Cirque du Soleil founder, Guy Laliberté, sold his controlling stake in the circus to Texas-based TPG Capital and the China-based Fosun Group on Monday, April 20.

Laliberté will retain 10 percent interest and continue as a creative adviser to the circus company, which will keep its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. TPG will control 60 percent, Fosun will control 20 percent, and 10 percent will be controlled by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

The Fosun Group news is interesting because Cirque wants to increase its presence in Asia.

“We have a Chinese partner who knows the market well, and who has a lot of international connections,” Laliberté said during a news conference.  “We have a precise plan that we will be announcing soon. China is a complex market, and we are doing our homework, doing our research, having many consultations, and will soon have a more organized plan.”

Cirque was sold for personal reasons, Laliberté said.

“In all consciousness and with a rigorous personal reflection and corporate reflection, I believe I am making the best decision for Cirque du Soleil and its future, and the best decision for myself and my family,” he said.

Financial terms weren’t released.

(Image: OSA Images)

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) last week released its 2014 CEIR Index Report, which takes a look at the exhibition industry and offers a three-year outlook. The analysis found that the industry grew 1.8 percent for the year as a whole, which is one percentage point higher than 2013 and below the 2 percent forecasted growth.

“The best performing sectors in 2014 were the Financial, Legal and Real Estate and Building, Construction, Home and Repair sectors, which respectively gained 5.2 percent and 5.1 percent,” CEIR’s President and CEO Brian Casey, CEM, said in a statement. “Alternately, the weakest exhibition sector was Education, where the index declined by 3.0 percent.”

The overall industry is expected to grow at a rate of 2.8 percent for 2015.

“We are optimistic for the performance of the industry overall this year,” said CEIR Economist Allen Shaw, PhD, chief economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates Inc. “Economic and job growth should continue to drive expansion in exhibitions.”

The CEIR Index measures year-over-year changes in four key metrics to determine overall performance: net square feet of exhibit space sold, professional attendance, number of exhibiting companies, and gross revenue, and the Index provides data on exhibition industry performance across 14 industry sectors, such as education, sporting goods, and travel and entertainment.

(Bottom Image: CEIR)

Earth Day is this week on April 22, but the single-day theme can definitely be used all month long during April. Often we associate Earth Day activities with being outside in the sun and natural environment, but one topic that has been newsworthy lately are the effects that plants may have on indoor air pollution. Some sources, including NASA, show research that house plants can have a very beneficial effect on indoor air contaminants, and to the point that some even “clean the air.” The EPA is a bit more conservative and states that more research needs to be done, and the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is still through mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Either way, indoor and outdoor plants are a welcomed sight to our buildings and facilities. Our guests and staff alike seem to “breathe a little calmer” when they are walking in one of our gardens, sitting next to a planter, or working in an office with a plant on their windowsill.

To learn more about this topic, please visit these sites: “9 house plants that clean the air and are hard to kill” and “Can plants control indoor air pollution?”

(Image: Sean Hagen/Creative Commons)

The Minnesota Vikings plan to build 15 additional suites in the new stadium set to open in 2016.

The new, 10-person suites will be known as the Norseman Lounge Mini-Suites and will replace three of four loge lounges planned in the stadium’s original design. The suites will be available for all Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority events year-round.

“With the tremendous interest we have seen through the first year of suite sales, it became apparent that we should add a smaller, unique seating product,” said Vikings Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve LaCroix in a statement. “We think the Norseman Lounge Mini-Suites will be highly-desired by both individuals and businesses.”

The Vikings’ new stadium will have a total of 131 suites, including the new mini-suites, when it opens. Approximately 70 percent of the total suites have been sold.

(Image: Minnesota Vikings)

Sherpa clients receive valuable data on guest behavior via geolocation technology. Here, exhibit floor traffic is captured to show area density and attendee movement during an event.

IAVM is pleased to announce a 2015-2016 global partnership with Sherpa Solutions. This is the highest partner level available at the association and reflects a tremendous commitment to the community of venues and professionals it serves.

Through the new partnership, attendees to all of IAVM’s conferences and schools will experience Sherpa’s award-winning app platform, including additional venue-wide indoor geolocation features at the VenueConnect Annual Conference & Trade Show (August 1-4, 2015) and at the International Convention Center Conference (ICCC), October 1-3, 2015.

“Sherpa is an innovator in our industry, and their focus on leveraging emerging technologies to improve the guest experience makes them a great partner for IAVM,” said Vicki Hawarden, CMP, president and CEO of IAVM. “Sherpa has been a supportive member for several years, and I look forward to the expanded collaboration that will emerge through this partnership.”

Jacques Racine, founder and chief innovation officer with Sherpa Solutions, shares in the enthusiasm for this new partnership.

“Sherpa is proud to partner with IAVM and contribute to the success of all its events,” Racine said. “We have been attending the ICCC meetings for several years and have always found great value in IAVM. We believe in investing in such an industry leading organization—one that always supports its members.”

Sherpa RTLS Solutions Inc. was founded in 2009 and quickly became a leading developer of mobile applications for the trade show and exhibition industry. With more than 30 staff members, Sherpa is actively involved with over 200 events in six countries. Sherpa counts many of the biggest trade show and conference organizers in the business as clients, including Reed Exhibitions, Emerald, Penton, Diversified, and Informa.