Successful Meetings - April 2008 - (Page 56)

Gaming Meetings > Beyond the Flames A MOVING EXPERIENCE Not just meetings were moved. “We accommodated several weddings that day—we moved them to the MGM,” says McGahey. And in an only-in-Las-Vegas story, a woman playing slots in the casino had just hit the jackpot and didn’t want to leave. A quick-thinking security guard and casino supervisor had her point at the security camera to make sure they got it on tape. The next day she came by and collected. For meeting planner Robert Colvin, the problem was more immediate. Colvin, vice president of strategic accounts at Experient, was helping put on the World Market Center show for the furniture industry. The show was starting on January 28, and he had 900 rooms at the Monte Carlo. He was in a pre-show meeting at the MGM Grand across the street when the fire started. “We got a phone call, went to the third floor of the MGM, and saw the commotion. We were there for several hours while they moved the guests into the MGM Grand Arena and immediately provided food and water and medical supplies. We were with our convention services rep and were soon working with our sales contact. We first helped the delegates who had already checked into Monte Carlo, then those arriving Friday.” Meanwhile, Colvin says “We immediately provided info back to our call center in Deerfield, IL, so the delegates would know where they were going. There was a lot of shifting and juggling, but their staff made it work. Delegate reservations were honored; they accommodated 900 rooms at MGM, Bellagio, Mirage, Treasure Island, and Excalibur.” Many of Colvin’s delegates had already checked in. They asked, “My personal items are there, when can I get back in and PHOTO: AUDREY DEMPSEY “There was a lot of shifting and juggling, but their staff made it work . . . They accommodated 900 rooms at MGM, Bellagio, Mirage, Treasure Island, and Excalibur.” —Robert Colvin, Experient “At the Bellagio, the meeting space was all close together . . . [and] all the food and beverage and audio visual services were honored at the Monte Carlo rates.” —Neil Schwartz, California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues get my stuff?” Once the fire was put out and the building declared safe, attendees were able to go back and get their things out of their rooms, accompanied by housekeepers and security. “The process was professional,” says Colvin, “There were no incidents of anyone not retrieving their items.” With any large group, says Colvin, there are some minor complaints in such a situation. “People were put in multiple hotels instead of one, or they wanted to do a sales recap meeting in their suite. But it could have been much worse; people were gracious. They were glad they had clean, comfortable rooms, and they appreciated that they were able to conduct business as normal.” For planners, Colvin says, “It’s important to make sure when you’re contracting that if there is a catastrophe your attendees are protected and the rates are honored. Make sure you have those protections in writing.” “It’s also good to have emergency and crisis plans, so there is a chain of command about when, who calls who, what is the chain, and so on. As a planner you need to make sure you have the right list of operational people, such as your front office manager and security director, in addition to your meetings contact.” If you have a single-hotel meeting, Colvin says, “Know your city; where do you move? What’s your second and third choice? Who still has rooms, if you’re taking reservations until the last moment? At [another show], where we get 125,000 attendees, we have previously negotiated deals as backup on an overflow basis.” Colvin’s group benefited from the fact that the city had some availability. “Otherwise, we would have had to segment and fragment people and look to go off-Strip if necessary,” he says. “But the large reservoir of rooms and the way competitors will pull together in such circumstances is an advantage of doing a meeting in Las Vegas. I had calls from Westin, Harrah’s, Sahara, and Hilton Grand Vacations, to make sure everyone was placed. It was not an easy task, but MGM accommodated us very well.” mimegasite.com APRIL 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS 56 http://mimegasite.com

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Successful Meetings - April 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Suppliers Events On the Record Suppliers Planner's Spotlight Technology Talk Personal Success Websites of the Month Food & Beverage On Site Professional Development On Site Pre-Event Professional Development Miforum Q&A Beyond the Flames Reservation for—21,000 Casino Riches Entertainment Jackpot Who Needs a Passport? The International Swing Around the World in 18 Holes Places & Spaces Denver Orlando Missouri Puerto Rico Show Special: Washington DC / Frankfurt, Germany Gurus

Successful Meetings - April 2008

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