News
Oct 27, 2015
Robert Mesirow, vice president of business operations for CTIA – The Wireless Association, will be stepping down, after 17 years at the association.
“I want to thank CTIA, its board members and all of the wireless executives I have collaborated with over the years. Special thanks to my dedicated team,” Mesirow said.
He added, “This Association has been at the forefront of every major mobile event since the inception of the wireless industry, and it’s been a great ride!”
Nov. 4 is Mesirow’s last day at CTIA, and he said he will be staying in the industry as well.
There was a shakeup in… more
Oct 26, 2015
The Miami-based FIME Exhibition & Congress, consistently ranked the No. 1 medical trade show in the United States, was bought by U.K.-based Informa Exhibitions as part of its Life Sciences portfolio.
As tracked by the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association, FIME attracts more than 57,000 attendees to its annual event.
FIME complements the Group’s existing collection of 22 exhibitions and in excess of 100 conferences across the EMEA and APAC Life Science markets.
“The acquisition of FIME will generate substantial value for our customers and partners by driving further product… more
Oct 25, 2015
As event organizers work through the various stages of adoption of technology for managing their trade shows and conferences, they realize significant incremental benefits, including reduced human error, more data integrity, fewer man hours required for data entry, and better, richer data for decision-making.
This is especially true for teams managing multiple shows spread over different geographical regions, across different months in the year as well as across many years.
Global administration of multiple applications across multiple shows allows organizers to manage all of the applications… more
Oct 25, 2015
As event organizers work through the various stages of adoption of technology for managing their trade shows and conferences, they realize significant incremental benefits, including reduced human error, more data integrity, fewer man hours required for data entry, and better, richer data for decision-making.
This is especially true for teams managing multiple shows spread over different geographical regions, across different months in the year as well as across many years.
Global administration of multiple applications across multiple shows allows organizers to manage all of the applications… more
Oct 24, 2015
This year was a busy one so far for the Exhibitions Mean Business advocacy effort aimed at spreading awareness about the tremendous value of face-to-face events.
“The Exhibitions Mean Business Campaign is a key component in promoting the value of face-to-face events as the primary marketing medium for business growth and development,” said IAEE’s President and CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA.
He added, “When you consider the more than $70 billion that attendee and exhibitor direct and indirect spending contributed to the US GDP in 2014, along with the millions of jobs created by this… more
Oct 24, 2015
William T. Glasgow Sr., a 65-year veteran of the trade show industry, passed away peacefully in his home Oct. 23.
“BG”, as he was known, started his career in the industry at Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, while attending Loyola University.
In 1967, he became director of sales for Hilton Catering at McCormick Place, and later returned to McCormick Place as director of sales and marketing for Greyhound Food Management.
In 1975, he was hired as show manager by the Electronic Industries Association to manage its winter and summer Consumer Electronics Shows (held in Chicago and Las Vegas). He… more
Oct 23, 2015
The Las Vegas Convention Center’s need for renovations and new exhibit and meeting space should have already occurred was the consensus among top trade show organizers who spoke Oct. 22 to the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee.
In a candid fact-finding session, they urged the 11-member committee to think strategically about the Las Vegas future and its position not just as a U.S., but also as a global trade show destination.
The session was the third of five the committee was conducting before making decisions on what would be priorities for next year.
The panel of trade show… more
Oct 21, 2015
Taking a major step to expand its overseas footprint, Dallas-based Freeman, a global provider of brand experiences, has acquired New South Wales, Australia-based Staging Connections Group Limited, a global event services company.
Founded in 1986, Staging Connections is an international business with offices in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and China.
With its 15 offices and 600 employees throughout ANZPAC, Staging Connections provides Freeman with an immediate presence throughout the region, according to Freeman officials.
“As our clients are expanding globally, they want… more
Oct 21, 2015
Trade show organizers and venues continued to ink new deals with suppliers as summer turned into fall.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation extended its relationship with CSG Creative to serve as the official marketing agency of SHOT (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show ) Show through 2019.
Based in Alexandria, Va., CSG Creative specializes in marketing campaigns for trade shows and member associations.
"For the last four years, CSG Creative has played a key role in the growth of the SHOT Show," said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and CMO. "Those efforts have resulted… more
Oct 20, 2015
By Wendy Helfenbaum
When Kathie Canning first started working at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center in the mid 1980s, it was a bit of a circus. Literally.
“At that time, we were the only concert venue; we did a lot of civic events, and we did the circus every year. It was very interesting when Avon came in to do a meeting right after the elephants left,” said Canning, now the OCCC’s executive director. “Many things have changed drastically since then; it’s been quite an amazing transformation.”
Today, as convention centers worldwide explode in number, size, and technology, Orlando… more
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact