These comments were submitted by Aaron Shushan of Specialty Sales. Thought they were worth posting as a topic.
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First off, I am very excited to see this acquisition!! So on behalf of Specialty Sales Congratulations! This acquisition can mean new and great things for the “Las Vegas Fastener Show.”
I really just want to jump into talking about the BIG MOVE OF 2017. Apparently the Vegas Fastener Show has found its way over to the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2017. While many of my industry friends are angry, scared, or confused, I look at this as a positive move. While the convention center does not offer direct access to a hotel, it does have many unique benefits.
Year after year I find myself wandering further and further from the Fastener show– during the show!! I get invited to lunches and sales meetings from the Sands Expo Center to Treasure Island across the street (a 20-minute walk if you don’t get lost in the casino). My days are packed with walking from hotel to hotel, and it can be very stressful. All this takes me away from the show.
I have been to several shows at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and it is an entirely different story. Everything is under one roof, and the walking is tolerable. They have rooms/suites to rent for conferences and the venue and show floor itself is nice. (Cell phones actually work inside!!!) They do have a few small places to grab a snack but for the most part, that is it. Some may view this as a negative, but the point is to be at the show during the day and take the customers out at night. However, if you must leave for any reason taxis are aplenty, and the Tram stops right in front of the convention center.
Two items to note: 1) There are not many hotels near the Convention Center, and 2) The monorail stops right in front. I have made a list of all the Hotels along the tram and have put them below for anyone who reads this. My recommendation is to stay at one of these hotels for convenience. A three-day pass on the monorail currently runs $28, and a four-day pass runs $35. Both of which are good for unlimited rides and will beat the price of a taxi for three or four days! Keep in mind if you order your pass online athttps://tickets.lvmonorail.com, you get 10% off. The discount brings the prices to $25 and $32 respectively. The monorail operates Mondays from 7am to midnight and Tuesday-Thursday from 7am-2am and Friday-Sunday 7am-3am.
All-in-all, I think limiting our small show to one large venue might be a good thing. Companies who have booths will see more foot traffic and will spend more time speaking with customers and potential customers on the show floor. I look forward to this change as it will add a new dimension to the show.
HOTELS ALONG THE MONORAIL:
MGM GRAND (Furthest to the South)
BALLY’S/PARIS
Flamingo
Harrah’s
The SLS Hotel
The WestGate Las Vegas (Closest to the Convention Center)
2015 LAS VEGAS STRIP AND MONORAIL MAP: http://www.vegas.com/transportation/las-vegas-monorails/
TS,
Thanks for posting this from Aaron. Great information to have, but I’ll probably need to be reminded again as we approach the date so keep it handy!!
Jackie
Aaron, thank you for opening the dialogue concerning 2017. As it turns out, Show management wasn’t happy about the move to LVCC either but it was the only venue we could secure dates with. On our site visit we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the center. The 2017 Fastener Expo is expected to be the largest and best ever in the show’s long history. The LVCC’s spaciousness affords unlimited opportunities for growth. We will have food available on the show floor. The Westgate Hotel will be The headquarters, offering special show rates. It is an easy walk from the LVCC. The convenient monorail system will connect Expo exhibitors and buyers with all the excitement of Las Vegas.
In regards to the acquisition by Emerald Expositions, it will be the fresh air the expo needed. I am on a plane leaving the Emerald Los Angeles office right now. The Company’s first focus is to make NIFMSE the must-attend event in the world for the fastener and fastener related community for both buyers and vendors. More to come…
TS, thanks for sharing. Aaron, this is brilliant! Thanks for taking the time to put your knowledge down on “paper” for the rest of us.
As the person responsible for our company’s success at the show, and the comfort of 4-6 foreigners during the show, moving the venue is a big deal to me. By sharing info about where to stay and how to get around when the show moves in 2017, you took some fear out of this venue change. When we encounter change, half the battle is conquering our fear of the unknown…..
As far as keeping foot traffic at the show during the day, we’ll see. I hope you are right. I have not looked into this, but if I understand you correctly there is no where to get lunch at the convention center. (“They do have a few small places to grab a snack but for the most part, that is it.”). Won’t this cause people to leave the building in search of lunch and lunch meetings? Once they leave it seems like they never come back….. Maybe there’s a plan in the works for a giant buffet. Nothing draws a fastener crowd like free food and drinks…. Hey, a girl can dream….
Thanks again!
R~