Women's Wear in Nevada Wins With Rio
By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 3/6/2006
Las Vegas—in the big and sometimes chaotic world of Las Vegas conventions and exhibitions, two small partners, the Rio Convention Center and Women's Wear in Nevada, have carved out their own success.
When Harrah's Entertainment began considering an expansion of the 100,000 square foot meeting and ballroom complex at its Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino last year, WWIN served as a poster child for those who believed in the need for more space.
The semiannual fashion tradeshow that caters to boutiques for the misses market had not only maxed out the available indoor space, but also kept adding — and filling — large tents in the parking lot.
Reina Herschdorfer, the Rio's executive director of sales and operations, said, "We knew that WWIN needed more space in addition to some of our other customers. We wanted to make sure that they could grow with us."
In response, the hotel opened its 60,000 sq. ft. expansion last spring. Last autumn's WWIN was the first tradeshow to fill the new space. Show director Roland Timney, of Las Vegas-based Specialty Trade Shows, said having all that carpeted and air-conditioned room was like a dream come true. He moved the show entirely indoors ("We'll never go back to tents!") and it began growing immediately.
This winter's WWIN, Feb. 20–23, drew 468 exhibitors filling 80,000 net sq. ft. of space, compared with 55,000 sq. ft. at last February's show.
But the new space did come with one challenge: getting buyers, who were accustomed to visiting the tents and two existing ballrooms, to find their way to exhibits at the back of the facility.
"We used signage and hostesses to direct traffic to the new space in August," Timney said. In February, he added even more signs and moved the daily buyers' lunch to the back of the new hall.
WWIN has already maxed out the Rio expansion. So, where will it go next?
Nowhere, Timney said. He plans to keep the show at the Rio for the foreseeable future, without extending it to any other venues.
He said he would "rather keep the show manageable" and revenues level, than increase the amount of money he makes and inconvenience customers.
That attitude could explain why some exhibitors prefer WWIN over the popular Tradeshow Week 200-ranked MAGIC Marketplace taking place at the same time across town at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Mary Curry, marketing director of Flax Designs, said her company moved its exhibit from MAGIC to WWIN last fall because of requests from customers, who like the intimate atmosphere at the Rio. And the change is alright with her.
"We are thrilled with WWIN," Curry said. "We've had great turnout, and this show is very hands on. It's got an easy move-in and move-out. Show management is always around, and they know everybody by their first name. They'll help with anything we need."
The Rio is happy too. Herschdorfer said she and Specialty Trade Shows share common values: delivering great customer service and quality events.
And it doesn't hurt that the new, flexible space has allowed her to book more pharmaceutical and corporate customers in addition to tradeshows.
