The Insider's Guide to Las Vegas

The very things that make Las Vegas so ideal as a destination for meetings and events—the multitude of lodging, dining, meeting and event space and entertainment all centrally located—can also be the most challenging for planners.

That’s why sometimes it’s better to think and look inside the box—and why we talked to insiders who really know how to make the most of Vegas.

Stephanie Arone
President and General Manager // Activity Planners Inc.

Arone joined Activity Planners in 1998 as head of the sales team; now she heads the company, which is celebrating 34 years of providing destination management services this year. “In Las Vegas we are working against preconceptions of our destination on many levels from both planners and attendees,” Arone says. “We need to continue to establish that ‘Vegas Means Business,’ defending the selection of our destination as being one that is statistically successful for attendee interest, pick-up and retention.”

NVME: How does planning a meeting or event in Las Vegas differ from other cities?
SA: Over the past 20 years, we have established ourselves as a Tier 1 conference location, which differs from the old “value destination” that we once were. Our hotels, restaurants and amenities are world-class. Although our room rates may be low compared to other Tier 1 cities such as New York and L.A., planners need to budget comparable funding for special events both off-site and in-house as they would in those locations.

NVME: What are the pros and challenges of planning a meeting/event in Las Vegas?
SA: The pros are simple. Our destination will increase your attendance by up to 15 percent. We are easy to get to, easy to navigate and hard to forget. It can be challenging for some smaller groups to feel comfortable, being a small fish in the big sea of room inventory and meeting space. By working closely with a DMC to complement the assigned hotel convention services manager, we can ensure that your group gets the VIP experience that they expect and deserve with little touches throughout the program.

NVME: What were your first experiences like planning meetings/events in Las Vegas? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?
SA: When I started in this business 15 years ago, more than half of the resorts that we regularly work with simply were not here. I think that in hindsight I would have encouraged groups staying at the newer properties to consider more off-site events at those legendary properties to share the history of Las Vegas while it was still happening “live.”

Dan Maddux
CEO // MEET Las Vegas

Although MEET Las Vegas just celebrated its first anniversary, CEO Dan Maddux’ experience in the convention and meetings industry spans 25 years and the country, including Vegas, a city he knows and loves.

“When Vegas was experiencing its massive growth, customer service fell by the wayside. That’s back in a big way,” he says. “We have unique properties for all budgets and demographics. We are a culinary and retail mecca. Nothing compares when you look at the options.”

NVME: There’s a concern that planners won’t be able to fill their room block because attendees may find cheaper rooms on their own. Do you have any tips on how to avoid this?
DM: Ask your hotel to put in your contract that if attendees book any property at a lower rate that counts towards attrition. Or use a housing bureau, someone who specializes in helping to fill room blocks and can track constituents. I’ve enjoyed working with Wyndham Jade. They really do provide a service that takes the pressure off.

NVME: Who is one of your “go-to” persons for planning meetings and events in Las Vegas?
DM: Barry Schlossberg, senior national account manager at Freeman. He is a gentleman with a wealth of knowledge. His whole career has been about good customer service. He is actively involved in networking with every event.

NVME: Name some of your favorite places for meetings/events and groups in Vegas.
DM: The Flamingo pool. You’d never know it was there, but it’s amazing. It has easy access, multiple levels, a beautiful setting and you don’t have to be a hotel guest to book it.

Thomas & Mack Center, University of Nevada Las Vegas. You’d have to provide transportation, but they do a wonderful job with the food and beverage.

The Fremont Street Experience. With live bands and bars on the street, it has the same vibe as New Orleans. Fremont was way before it’s time; now it’s more relevant than ever.

Tara Cox
Event Coordinator // Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar

A native of Southern California and Las Vegas, Cox earned her bachelor degree in Hotel Administration with a major in meetings and events management through the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and has wide-ranging experience in the events profession and customer service.

“I like to ask my clients, ‘What type of feeling do you want your guests to get from your event?’” notes Cox. “Sometimes planners think they know what they want but in reality, they are handicapping their event.” Considering a formal four-course dinner for 25 at one long table? Cox will recommend five tables with five guests at each, a more relaxing, conversation-friendly arrangement.

NVME: What is your “secret weapon” when it comes to planning a successful meeting/event in Las Vegas?
TC: My secret weapon at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar is to serve an island-inspired Rum Welcome Drink to get the party started right away. Guests immediately relax and enjoy themselves.

A welcome drink is the perfect element to set the tone or theme of the event. In addition, this is a great way to control costs for the evening as often the restaurant will give you good pricing on this drink since it makes the guest arrival easier to execute.

Amy Riley
Senior Director of Convention Sales // Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

“Our hotels have evolved incredibly over the past six to seven years, truly recognizing the needs of the meetings market,” says Amy Riley, senior director of convention sales at the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.

“Some new features are as simple as a dedicated meeting check-in area, cutting-edge technology in the meeting space, larger suites for small meetings and group dining coordinators for restaurants. Las Vegas continues to evolve to better serve the business customer.”

NVME: If you could give one piece of advice about planning a meeting or event in Las Vegas, what would it be?
AR: Be flexible with your dates, pattern and hotel choices. There is a seemingly endless supply of options, but there are more than 18,000 events each year competing for those resources. Flexibility will enable a planner to meet their budget requirements, providing more negotiating power and more options.

NVME: What is a misconception planners may have about holding a meeting/event in Las Vegas?
AR: Meeting planners are often concerned that they will “lose” their attendees to the activities available. Research shows that not only do events in Las Vegas attract more attendees, those attendees spend more time conducting business. Because Las Vegas’ leisure amenities are focused toward evening hours, delegates do not feel the need to skip out early to experience the destination.

Jaki Baskow
President & Owner // Baskow & Associates

Another long-time presence in Las Vegas, Baskow & Associates has been providing complete event, meeting and destination services in Vegas and globally since 1976.

Jaki Baskow’s list of recognition includes “Most Influential Woman in the Entertainment Business,” “Enterprising Woman of the Year” and one of the Top Ten Star Brokers in the world.

“We do about 15 to 20 events a month,” says Baskow. “When bidding on a service, whether it’s a DMC or a hotel, see it, feel it, touch it. Peace of mind comes from having professionals who are native in the city. It just increases your comfort level.”

NVME: What is something about planning meetings and events in Las Vegas planners might not know about but should?
JB: There is wonderful entertainment available that is affordable for meetings, and perfect for opening a morning meeting or a closing night. Planners see celebrities here and think they could never afford them, but celebrities love corporate work and their rates are negotiable. We have a great working relationship with entertainers on the Strip and a lot of buying power. If their rate isn’t in your budget, we might be able to waive a lot of fees.

NVME: What’s the most successful meeting/event you’ve worked on recently and what made it stand out?
JB: We did a party recently with a “Reaching for the Moon” theme. We had Cirque-type girls swinging on suspended half-moon crescents and “Glamazons” in evening gowns on 12-foot stilts. We also had “human tables” strolling around: girls in 16th century gowns (with skirts that extended out around the waist, acting as a tray) serving things like cupcakes.

Patti Shock, CPCE
Professor, Harrah College of Hotel Administration // University of Nevada, Las Vegas

You might say Patti Shock, CPCE, wrote the book on meeting and event planning. In fact, she’s written four: A Meeting Planner’s Guide to Catered Events, On-Premise Catering: Hotels, Convention and Conference Centers and Clubs, Restaurant Marketing for Owners and Managers and A Club Manager’s Guide to Private Parties and Club Functions (all are available at www.amazon.com). After living and working in Las Vegas for 23 years, she could also write the book on planning meetings and events here.

NVME: What were your first experiences like planning a meeting/event in Las Vegas? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?
PS: I plan academic conferences. I stopped scheduling dinner events when I realized how many attendees did not show up. They preferred spending their time on the Strip to sitting in another banquet room for a dinner.

So I just had a short opening reception the first night and let them loose on subsequent nights. This would depend on your group, but it is a money-saving option for SMERF groups.

NVME: What is something planners don’t know about Las Vegas but should?
PS: Not all rooms in our hotels are available for meetings. Most hotels sell blocks of rooms to tour wholesalers who sell travel packages to Las Vegas. So, a 5,000-room hotel may only have 4,000 available rooms to sell to meetings and transient business. And these wholesalers dump unused inventory into online companies like Hotels.com or Priceline, so attendees can often book your hotel out of your block at a cheaper rate.

NVME: If you could give one piece of advice about planning a meeting or event in Las Vegas, what would it be?
PS: Plan early. Even in this economy, some space is difficult to book. Show the value of your meeting, including food and beverage, and indicate if you know your group gambles.