IMEX America Announces Dates and Venues Through 2025, Confirms Move to September in 2019 and 2020

September 13, 2017

The IMEX Group has announced the future dates and locations for IMEX America through 2025, which includes moving its usual October dates to September for two years in 2019 and 2020.

“We know that our industry partners from across North America and around the world plan numerous activities and co-located events around IMEX America,” said Ray Bloom, chairman of IMEX Group, which owns and runs the hosted buyer trade show and conference for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry.

He continued, “In addition, the fall is a very busy period for the industry. As a result, we felt that it was important to give the industry as much notice as possible with regards to our dates and venues going forward to assist with their own planning.”

Bloom also announced that after a decade at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, IMEX America will be moving to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center starting in 2021.

“The Sands Expo team have been wonderfully supportive partners since well before our inaugural show in 2011 and we are looking forward to four more successful shows working with them, through 2020,” Bloom said.

He continued, “Their contribution in helping us to establish IMEX America in Las Vegas as the event where everyone from our industry, from the U.S. and worldwide, gathers each fall has been invaluable. However, we were not able to lock in space from 2021 onward. Therefore, after celebrating ten years working together and enjoying a fantastic relationship with the Las Vegas Sands team, we shall be moving to Mandalay Bay. We look forward to establishing successful partnerships with the Mandalay Bay and MGM Resorts International teams and we know that their world-class facilities will be an equally fitting home for the show.”

The dates and venues for IMEX America for the next eight years will be as follows:

• 2018 October, 16-18 Sands Expo

• 2019 September, 10-12 Sands Expo

• 2020 September, 15-17 Sands Expo

• 2021 November, 9 -11 Mandalay Bay

• 2022 October, 25-27 Mandalay Bay

• 2023 October, 10-12 Mandalay Bay

• 2024 October, 8-10 Mandalay Bay

• 2025 October, 7-9 Mandalay Bay

“As the leader of the meetings and trade show industry, we always felt that Las Vegas Sands was the perfect partner to assist in the launch of IMEX,” said Chandra Allison, senior vice president of sales for The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo.

She continued, “It has been a pleasure helping IMEX grow to become one of the most successful annual events for meeting professionals. The show has evolved and so has the industry. We recognize this is the right time for the show to move to its next destination. We look forward to continuing our partnership and support of IMEX America in Las Vegas for many years to come.”

Meanwhile, MGM Resorts International is looking forward to becoming a new home for IMEX America, which attracts more than 5,500 meetings professionals and upwards of 3,200 exhibitors from more than 130 countries throughout the globe.

“We are honored to partner with IMEX America and to keep such a prestigious industry event in Las Vegas,” said Stephanie Glanzer, vice president of sales at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

She added, “As an active supporter of IMEX, MGM Resorts International is excited to create new experiences for attendees at Mandalay Bay. We will continue to showcase the city of Las Vegas and MGM Resorts International as the leading meeting and events destination.”

IMEX America will take place Oct. 10-12 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian and The Palazzo.

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.