How to Plan a Corporate Event in Las Vegas
More than 20,000 conventions and events were held in Las Vegas in 2013. It’s a destination that almost every corporation and meeting planner has considered. Las Vegas knows how to handle events, but like going to a casino you have to know how the game is played. Here’s how to plan a corporate event in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas ranks as the third or fourth most popular tourist attractions in the world, according to Travel+Leisure magazine. I admit there seem to be a lot of different opinions on the popularity rankings, but you can’t deny nearly 40 million visitors.
Why Come To Las Vegas?
Pros
• Over 140 meeting hotels
• Over 150,000 guest rooms
• Over 2,400 restaurants
• Over 100 shows
Cons
• See the list above.
All the things that make Las Vegas so attractive also make it a challenge. The city has its own way of doing things, so you have to know the Vegas process if you want to meet the challenges of meeting space, room inventory, availability and budgeting options. But don’t be intimidated. Here are some insider’s tips for making your event manageable and successful.
The Inside Skinny
I asked Penny Fondy, ISHC of Wits’ End Productions to give you some of her insight on taming Sin City. Penny and her team plan and manage dozens of events per year, including an annual event for about 6,000 attendees. She has brought the event to Las Vegas a number of times and is a master of the system.
Penny started by explaining a reality of Las Vegas. “Every property and venue has a major commitment to customer service. They want you to have a successful event. However they expect planners to be professional and prepared. They don’t mind holding your hand but they don’t expect to have to teach you the business.”
Power Player Tips on Mastering Las Vegas
Above all, plan early and be flexible.
1. Contact the Las Vegas CVB and provide a complete RFP.
Sit down and invest the time to think through the event and prepare a clear, accurate RFP to summit to the CVB. This is important even if you have a fairly small event of 200 people. Be sure to include the desired dates, group profile, meeting pattern, amount of meeting space required, and anticipated number of sleeping room (or room nights) needed per day.
Then be flexible with your dates, facility and hotel choices. The more flexible you are, the more power you have in finding the best space and accommodations and staying within your budget.
2. The Las Vegas CVB will provide responses.
These will be the venues that can accommodate your group for the dates you’ve requested. These aren’t proposals – just what’s available.
“Take a look at the options. Avoid the temptation to check out properties you know you can’t afford,” Fondy noted. “Pick just the properties that you feel are the best and request proposals.”
3. Narrow your choices.
After you’ve reviewed the proposals, narrow the field to no more than three properties. Now, schedule a site visit to meet with the sales contacts at those properties. Look at the properties through two filters.
What would it be like to produce and manage an event there?
What would it be like to attend an event there?
4. Select local suppliers and support.
Depending on the size of your event, you may need some local suppliers who can support the program on site in Las Vegas. Ask the CVB and the venue sale contact for recommendations. Schedule a meeting with the suppliers during your initial visit.
5. Decide on a venue.
Once you’ve decided on a venue, request a full contract for your review. This is where Penny Fondy raised a big red flag. “You wouldn’t sell your home without a real estate attorney reviewing the paperwork. Please don’t sign a contract with a large Las Vegas resort with hundreds of thousands of dollars – or perhaps millions of dollars – on the line without having an attorney review the contract.”
This is where hiring experience really pays off. Penny explained, “If you are not a meetings professional, then you also may need to enlist the services of a meetings procurement professional, depending on the size of your group.”
6. Negotiate all terms up front.
Penny had another suggestion here that’s pretty important. When you negotiate, be prepared to show the value of your event, including food and beverage, and indicate if your group gambles.
Remember, the terms of an agreement will NOT be changed after it has been executed. Review the meeting space allocation thoroughly, including the times that you take possession of and relinquish meeting space. Allow plenty of time for setup and strike.
7. Choose and establish relationships with the local suppliers.
After you select the local suppliers you need, communicate! Schedule regular calls at a mutually agreed-upon time to ensure alignment and understanding of times and details. Local suppliers know where to go and how long things take. Remember – it’s their town.
Remember Where You Are
On top of those seven great tips, the advice I give clients most often is: Remember where you are. Just being in Las Vegas isn’t enough to guarantee attendance. You should also provide other compelling reasons to attend. Glitz, glamour and gambling are great but, ultimately, an event or conference is a business decision for attendees. You have to up the ante on content: Remember, your attendees are only about 10 minutes away from a blackjack table.
Don’t try to compete with Las Vegas. Penny Fondy put it this way, “There’s a free drink around every corner in Las Vegas. Unless you have a very large budget, you can’t compete with the entertainment on The Strip. Save the money you’d usually spend on lavish dinners or receptions and invest in richer content.”
Always Plan for Stupid
Attendees will do all the things that Las Vegas is famous for. What will you do if someone gets out of hand at your event? Penny recommends having a crisis management plan in place. Discuss it with the property in advance and follow their advice. They’ve seen everything – twice!
The Attraction is the Distraction
There’s a reason nearly 40 million people visited Las Vegas last year. You can’t deny the lure of the casinos, world-class entertainment, dining and 24/7 energy and action. The trick to planning a corporate event in Las Vegas is understanding how the city works and doing business that way. Use what Sin City does best as tools to help you accomplish you event objective and generate the desired results.
• Start early.
• Be flexible and negotiable.
• Be a professional.
• Think things through, anticipate and hire the support you need.
Make sure the important things don’t stay in Las Vegas. Target valuable benefits, emphasize them consistently throughout the event and follow up as soon after the event as possible.
A Big Thanks
I’d like to thank Penny Fondy, ISHC for being so generous with her time and expertise. If you need help and resources to plan, manage and produce an event, she should be at the top of your list. If you’d like to contact her and Wits’ End Productions, here’s a link to Penny’s email – EMAIL.
Obligatory Elvis Reference
I hope you’ve noticed that I’ve managed to avoid any reference to Elvis Presley for this entire blog. Well, I have to do it I can’t help myself. Here’s what The King said about the experience of being in Vegas:
