Las Vegas Shows Score Record Growth in First-half 2016

July 12, 2016

Las Vegas has a streak of good news with shows held in the first half of 2016 seeing major upticks in their numbers, with several reporting record growth.

Through May 2016, more than three million visitors traveled to Las Vegas to attend a meeting or convention. That’s a 12.1 percent, compared with the same time last year.  

CES 2016 broke its own record from last year with 2.47 million net sq. ft. showfloor, up from 2.2 million last year, taking over the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Expo & Convention Center and the Venetian, as well as the Wynn, Aria, Vdara and Cosmopolitan.

Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (formerly the Consumer Electronics Association), the world's largest technology show took place Jan. 6-9.

InfoComm International broke records for attendance, exhibitors and exhibit space in 2016. Nearly 39,000 people visited the Las Vegas Convention Center for the event.

More than 35 percent of attendees visited InfoComm for the first time while it was held in Las Vegas. The June show welcomed 1,000 exhibitors, including 211 new exhibitors, across more than 527,000 net square feet of exhibit and special event space.

Also this year, ISC West at the Sands Expo & Convention Center attracted the highest attendance and largest number and square feet of exhibits. Nearly 30,000 security industry professionals attended the event to interact with a record 1,072 exhibiting companies and brands.  

Several shows, including World of Concrete and RECon 2016, also reported the highest attendance in the post-recession era. 

The latest installment of the LVCVA’s LV360 video series highlights additional successes of Las Vegas shows in 2016.

Even with more than two decades under its belt as the No. 1 trade show destination as ranked on the TSNN Top 250 trade show list, Las Vegas works hard to maintain that ranking. The city that evolved to host people is always evolving to improve the experience and ensure its top ranking.

More than $9 billion in current and proposed development is on the books to add to the destination’s appeal, including a 5,000 seat theater at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Wynn Paradise Park, Lucky Dragon Hotel-Casino, Resorts World Las Vegas, Alon, renovation of the Julius Tower at Caesars Palace just to name a few.

In addition, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is progressing with its Las Vegas Convention Center District project that will expand and renovate the Las Vegas Convention Center.

That project surpassed a major milestone today. According to local news reports, the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee voted unanimously to back a proposal that would fund the convention center project and create a seven-member oversight panel to supervise the development.

Under the recommendation, the convention center work would be funded by a 0.5 percent increase in the county room tax and by capping the local government collection allowance from room tax revenues at $25 million annually.

According to the news reports, the next step is Nevada state legislators will consider the recommendation for possible action.

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Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started. Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind. “Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for." What’s New – AT&T Discovery District Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall. Hotels Coming Soon Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond. JW Marriott This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar. InterContinental Dallas  Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.   Hotel Swexan Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.