Imagine packing the power of 14 cell towers inside a single convention facility. That’s exactly what the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has accomplished at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) with the launch of one of the nation’s largest Neutral-Host Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) throughout the property.

Through a partnership with Cox Business/Hospitality Network and InSite Wireless Group, LLC, clients and guests visiting the LVCC will benefit from state-of-the-art wireless voice and data cellular services that are now being transported over the new DAS. This development will provide wireless subscribers a better convention experience as they navigate the LVCC’s 3.2 million square feet, or roughly 26 football fields, of space.

“Today’s world is a wireless world, and to provide a first-rate customer experience, we have to have the infrastructure to ensure visitors have seamless coverage and service,” said Hugh Sinnock, LVCVA’s vice president of customer experience. “Investments like this will continue to provide our clients with the best possible tools for conducting business.”

“With the support of our partners at InSite, we’ve constructed a neutral host DAS infrastructure that will provide reliable, high-speed cellular connectivity within the Las Vegas Convention Center,” said Derrick R. Hill, vice president of Cox Business and Hospitality Network in Las Vegas. “As a result, cell providers will be able to give their customers improved coverage and this will enhance the overall convention center experience for attendees and guests.”

In addition to the center’s existing high-density Wi-Fi network, the capacity of the new cellular DAS is immense. With an ability to deliver service to more than 100,000 guests simultaneously, visitors to the LVCC can expect faster download speeds on their smartphones than typically provided on most corporate networks

Four major U.S. wireless carriers have signed agreements to launch this service. The system can simultaneously accommodate traffic from all of the participating wireless carriers; serving the exploding wireless voice and data demands that are common at today’s high attendance, technology-rich trade shows and events.

The approximately $18 million DAS project took three years to plan and 10 months to build. The job was so large that four separate installation contractors split up the work, tackling different areas of the campus simultaneously. In addition, various specialized construction trades from HVAC to electrical to fire suppression to custom fabricated steelwork were used to support the massive equipment and antenna infrastructure.

Ungerboeck Software announced the launch of a venue-focused, e-commerce solution for exhibitor sales and service.

The Exhibitor Service Center works to increase the volume and value of exhibitor orders while simultaneously improving communication with exhibitors and operations alike.

“Exhibitors are demanding a true Amazon-type experience while buying their services and I am excited that our venue customers will now be delivering that,” said Ungerboeck Software CEO Manish Chandak. “This product puts venues back in the driver’s seat in terms of exhibitor sales and revenue. With marketplace features like this, it’s just an incredible opportunity to open the floodgates on a whole new revenue stream.”

Services like electrical, internet, security, rigging and items such as furniture and catering are presented via a branded website with a familiar, Amazon-like user experience. Recommendations, suggestions, required services, related upgrades and bundled packages make upsells and cross-sells easy and natural, while the ability to designate featured items draws attention to best-sellers and offerings with higher profit margins. Easy access to important information like deadlines for advance and standard pricing cutoffs, item descriptions and instructions cuts down on time-intensive back and forth with exhibitors, while the immediate availability of submitted orders in both the Ungerboeck database and to the operations team eliminates confusion with venue staff.

“The real value of the solution is that it ties the front-end experience to all of order processing including payments, inventory, item placement and delivery times,” said Ungerboeck Vice President of Product Marketing Shannon Terrill. “Just in the short time it’s been available to our Beta users and early adopters, there have been some significant year-over-year increases in exhibitor sales and satisfaction – and this is all as they’ve spent less time and energy focused on exhibitor sales and service.”

Tammy Koolbeck, executive director of the Venuworks-managed Iowa State Center, announced the promotion of Holly Boman to director of marketing.

Boman has more than 15 years of experience in advertising, marketing and management and is deserving of the promotion, according to Koolbeck. “Holly has been an integral part of our staff since VenuWorks assumed management of the Iowa State Center,” Koolbeck said. “She stepped up to take on more responsibility earlier this fall and earned this promotion with her creativity and work ethic.”

Boman joined the marketing team at the Iowa State Center in 2014 and quickly advanced to the role of director of marketing. Prior to her position at the Iowa State Center, Boman served in management positions with the Des Moines Register and the Daily Tribune, responsible for managing classified and retail sales teams, training and budgeting.

As marketing director at the Iowa State Center, Boman will oversee marketing operations, while guiding the definition and demonstration of VenuWork’s vision for the center.

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Dean Dennis is a 20-year veteran in the convention center world and has seen and done a lot, but his newest professional opportunity is one that has him excited as he prepares to lead the 600,000-square-feet Atlantic City Convention Center.

“I consider it a real honor to be tapped by Spectra to make the move to Atlantic City,” said Dennis, who arrives from the Owensboro (KY) Convention Center that he opened in 2014. “My 20-plus years of experience in the hospitality and venue industry have provided the skill set I feel is essential to managing a venue the size and scope of Atlantic City. Having spent most all of those years with Spectra, I know well the valuable resources our company offers and the synergies I can build upon with our other similarly-sized managed venues.”

As the new general manager, Dennis will be responsible for supervision and oversight of the convention center as well as Boardwalk Hall. He will serve under the direction of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City, which oversees the center through Spectra’s contract.

“Atlantic City is a fantastic meeting destination and I look forward to creating partnerships and enhancing the existing efforts of the CRDA, Meet AC and our Spectra Team,” Dennis said. “I am also very excited about participating in the upcoming capital improvements planned for the center to ensure it remains competitive and a top destination in the meetings industry.”

“It has been a privilege to be involved with such a wonderful and progressive community,” he said. “My wife, Michelle, and I moved to Owensboro in early 2012 to open the new venue and we have created wonderful friendships which will certainly be missed. Stepping aside from my business development role into an operations role for Spectra was a great move for me. I have enjoyed creating a great team of employees and organizational structure to deliver quality service and exceed expectations for our clients.”

The Queensland Government has re-appointed AEG Ogden as managers of the award winning Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) for a five year period from 1 July 2017, together with a five year option.

AEG Ogden, the leading venue management company in the Asia Pacific with venues throughout Australia, Asia and the Middle East, has managed BCEC since its opening in 1995.

The re-appointment of AEG Ogden as venue managers, acknowledges the effectiveness of the management of the Centre which this year was voted The World’s Best Convention Centre by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), in July 2016 confirming Queensland’s reputation as a world-class destination for globally recognized conferences and events.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Jackie Trad said, “It’s wonderful news that BCEC will again be in these capable hands. Since it was built on part of the former World Expo site, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre has been a centerpiece venue for the people of Brisbane, Queensland – and in a very real sense, the world. BCEC continues to be a major contributor to boosting Queensland’s economy.”

During 21 years of successful and continuous operation, BCEC has hosted 18,000 events and 14 million guests delivering $3.87 billion in economic benefit to Queenslanders.

The Centre’s financial performance has been outstanding, funding operating and asset management costs from profits since opening, and continues with the Centre celebrating its biggest October ever this year. The October performance follows very strong monthly results delivering its best ever results for the first four months of a financial year during the Centre’s 21 year history.

In an increasingly competitive environment, BCEC is looking at strong future growth having secured 140 new conventions for Brisbane during the 2015/16 Financial Year with 1,400 future bookings right through to the year 2029 bringing more than 900,000 guests and an added economic benefit of $1billion.

AEG Ogden Chairman and CEO, Harvey Lister paid tribute to management and staff at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on securing a long-term extension to manage the venue. 

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