An open-air design featuring the largest digital experience in the U.S. convention and exhibitions industry welcomes attendees to the brand-new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), just as the city roars back to full capacity and takes major events and trade shows to the next level with impressive, new venues.

The $1 billion West Hall Expansion adds 1.4 million square feet to the LVCC, including 600,000 square feet of new, leasable exhibit space, which includes 328,000 square feet of the largest column-free space in North America, 150,000 square feet of meeting space; a 14,000-square-foot outdoor terrace; and a grand atrium. 

During the design phase, a panel of trade show organizers representing some of the largest trade shows held in Las Vegas, including the Consumer Technology Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, UBM Advanstar, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, and the International Council of Shopping Centers, showed their unanimous support for the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion.

The organizers urged the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) to “make no small plans.” Their input about the necessary features became the foundation for West Hall’s design.

To address the need for flexible meeting space, the West Hall features 150,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that can be divided into 80 meeting rooms by foldable doors. Catering and equipment are delivered via discrete service corridors. The rooms overlooking the show floor have operable glass partitions to prevent glass glare, an important feature when hosting media events.

Some of the features on the show floor and in public areas include power and data from floor boxes, and a new rigging structure with 4,000- and 2,000-pound rig points.

Individually addressable LED lighting makes it possible to create zones of various lighting intensity on the exhibit floor. Energy-efficient lighting is part of the building’s LEED Silver strategy. All back-of-the-house equipment is energy efficient as well.

Exclusive access to unrivaled digital content and branding opportunities get center-stage treatment with a 4.0mm Pixel Pitch LED Samsung video wall that spans 10,000 square feet in the main atrium and a cutting-edge signage network throughout the facility. The LVCVA’s team is also creating mobile opportunities for digital engagement and wayfinding in conjunction with proprietary show apps.

An outdoor terrace overlooking the Strip can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees for unique events, post-show receptions, and impressive production capabilities overlooking the Las Vegas skyline.

The LVCC was awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation by ISSA, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. Considered the gold standard for safe facilities, the GBAC program was designed to control the risks associated with infectious agents, including the virus responsible for COVID-19. The LVCC was the first facility in Nevada to receive this accreditation.

Las Vegas already has an increasingly full slate of events scheduled for the next few months. Some of the major trade shows coming to the LVCC and the new West Hall are World of Concrete and CES 2022.