Las Vegas is known for its bright lights, dazzling displays, and constant innovation. Naturally, then, Las Vegas is one of the world’s premiere locations for trade shows — events where industries come together to innovate and showcase the greatest they have to offer.
How did trade shows start in Las Vegas, and what does the future hold? Read on to learn about the full history of Las Vegas Trade Shows, and what powerful technology is charting the industry’s future.
- The History of Trade Shows in Las Vegas
- Innovative Technology Powering Las Vegas Trade Shows in 2023
The History of Trade Shows in Las Vegas
Today, trade shows are an absolute staple of Las Vegas tourism; the city hosts thousands of conventions every year, across industries and professions. Although it is hard to believe with the current prevalence within the city, trade shows were not always frequent in Las Vegas.
Trade shows were initially introduced to Las Vegas as a means to counter slower periods within the city due to the cyclical nature of tourism. Elected officials gathered monies to build a convention center via a new room tax levied on hotel and motel properties, thus gaining funding from tourists rather than residents. In turn, the Las Vegas Convention Center officially opened on April 29th, 1959.
Since then, trade shows have become a staple of Las Vegas tourism. The Las Vegas Convention Center alone hosts 22,000 conventions and meetings annually, with nearly 5.2 million total delegates. Las Vegas is home to several industry-leading annual events — including the NAB Show, Magic Las Vegas, and the National Hardware Show.
Innovative Technology Powering Las Vegas Trade Shows in 2023
The future of trade shows in Las Vegas shines even brighter than its rich past. With cutting-edge technology, supported by powerful convention center internet solutions from Hospitality Network, the Las Vegas Convention Center continues to innovate within the trade show industry. Here are a few of the innovative solutions powering Las Vegas trade shows in 2023.
Hybrid Conference Compatibility
Trade shows are all about gathering leaders from across industries into one place to spur innovation and connections. Unfortunately, due to geographic barriers, no trade show can fully bring together all of an industry’s movers and shakers.
Hybrid conferences expand the reach of trade shows to a newfound global level. These events simultaneously integrate both in-person and remote attendees into one combined conference using Internet of Things technology — including connected cameras & audio equipment, a hybrid event platform, and responsive internet access.
Intuitive, Responsive Voice Services
With so much to experience, communication between team members attending trade shows is often essential. Unfortunately, many out-dated convention centers have subpar cell reception, making it difficult to locate and connect with other attendees.
The LVCC features one of the nation’s largest Neutral-Host Cellular Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) throughout the property. This technology leads to state-of-the-art wireless voice and data cellular service — increasing capacity and reception while eliminating dropped calls and improving attendee experiences.
Powerful Internet Across Millions of Square Feet
A vast chunk of technology in modern convention centers is powered by responsive internet. From dazzling booth displays to aforementioned hybrid conferences, so much of what makes trade shows so exciting in Las Vegas is supported by internet access.
In collaboration with parent company Cox Business, Hospitality Network provides a full array of internet and WiFi services to the Las Vegas Convention Center, customizable to any event’s needs. For general event internet needs, the LVCC offers shared and dedicated high-speed access — up to 10Gbps — alongside adaptable special circuits. Additionally, to ensure maximum connectivity, every network is installed using industry-leading switches, hubs, and cabling.
In turn, attendees of Las Vegas Trade Shows can access responsive internet across the entirety of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s 4.6 million-square-foot-facility — from 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space to any of the center’s three 15,000 square-foot dining areas.
Access to Dynamic Cable Television Services
Even amidst bustling trade shows, event attendees have occasional downtime. Video services complement trade shows with dynamic access to cable across convention center premises. The LVCC offers a full HD line-up of channels, including local broadcast, news, sports, weather, and specialized, event-specific programming.
Hospitality Network Supports Las Vegas Trade Show With Reliable Internet Solutions
Since their rise in prevalence in the early 60s, trade shows have become an absolute staple in Las Vegas. In turn, the Las Vegas Convention Center has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible at trade shows — remaining at the cutting-edge of trade show technology.
Hospitality Network is a key partner of the LVCC, alongside other cutting-edge hospitality properties across the country. request a consultation.