New Business Contracts: The Expo Group, Mohegan Sun, CDS and More Sign Deals

January 5, 2018

The holiday spirit extended before and after the new year to the signing of plenty of new contracts for suppliers and venues serving the trade show industry.

The Expo Group will provide event-related services to International Carwash Association as ICA seeks to boost the experience of their attendee, exhibitor and sponsor stakeholders at The Car Wash Show.

The Car Wash Show is the largest convention in its sector, bringing together buyers and sellers from more than 30 countries. The Car Wash Show is ranked No.148 on the Trade Show News Network Top 250 list.

“The Expo Group has the experience and creativity to exceed the elevated expectations of our exhibitors and attendees,” said Eric Wulf, CEO of ICA.

He added, “Their commitment to exhibitor service and the Single Source Solution® as well as advantageous investments make them our ideal partner as we grow our events.”

The Connecticut Marine Trades Association recently signed the first year’s contract of a three-year agreement with Mohegan Sun to host their annual boat show in the all-new Expo Center, which is approaching its final stages of construction at the resort located in scenic Mystic Country, Conn.  

CMTA’s first show at Mohegan Sun will be January of 2019.

With Mohegan Sun’s major convention space expansion, totaling 250,000 square feet and to include within that, a 125,000 sq. ft. Expo Center, 20,000 sq. ft. Earth Ballroom, 15 meeting rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. earmarked for new dining or entertainment space, CMTA joins Barrett-Jackson & United Natural Foods as partners already planning shows in The Mohegan Sun Expo Center.

The expansion is on schedule, with an open date expected for summer 2018.

The Connecticut Marine Trades Association’s trade show is set to begin in January of 2019, and this event will be CMTA’s 50th annual boat show.

SAMPE, the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering has selected Convention Data Services as its new registration partner.

The three-year contract calls for CDS to provide full-service registration, lead retrieval management and integrations, including both membership and housing, for their annual event.

The SAMPE Conference and Exhibition brings together leading companies, engineers, scientists and professionals from throughout the advanced materials and processes industry. The next event will be held May 21–24, 2018 in Long Beach, Calif.

"As SAMPE has grown, so has the need for a registration system that offers more reporting options, segmented communications and a mobile responsive platform. CDS delivered on all three,” said Rosemary Loggia, director of Conferences and Exhibits, SAMPE.

Event technology startup Hubb signed a partnership with ChickTech to provide its event content management solution for ChickTech's 2018 ACT-W National Conference.

Hubb's software will give ChickTech a single location to collect, manage, and market the abstracts, speakers, and sponsors for their conference, saving them two-thirds of the time they would normally spend on those types of tasks, and allowing them to get the event to market 29 percent faster.

"We're big believers in ChickTech's mission and huge fans of their work," said Allie Magyar, CEO of Hubb.

She added, "As the founder of a technology startup, I know firsthand the value of pursuing a technology-based career. I was honored to speak at ACT-W Portland's 2017 Conference and I couldn't be happier that Hubb software will be supporting ChickTech in producing what will be an incredible and important event."

CompuSystems has been selected by PartsBase, Inc. to provide full-service registration, including call center and lead retrieval services, for PBExpo 2018.

PBExpo is a showcase of all the innovation that PartsBase discusses with its members on a daily basis, supplemented by education about these resources to implement in day-to-day business. The inaugural event will be held May 16-17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"CompuSystems is steadfast when it comes to building relationships with our clients," said Chris Williams, president of CompuSystems. "We are looking forward to servicing PBExpo, as well as developing a long-term partnership with PartsBase, Inc."

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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.