IAVM member Jeff Blosser says he turns away $200 million a year because the Washington State Convention Center is too small for big conventions. For example, a conference of emergency room physicians recently turned down the venue.

“That is a show that we know we could get back, that’s been here before, loves Seattle, loves the destination, the convention visitor’s bureau, everybody, and they’re not coming back,” Blosser, CEO of the convention center, told KUOW.org. “They won’t even take a look at us because we’re not big enough.”

One solution, though, is right under his feet—build additional space underground.

“The idea is to make an exhibit space that large you have to go below grade,” Matt Griffin of Pine Street Group told KUOW.org. “Then we’ll put Olive back in place after we build the building.”

Accomplishing this build would let the convention center stagger events, and the existing hotel taxes would help pay for the project.

Please visit KUOW.org to read the rest of the story.

(photo credit: Susan Sharpless Smith via photopin cc)

New year, new you, new job, maybe? If so, you may want to heed resume writer Cheryl Simpson’s advice in her article “Top 8 Job Search Trends for 2015” on Careerealism.com.

Here are four trends she identifies, along with a quote from her about each one.

1. Social Networking Continues to Dominate
“…46 percent of U.S. companies source talent via social networks, [and] becomes imperative that job seekers boost their social networking skills and the amount of time they spend on networks such as LinkedIn.”

2. Video Recruitment on the Rise
“Seventy-five percent of recruiters are already using video for recruitment purposes.”

3. Mobile Computing Drives Innovations
“Cover letters, for example, should be shorter than 250 words and resumes are trending toward shorter summaries, paragraphs, and achievement bullets with less text density than was acceptable in the past.”

4. Thought Leadership via Content Development
“…content [can] help you attract the attention of more recruiters, companies, and hiring executives.”

Concerning trend No. 4, please consider writing for FM and IAVM’s blog. We’re always open to more writers and content. Email editor@iavm.org with your story ideas.

Please visit Careerealism.com to read the rest of Simpson’s trends, and good luck with your job searches this year.

(photo credit: thedailyenglishshow via photopin cc)

I’m continuing Consumer Electronics Show coverage from my desk, and I came across another product you may be interested in for your venue. It’s called a Comfort-Shell, made by Silentium.

Four microphones are hidden on the shell’s outer layer and they pic up the noise around the shell. That noise is then inverted and played inside the shell to help cancel sound, making for a “cone of silence.”

“While the Shell is meant to reduce most of the noise around you, it intentionally avoids cutting out voices,” reported Jacob Kastrenakes for The Verge. “When someone spoke to me, it came through loud and clear, without any sign that the Shell had tried to silence the speaker. It also isn’t muting noises within the Shell, which allows you to make phone calls or listen to music in a bit more quiet.”

Kastrenakes reported that the company wants to place these shells in airports, convention centers, and other large public places in order to give people some silent spaces.

Is this something you’d put in your venue?

(Image: Molly McHugh for The Daily Dot)

Below is a great video of the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing Edgard Varèse’s “Amériques” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The piece is enhanced by an architectural video installation created by Refik Anadol that analyzes and responds to the music and the conductor’s movements in real time. It uses Microsoft Kinect hardware and 3D depth camera analysis to create the visuals.

The performance is part of the venue’s new in/SIGHT series, which pairs concerts with videos.

“I enjoyed the idea of creating a performance using the entire space as a canvas,” Anadol told The Huffington Post. “Instead of creating a media screen, there will be a story inside the space. What happens if you add a video layer that speaks to the audience in a whole new experience? We’re exploring the boundaries of what is real, what is physical, what is virtual?”

Visions of America: Amériques / LA Phil / Video Artist Cut from Refik Anadol on Vimeo.

(Image: Refik Anadol)

Perhaps you have bad knees. Maybe your shoes are hurting you. Could be you just flat out don’t like walking. If so, let me introduce you to the IO Hawk, a new product showcased at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.

The IO Hawk is like a skateboard and handle-less Segway. It weighs 22 pounds, can reach speeds of up to six miles per hour, and lasts for 10 to 12 miles on a single charge. It also has shiny, colorful lights.

“A person riding on the IO Hawk looks regal. You get about six inches of lift from the device, and you end up moving silently and smoothly. If you’re not looking at the rider’s feet, all you see is a tall person gliding,” reported Rafe Needleman, editorial director at Yahoo Tech. “This is an amazing device.”

The company is currently taking advance orders and hopes to lower the price ($1,800) before it’s officially available.

(Image: IO Hawk)