Business Outlook: Vegas Reigns Over Region

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 3/20/2006

The mountain states are home to Old Faithful, Yellowstone Natl. Park, host city of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games (Salt Lake City) and, of course, the Rocky Mountains. Tourists come to enjoy all that the region has to offer in the great outdoors, from hiking to skiing to whitewater rafting.

But Mother Nature aside, people also come to do business while they bask in the bright lights and glowing entertainment of the nation's No. 1 tradeshow city: Las Vegas.

Tradeshow Week Assistant Editor Jillan Dauer takes a look at the mountain states.

• About 5.6 million attendees will visit almost 175,000 companies exhibiting across 66.7 million net square feet of space at expositions held in the region. The mountain states claim 12 percent of the U.S. market share of exhibit space, 11 percent of exhibiting companies and 9 percent of attendees.
• The average tradeshow in the mountain states region will span 172,982 net sq. ft. of paid exhibit space with 477 exhibiting companies that will be visited by 8,372 professionals.
• The average consumer show is expected to occupy 114,262 net sq. ft., accommodate 223 exhibiting companies and attract 19,500 attendees.
• The average combination show will fill 61,221 net sq. ft. with 197 exhibiting companies and 5,281 attendees.
• The majority of events held in the mountain states this year will be tradeshows (64 percent), followed by combination shows (21 percent) and consumer shows (14 percent).
• With 241 scheduled for 2006, Las Vegas will host more than half of the region's tradeshows.

• As is commonplace throughout North America, the majority of shows held in the region fall into the medical and health care category (38).
• Apparel and sporting goods tied for second with 28 shows each.
• Home furnishings and interior design, which holds the silver for North America as a whole, came in a close third with 26 shows in the mountain states.

• Las Vegas aside, Denver, Reno, Nev., and Salt Lake City are also mountain states destinations popular among event planners. Denver will host 70 events this year, while 20 events will call Reno home, and 17 will take place in Salt Lake City.
• More than 2 million attendees will visit 120,000 exhibiting companies spanning 42 million net sq. ft. in Las Vegas alone. The city holds a 7.6-percent market share in U.S. net sq. ft., 7.5-percent market share in exhibiting companies and 3.5 percent in attendees.
• Las Vegas has the region's three largest venues. The Las Vegas Convention Center will host the most events this year (71). The second most popular site is the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, which will host 46 events. Sands Expo & Convention Center/Venetian Resort Hotel Casino takes the bronze with 37 scheduled shows.

• Reed Exhibitions and VNU Expositions will manage the most shows in the mountain states region, with 13 shows each. Right on their heels, with 11 shows, is Spectra Productions.

• Early spring and the first of the year are the busiest times for the mountain states. March topped the charts with 62 shows, and April is scheduled to host 51 shows this year. January kicked off 2006 by hosting 45 shows, followed by February with 48.

With Las Vegas being the tradeshow giant that it is, it's easy for other cities in the region to be overshadowed. But each city and state has something to offer the exhibition industry, whether the event's focus is outdoor adventure or medical supplies.