A Ray of Hope at G2E
Lisa Plummer -- Tradeshow Week, 11/25/2008 4:03:00 PM
Despite the fact that the economic crisis has generated its fair share of doom and gloom lately, especially within the casino gaming industry, the overall mood at the eighth annual Global Gaming Expo surprisingly was optimistic. Held Nov. 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the majority of conference and tradeshow participants were thinking realistically, but staying hopeful about a brighter future.
Contrary to predictions by industry observers that the show would shrink, G2E experienced slight growth, with 755 exhibiting companies – up from 748 in 2007 – which spanned a 338,000 square foot showfloor – up from 331,000 sq. ft. Although attendance was down slightly, with approximately 30,000 people, showfloor traffic appeared steady.
Courtney Muller, Reed Exhibitions group vice president and G2E show manager, was encouraged. She said bigger than anticipated crowds had been a pleasant surprise, especially for exhibitors. This proved that even in tough economic times, bringing the industry together to help support and gain energy from one another is extremely valuable and important, Muller added.
“The gaming industry has taken a bit of a hit in the past year, and it will probably be challenging for the next year or so,” Muller said. “We feel it’s really important for industries to come together … to remind each other why they’re in the business and to be reminded that the business isn’t going away, even though it’s a little slow right now.”
Although the event also offers group discounts, VIP incentives for hotel buyers and exhibitor discounts for association members, Muller believes what will keep participation strong moving forward is delivering a good show with strong content. This year, G2E focused the majority of its conference and breakout sessions on surviving the tough economy, she added.
“We’re as involved in the industry as we can be, and by doing that and constantly listening to what (participants) needs are and evolving the show to meet their needs, we can continue to have a viable event,” Muller said.
Despite concerns about lighter attendance and a wait-and-see approach from buyers, many exhibitors said the show still was an important one to attend, and they would return in 2009.
“We figured it was going to be a little bit slower,” exhibitor Jeff Breazeale, sales director at Nextep Systems, said, “but it’s been worth our while. We’ve already got genuine interest from a lot of good people.”
Attendee Lon O’Donnell, slot director at Circus Circus in Reno, Nev., said he was surprised and encouraged by a busier and more optimistic show than he had foreseen.
“I felt like coming here there’d be more pessimism, that I’d see a lot of doom and gloom,” O’Donnel said. “But I think I’ve heard more optimism here than at previous shows.”
Attendee Creecy Underwood, special events manager at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, said having the opportunity to gain industry support, network and solicit business was well worth the price of admission.
“People are in survival mode and doing whatever they can,” Underwood said. “It’s a small, big city, and we all want to pull together as an industry to make it through this crazy economy.”
