Successful Meetings - April 2008 - (Page 60)

Gaming Meetings > Reservation for—21,000 the velvet rope. most likely jump up in 2009. So with a city of endless options on the menu, and an equally endless number of events competing to gobble them up, where does one start when planning her next big event in the City of Lights? Here’s how planners who bring mega-groups into town make sure their attendees get past BETTING ON THE AUTHORITY According to Linda Keith, vice president of meetings and conferences for MacFadden ProTech, the company that produces the International Pizza Expo, her group relies on the assistance of the Las Vegas TA K E A FR ES H LO O K AT E XCA LI BUR . .. for your next meeting. Convention and Visitors Authority. The International Pizza Expo is hosting its 20th year in Vegas this April, and typically draws around 6,000 attendees; these represent a large percentage of the operators of independent, franchised, and chain pizzerias. From the nearly 4,000 exhibitors who provide pizza equipment or products, to the famed World Pizza Games, showcasing individuals who excel at tossing pizza dough, or who can fold a pizza box with incredible speed, it’s imperative that the show be equipped with the tools to host this fun and high-energy show. “The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority put me in touch with wonderful services, including destination management companies to arrange ground transportation,” states Keith. “They have also been very helpful in finding the best dates for our show that will fit with our meeting pattern (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).” FRIENDLY ADVICE Susan Corwin, vice president and show manager for George Little Management, takes a surefire approach when planning The Gourmet Show in Vegas each May. In the show’s fourth year of traveling to the desert oasis, Corwin has recently launched a brand-new link on her website titled Gourmet 365, where the 6,000-plus attendees and more than 400 exhibitors can go to source both popular and hidden excursions, restaurants, and other activities. “We relied on an unofficial network of friends to compile the list,” explains Corwin. “Some of the biggest leads came from a friend of our PR company, who sat down with us to put together some of the best and undiscovered places Las Vegas has to offer.” Many of the destinations are slightly off the beaten path, but will give travelers the feeling of living like locals when they are in the city. “We feel we’ve really put together a great list of the best Vegas has to offer on APRIL 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS We’ve always been known for friendly service and an excellent Strip location. Now, with a host of new amenities and upgrades, Excalibur is all the more suited for your special event. Book a small meeting, a grand gala, or anything in-between, in our 12,000-square-foot banquet facility – renovated floor to ceiling just this year. Hold a party poolside at Drenched, our new outdoor dining and catering facility. Take your group to dinner at Dick’s Last Resort, the Strip’s most outrageous restaurant. Then, at the end of the day, retire to one of our remodeled Widescreen Rooms – which feature 42-inch plasma TVs, granite countertops and other impressive upgrades. Book your next event at Excalibur. You’ll have a meeting that shines in a whole new light. For reservstions call 1.877.520.9788 or contact meetingplanners@excalibur.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - April 2008

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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