News
Sep 06, 2018
Following the combination of Informa and UBM, Informa Exhibitions has appointed Mark Temple-Smith as managing director for the Group’s Fashion Exhibitions business, which includes leading brands such as WWDMAGIC, COTERIE, PROJECT and PROJECT WOMENS, which all run twice a year in Las Vegas during MAGIC.
“We are pleased to have Mark take on this essential role as we focus on rolling out such an initiative so important to the fashion marketplace and dedicating the right resources – management, technology and branding – to supporting our customers’ success,” Informa Exhibitions CEO Charlie… more
Sep 06, 2018
Full-service event ticketing and technology solution, ShowClix, has formed an exclusive partnership with Audiencetools, the Australian-based event marketing platform designed to help venues, promoters and event organizers harness their social media reach and increase their ticket sales.
“We’re thrilled to bring Audiencetools to our event partners,” said Amy Mrazek, director of marketing at ShowClix, a product of Patron Technology that handles ticketing, marketing and onsite operations for fandom conventions, museums, festivals, attractions and consumer shows.
She continued, “It’s going to… more
Sep 05, 2018
The trade show industry mergers and acquisitions market does not look to be slowing down any time soon, with another deal being announced today: GS Media and Events bought eight recreational vehicle, Boat & Outdoor Sports Consumer Shows from RJ Promotions for an undisclosed sum and ITE Group proposes to sell off part of its Russia division to Shtab-Expo.
“This acquisition for GS Events expands their reach into several new markets and makes them the dominant producer of RV related consumer shows,” said Nick Curci, president of Corporate Solutions. “GS Events was the natural buyer of… more
Sep 05, 2018
Beginning in January of 2021, the Western & English Sales Association (WESA) will be relocating its International Western/English Apparel & Equipment Markets to the Dallas Market Center.
Known as the producer of the world’s largest trade events for the equestrian industry, the biannual event is moving from Denver Mart in Denver, Colorado, a venue it had called home for decades.
To be held each January and August, the WESA Markets in Dallas will be the largest global showcase of western and English resources as well as the global marketing headquarters for many of the largest… more
Sep 04, 2018
Just before the long holiday weekend in the U.S., two companies made portfolio sales that covered several conferences, a trade show and digital products.
AC Business Media sold its business-to-business portfolio that was comprised mainly of publications and one trade show to Florida-based private equity firm Boyne Capital.
The assets included in the sale are the following 12 publications, the DHI ConNextions trade show for the non-residential door and hardware industry, one digital marketing services brand, several related websites and digital products.
“This acquisition for Boyne… more
Aug 30, 2018
As the exhibitions industry continues to surge full speed ahead, more and more destinations are recognizing the need to upgrade, revamp and expand their convention centers in order to compete for major trade shows and events.
These days, myriad facilities are celebrating ground breakings, undergoing new construction projects or anticipating grand openings, while others have put their plans on hold. Here are some of the major U.S. convention centers proposing, building and completing bigger, better, state-of-the-art spaces.
Caesars Forum
On July 16, Caesars Entertainment broke ground on … more
Aug 30, 2018
Convention industry telecommunications services provider, Smart City Networks, has finalized a contract with the Miami Beach Convention Center to provide extensive technology upgrades as a part of the facility’s two and half-year-long, multi-million-dollar renovations project.
Effective June 1, the agreement is on a fast track to finishing in early September to coincide with the completion of the MBCC’s $620 million, venue-wide renovation project.
The facility’s tech upgrades, with the partnership of the local internet service provider Hotwire Communications, will include enhanced network… more
Aug 29, 2018
The most recent edition of the 2018 Connect meetings series, which collocated Connect Association, Connect Corporate, Connect Sports, Connect Expo and Connect Specialty and was held Aug. 23-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah, added several new dimensions to the traditional hosted-buyer model of 1:to:1 meetings between industry suppliers and meeting planners.
“If you’ve got different buyer groups, you’ve got some scale and some opportunity for a lot of cross-fertilization and learning and a different experience that some people like,” said Doug Emslie, managing director at Tarsus Group, which owns a… more
Aug 29, 2018
The Meetings Mean Business Coalition has chosen Trina Camacho-London, vice president of Global Group Sales at Hyatt Hotels, as its next co-chair.
Camacho-London will join Julie Coker Graham, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, in leading MMBC, which comprises more than 60 organizations from across the meetings and travel industry that work to advocate the value that business meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows, exhibitions and incentive travel bring to people, businesses and communities.
“Trina is a long-time member of MMBC who exemplifies… more
Aug 28, 2018
The Shenyang New World EXPO (“EXPO”) successfully hosted one of the largest Chinese international conferences ever to be held in northeast China.
The 2018 Chinese Conference on Oncology was held Aug. 18-19.
Delegate attendance on the opening day of the Conference exceeded 18,000. The event maximized the use of all areas of the venue including the 24,000 sqm (258,000 sq. ft.) of exhibition/multi-purpose space and 4,000 sqm (43,000 sq. ft.) of meeting space.
During the 2-day event, the venue provided F&B services as well as venue safety and security services to ensure efficient crowd… 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