistication and SoCal’s coastal style – all just four miles from LAX. linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities linkedin.com/company/ ACFacilities @ACFacilities @ACFacilities facebook.com/ ACFacilities FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2024 PUBLISHER’SMESSAGE 4 Tooting Your Own Horn F or years, one of the major goals of the Professional Convention Manage- ment Association (PCMA) and other industry-related organizations has been to upgrade and improve the role of the meeting and convention planner within his or her organization. This is a worthy effort indeed and one that should receive the full cooperation of all segments of the meetings and convention industry. Obviously, you must ask yourselves to what extent are you taking PCMA’s and other industry efforts to heart and contrib- uting your share to the cause. But please, don’t be misled. I am not advocating ram- pant self-promotion to bring oneself to the attention of the organization’s hierarchy. Instead, I am suggesting the use of pro- motion techniques that will call attention to the importance and relevance of your meeting or convention. By letting your organization’s management know that meetings are crucial to the success of its goals, you have axiomatically proven the worth of your position. The utilization of ingenuity, unique- ness, creative thinking and showmanship are some of the greatest assets needed to succeed. It would be best if you recognized that the responsibility of affecting the lives of thousands of attendees is genuinely remarkable. The key is to make the time spent at events unforgettable and, yes, educational. There’s a postscript to these comments. Isn’t it time for you to think about a promotion? It can only help your organization and, of course, you!Plan your meeting at VisitMDR.com Elevate your next meeting in Marina del Rey, L.A.’s favorite seaside playground. Seven resort-style waterfront hotels and dozens of dockside restaurants strike the perfect balance between Los Angeles’s chic sophistication and SoCal’s coastal style – all just four miles from LAX.themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 20246 NEWS & NOTES Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center’s Expansion Breaks Ground DALLAS, TX — The City of Dallas, TX, held a groundbreaking ceremony last month for the $3.7B expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. The initiation of the master plan for development happened back in 2021. They plan to have construction complete and the facility open by 2029. The plan calls for redeveloping that area of downtown Dallas by expanding exhibition space to 800,000 sf, meeting space to 260,000 sf and ballrooms to 170,000 sf. There will be a total of 2.5 million sf of space available. For more information, visit dallasconventioncenter.com. ORLANDO, FL — Visit Orlando has hired meetings industry veteran Lisa Messina as their Chief Sales Officer. Messina’s impressive career spans three decades in leadership roles at several of the meetings and events industry’s leading orga- nizations. Most recently, Messina served as the Chief Sales Offi- cer for the Las Vegas Conven- tion & Visitors Authority, which also owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Cen- ter. At Visit Orlando, Messina will oversee several departments, including the meet- ing & convention sales and experience team, travel industry sales, membership and supporting services. She will begin her role August 19. For more on Visit Orlando, visit visitorlando.com. DALLAS, TX — The International Asso- ciation of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE) has announced some changes to its staff, including the promotion of Lisa Buchanan to senior vice presi- dent of operations to the executive leadership team and the addition of Stephanie Phillips as director of digi- tal engagement and member experi- ences. Buchanan has been with IAEE for 10 years, most recently as Vice President of Engagement and Digital Strategy. She began her career in the industry working with Meeting Profes- sionals International (MPI) for eight years in various roles. Phillips was the Manager of Marketing and Member- ship at the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) before this role. For more information on IAEE, visit iaee.com. LONG BEACH, CA — Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. and Marriott Hotels opens the new Marriott Long Beach Down- town, an urban waterfront destination situated on the city’s iconic promenade. The 12-story hotel showcases 376 con- temporary guest rooms and suites, a rooftop pool and deck with city and ocean views, a central Greatroom lobby designed for social interaction and work, a stylish lobby market, a state-of-the-art exercise facility and an all-day restau- rant. They offer more than 21,000 sf of meeting space, 14 flexible event rooms and 18 breakout rooms. All have wireless connectivity, video conferencing, dock- ing stations and smart whiteboards. An onsite audiovisual technician is available, and custom catering menu options are provided. For information, visit marriott. com/en-us/hotels/lgbmc-marriott-long- beach-downtown. ST. LOUIS, MO — Explore St. Louis appointed Ed Skapinok as Chief Commercial Officer of the destination marketing orga- nization and operator of America’s Center Convention Com- plex, effective July 29. He has served in senior marketing and sales leadership roles with the Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hostmark Hospitality Group, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, and most recently with culinary-forward hotel startup, Appellation. He was named one of the “Top 25 Minds in Hospitality” by the Hos- pitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Marriott Long Beach Downtown Opens Explore St. Louis Appoints Ed Skapinok As Chief Commercial Officer Visit Orlando Names Lisa Messina Chief Sales Officer Messina Skapinok IAEE Announces Changes to Leadership COURTESY PHOTOJULY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES 7 PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS — Atlantis Paradise Island has completed a $150 mil- lion resort-wide transformation. The resort unveiled refashioned guest rooms at The Royal, Atlantis’ iconic towers; an entirely redefined Atlantis Casino and Paranza, a new restaurant at The Cove with Michelin- starred chef Michael White. The updates include custom fixtures and design details evocative of the ocean and ecosystems found throughout the Bahamas. Other additions include Bar Sol, Cleito’s private gaming, Silan, Perch, the Caribbean’s first Shake Shack, FIELDTRIP, Cartier, Thistle, and coming soon, Christian Louboutin and Paradise Links mini-golf course. For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island, visit atlantisbahamas.com. NEW ORLEANS, LA — Readers of New Orleans CityBusiness have named the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center as a winner in the Best Event & Meeting Facility category in the 2024 Reader Ranking Awards. This is the third time they have received hon- ors in this category, being named Top Winner in 2021 and 2023. The convention center is a nine-time recipient of New Orleans Top Work- place honors by NOLA.com/Times-Picayune, a three-time recipient of the New Orleans CityBusiness Best Places to Work Award, and in 2023, earned the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. For more information on the con- vention center, visit mccno.com. CHICAGO, IL — Smithbucklin changed some leadership in its Event Services and Education and Learning Services. Jeff Calore was promoted to vice president and will lead Smithbucklin’s Event Ser- vices business. Julie Ferry was promoted to senior director and will continue as a portfolio director in Event Services. Jerry Murphy was promoted to senior direc- tor while continuing his role as portfolio director in Event Services. Peter Finn is the new head of Education and Learn- ing Services. For more information, visit smithbucklin.com/Media. BOSSIER CITY, LA – LRGC Gaming Inves- tors, LLC, recently celebrated the “top- ping off” ceremony for the new $270+ million Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana. Located along the scenic Red River in Bossier City, directly across from Shreve- port, the property will feature more than 47,000-sf of gaming space; 1,000+ slots and electronic table games; 40+ live action table games; a sportsbook; an upscale 550-room hotel, resort pool and fitness center; a 25,000-sf state-of-the- art multi-purpose Event Center; a 31-site RV park; 30,000-sf of dining entertain- ment venues and more. The project is scheduled to open in Q1 2025. For more information, visit LiveCasinoLA.com. Cincinnati Kicks Off Construction of Reimagined Convention Center District CINCINNATI, OH — The highly antici- pated $240 million transformation of the Cincinnati Convention Center got underway July 16. The new state- of-the-art Duke Energy Convention Center (DECC) will feature a dra- matic new façade, and the exhibition hall will flow into an outdoor plaza, connected to a programmable park space, the new Elm Street Plaza. Additional key highlights of the project include outdoor event areas, energy-efficient exhibit and meeting spaces, revitalized ballrooms, a sun- lit pre-function area and a stunning rooftop terrace: Offering sweeping views of the city and a premier space for special events. For more informa- tion, visit duke-energycenter.com. Atlantis Paradise Island Unveils $150M Resort- Wide Renovation New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Named Best Event & Meeting Facility Category Winner in CityBusiness Reader Ranking Awards Smithbucklin Makes Leadership Changes in Event and Education Services Units Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana Project Tops Off COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO Visit Cincy President and CEO Julie CalvertI f you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably done your share of pro bono work: helping a family member or friend, or volunteering to do some work for your child’s school or a favorite charity. You’re happy to help; after all, these projects crop up only occasionally and don’t take up large swathes of time. But what about the pro bono work you do on a regu- lar — even daily — basis? Many entrepreneurs spend countless hours doing work with no reward. The culprit? Unpaid consulting. In order to secure new business, entrepreneurs have to do a lot of up-front thinking, strategizing and advising. While you do need to show potential clients that your business can deliver a quality product or service, it’s easy to let this stage drag on way too long — to your own detriment. During the initial call or meeting with a prospective client, you go all out to demonstrate your value. In a week or two, you schedule a follow-up … then another, and another. You continue to share advice, strategies and ideas in hopes that you’ll close the business — and maybe even get a bigger com- mitment because of your hard work. But instead, it becomes an endless loop of calls where the prospect picks your brain, and you get nothing in return. Too often, you’re ghosted or told that the prospect decided to go with another option. You’re left feeling resentful, tired and broke. Even when the client does sign a contract, it’s frus- trating to look back on all the unbillable hours you’ve spent to get this far. Worse, when unpaid work becomes habitual, it can lead to burnout. Constantly exerting effort but getting nowhere can make you feel demoralized and “stuck” with no end in sight. Situations like this happen to all business owners. My new book “Burned” provides tactical advice on how to make space for dealing with periodic stress, struggle and even burn- out … while running a company and leveraging the lessons you’ve learned. So, how do you stop giving away so much of your time and expertise — both on the front end and throughout the project? Here are a few suggestions: First, practice your new mantra: “My time is valuable.” Before you set boundaries with clients, you have to change your own mindset. It’s easy to assume that if a conversation isn’t costing you materials or product, it’s not a huge deal. Not so. How much could you have charged a paying cli- ent for that hour? How much closer could you have gotten to finishing a project or implementing a new idea? For that matter, could the prospective client take what you’ve shared with them and leverage it to make more money on their own? Never forget that your time is a valuable asset. Set a time limit on unpaid work or initial consulting. I know a business owner who has a one-hour initial call with prospective clients. If they want to continue the conversation after that first hour, the clients have to purchase a package of this entrepreneur’s time, which she sells in five-hour increments. If you want to follow this business owner’s example, set expectations up front and be consistent with every prospective client. Explain that you want them to VIEW POINT Entrepreneurs, Your Time Is Money Are You Being Too Generous with It? BY JULIE BEE 8 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJULY 2024 DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMget a taste of your work, and acknowledge that an initial conversation is necessary to determine if your business is a good fit. Then let the prospect know how much you’ll charge for your consulting time going forward. Get your post-consultation budget out front. When you share your consultation fees, it’s also a good idea to give prospective clients an idea of how much the actual project is likely to cost. Being up front about the expected budget will help you weed out “tire-kickers” who may not be serious or who just don’t have the funds. Say something like, “We normally work on a six-month retainer. Our range is $X to $Y, with the average contract being $Z. Is that within your budget?” Don’t assume that the budget has dried up mid-project. Sometimes entrepreneurs end up doing unpaid work because they think a client doesn’t have the budget to cover everything. Maybe it’s true that the client’s dollars just aren’t there, but always ask and verify! If you believe budget will be an issue, you can ask the client, “What is your budget at this point?” or say, “This is what I usually charge for a project like this.” Then see where the conversation takes you. One more option. If there isn’t enough money to cover you, see if you can negotiate another form of payment. Maybe the client can help you out with admission to an industry conference, give you access to attendee lists, trade one of their own services, etc. If you do it for free, do it without expectations. Maybe you’ve decided that charging for your time after an initial consultation isn’t right for your business, or you believe you’re justified in making an exception. (Or perhaps you’re doing an actual premeditated pro bono project!) Whatever the circumstances, do this unpaid work without any if/then expectations. In other words, don’t justify the work by saying, “If I do ABC, then the client will respond by doing XYZ.” This type of thinking is what fuels seemingly infinite consulting cycles. You’re working toward a hoped-for outcome that the client has not agreed to (and may never agree to). Either be okay with not being compensated, or put a payment plan in place. Proceed on a case-by-case basis. Some prospective clients need more time than others to commit. You don’t always have to shut people down if they don’t immediately commit, but you do need to recognize when discussions are likely to drag on so you can shorten the cycle. Also, in my experience, clients who require a lot of your time and energy on the front end will continue to do so throughout the project. This isn’t necessar- ily a reason to end the relationship — but it is helpful to be aware of as you plan your workflow. Remember that you’re your best advocate. If you find yourself feeling resentful about the unpaid consulting you’ve already given to a prospective client and have another meeting coming up with them, you can still advocate for yourself. Send an email to the prospective client as far in advance of the scheduled meeting as possible to let them know you’ll need to charge for the upcoming, and any future, consulting sessions. But also give them an out to cancel the meeting with no hard feelings. Do your best work, no matter what. “Free” does not equal “lower quality.” Always give 100 percent, whether you’re being paid or not. If you cut corners or deliver a half- baked pro bono service, it can hurt — or even ruin — your brand. Dissatisfied prospects can do plenty of damage to your business with a few keystrokes. On the other hand, folks who are impressed by your work can be some of your best ambassadors — even if they don’t sign a contract! For instance, “It turned out that I needed some services Julie’s com- pany didn’t offer, but I was so impressed by her ideas and communication. You should give her a call!” Walk away if you need to. Not all business is good business. When you’re in the unpaid consulting stage, use your instincts. Ask yourself, Is this relationship one I really want to be in? Is this person impossible to satisfy? Are they legit but slower to move … or are they consciously trying to take advantage? Eventually the takers, time-wasters and chronic complain- ers will wear on you and drain your time, energy and mental health. Scout them out early and don’t be afraid to “pass” on their business if you believe it will take up too much of your professional or personal bandwidth. For most entrepreneurs, a judicious amount of unpaid consulting is one of the best ways to build your brand and attract new business. But too much of a good thing can leave you frustrated, struggling to make ends meet or even burned out. Most clients don’t abuse the system intentionally, but if you want to end the unpaid consulting cycle, it’s up to you to set the boundaries. Very few people are going to say no to a continued stream of free ideas! | AC&F | 9 JULY 2024 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES Julie Bee is the author of “Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and Fuel Success.” A business owner burnout strategist, Bee has been dubbed the “small business fixer” by her clients and peers. With over 15 years in the entrepreneurial field, she has solidified her reputation as a dynamic consultant, a riveting speaker, and a leader who sheds light on the darker side of business ownership. Having been celebrated by Fast Company and Forbes, her insights are in high demand across the industry. For more information, please visit thejuliebee.com. “Free” does not equal “lower quality.” Always give 100 percent, whether you’re being paid or not.Next >