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By Mary Klida & Andrea Michels
When most people think of Las Vegas, the
last thing on their minds is technology. However, The Las Vegas Convention
Center (LVCC) boasts one of the most modern and functional facilities in the
world — a 3.2 million-sq.-ft. facility located within a short distance of
more than 100,000 guest rooms.
This continues to attract some of the biggest trade
shows annually, such as the Consumer Electronics Show, McDonald’s Worldwide
Sales Meeting and the National Association of Broadcasters.
Technology plays an increasingly large role in
attracting some of the nation’s premier trade shows to the LVCC because of
the center’s inclination to test and implement the industry’s cutting-edge
technologies.
A Strong
Backbone
If exhibitors are able to facilitate e-business transactions from the show
floor, they can capture a greater share of the market. Internet services are
integral to this process.
“Technological advances in the trade show industry have
increased tremendously and will continue to do so,” says Mark Haley, vice
president of facilities, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “This
has indicated to us that wireless and Internet accessibility technology are
going to be the most important areas affecting the customer experience in
the future. We are working hard to stay ahead of that need.”
The LVCC, and their technology services provider, Smart
City, made a purposeful decision to become a partner with their customers to
help them in their business endeavors. This occurs on three levels.
First, by surveying exhibitors as a pre-requisite to
show attendance, Smart City compiles the bandwidth requirements and then
sets out to plan for the aggregate anticipated usage.
Next, Smart City has a team of in-house technicians and
customer service personnel on site, who are dedicated to supporting
exhibitors. With self-designing customer relationship management (CRM)
databases, a customized software package can be modified at any time.
Additionally, complaints are tracked with the CRM system to ensure that
problems are resolved quickly. This type of information helps the LVCC
develop internal performance metrics.
Finally, they invite technology vendors to witness the
impact of their use of the network from the Las Vegas based Smart City
Network Operations Center. As a result of observing network performance
analysis during the LVCC’s largest technology shows, the engineers and
product development experts from world-leading technology companies become a
think tank to brainstorm performance management enhancements. Once the show
is over, these same people are able to develop their products’ design to
improve functionality based on how they see them performing in real time and
with heaviest use.
According to David Langford, vice president of
technology for Smart City, “Every year, as these companies work side by
side, we all learn more about network capabilities and pushing the limits of
technology. Everyone wins with this kind of synergy.”
To create a network capable of handling enormous
amounts of data, the LVCC invested in a Gigabit network backbone with an
external 100MB IT capability. The network enables cost savings in shipping
and allows for better management of floor space. Vendors are able to run
their demonstrations virtually, and often wirelessly, by piping in video and
other information in from remote locations.
The LVCC currently employs more than 100 wireless LAN
access points facility wide for its wireless network. This was achieved
through the installation of properly located 802.11 a,b, and g nodes. The
access points are the devices that send an RF signal out for reception by
laptop computers and various other 802.11a, b, and g capable devices. Last
year the convention center upgraded 802.11b/g access points with 802.11a
radios.
“Using three channels of 802.11b/g and 12 channels of
802.11a allows us to design a wireless network for each show based on their
floor plans and anticipated usage. Using multiple channels prevents one
exhibitor from interfering with another, or saturation of the airwaves in a
particular area of the show floor,” Langford says. “It also creates more
flexibility in the network that allows for audience targeted advertising
when show managers buy out the wireless network and sell advertising on the
splash page. New revenue streams for show managers can be created this way.”
Keeping an Eye on the Goods
Without a doubt, the LVCC understands the need for physical security. As in
most resort destinations, the element of crime is present — but here it
pushes the edge of personal and professional privacy. Thus a variety of
security technologies are employed to create a safe and secure environment.
Three people monitor more than 200 cameras around the
clock. Recently upgraded, the cameras and recording systems are digital.
This aids in reviewing incidents like one that occurred during the World of
Concrete tradeshow. After four men broke into the building, they went
“shopping” in the exhibit area. The surveillance crew picked up the thieves
through the video and was able to seamlessly follow them from camera to
camera. The four were caught in the act, and nothing from the trade show was
stolen or damaged.
Supplementing video surveillance is the SkyWatch, a
mobile, trailer-mounted, hydraulically-lifted observation platform. The
SkyWatch acts as a force multiplier because one person can observe what it
would otherwise take three people to monitor from the ground. The LVCC uses
the SkyWatch in the freight areas as a surveillance tool during show setup
and teardown.
“Technology is a key element in maintaining the
security and safety of a facility of this size and scope,” says Ray Suppe,
director of security, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We have
committed to keeping our building secure with hightech advancements in
surveillance and more hands-on methods such as the SkyWatch mobile
surveillance unit we employ.”
Customer-Focused Electronic Enhancements
A master computer now controls HVAC and lighting systems at the LVCC. An
increase in natural light will cause automatic changes in the lighting
system. The LVCC anticipates significant cost savings from these types of
tools.
As part of the expansion and renovation, the LVCC
investigated other types of technological enhancements. People have become
accustomed to looking at plasma screens to receive information, and now they
will see such directional information posted at the LVCC as a “passive
way-finding” tool. In addition, the employment of conveniently placed
computerized Concierge Booths will greatly aid people in interactively
locating meetings, conference rooms, restaurants and other comfort posts
within the convention center. This same technology will allow leaders to
easily vary audio-visual controls in their meeting rooms.
Bags to Go is the LVCC Off-site Airline Baggage Program
that allows customers to check their bags at the LVCC. “The airport is using
the SpeedCheck (common-use kiosk) technology, which allows multiple airlines
to share the same platform. Only Southwest Airlines is deployed at the
Convention Center at the present time, but many other air carriers are
expected to join shortly,” says Samuel Ingalls, assistant director,
information systems for McCarran Airport.
There’s no doubt that technology is becoming the
vehicle that will carry us into the next era of the tradeshow and event
industry. As the LVCC continues to integrate technology into the fabric of
daily operations, their customers’ businesses maintain competitive
positioning. The key success factor is working closely with customers
through focus groups.
“Our building clients point out technological
improvements they’d like to see, and we’re committed to providing what we
can to make sure they have the best experience possible during their show,”
says Brad Rodgers, senior director of ITD, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors
Authority.
Chris Meyers, VP of sales, sums it up best when he
says, “Technology will continue to assist the human endeavor and broaden the
reach of the face to face experience.”
Ironically, in the evolution of the virtual experience,
it’s still the human contact that closes deals.
Mary Klida is a freelance writer, author
and public relations consultant who resides in the Detroit area. Her
technology news articles have appeared in Exhibit City News, the PCMA and
IAAM newsletters, and the Smart City Pinnacle newsletter.
Andrea Michels is a business development professional for L-3 Communications
and specializes in delivering intelligent video surveillance solutions to
clients. She is the acting chair of the IAAM Technology Task Force. She
lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Quick Facts about the LVCC
Usable space: 3.2M square feet with 1.9M square feet of exhibit space
Expansion: 400,000 square feet added to footprint
Number of shows in 2006: 92 Number of attendees in 2006: 1.8M
Percentage of building used: 84
Full-time employees: 537 |
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