Event Solutions | Breaking News

Nomination Site Open!

chadborenz — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:06:58 -0400

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The 2011 Event Solutions Spotlight Awards nomination site is now officially open. This begins the yearlong process of determining this year’s award recipients in 15 different categories so industry professionals should get their nominations in now to be a part of the industry’s most prestigious awards.

To start submitting nominations just click on the link below and fill out the attached forms. It’s all done automatically and nominees will be notified soon so they can start submitting their entry materials for consideration as a finalist and ultimately a recipient for this prestigious honor.

Are you next?

Nominate Now!

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Hotel for the 2011 Idea Factory Announced

chadborenz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:56:01 -0400

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From the center of The Strip rises an original and enchanting destination. The 2011 Event Solutions Idea Factory will be the first conference of its size to take place at the hottest new property in Las Vegas.

STAY in Sophisticated, Sexy Style — only $139

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, a $3.9-billion, resort/casino, features luxurious appointments and state-of-the-art amenities such as flat-screen televisions and access to the rooftop beach-club, as well as a fantastic casino, restaurants and nightclubs.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas includes:

•   2,995 condo-style resort rooms
•   More than 150,000 square feet of convention and meeting space
•   100,000 square foot casino
•   50,000 square foot spa and fitness center
•   275,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment space

Event Solutions attendees are invited to be the first to come and take in its grandeur for a special attendee-only rate! Accommodation options you’ll enjoy include:

THE TERRACE STUDIO

Sliding glass doors of this luxury resort suite open to an oversized private terrace – an incredible experience even by Las Vegas standards! The Terrace Studio is warm and welcoming with a large, luxurious bathroom featuring an exhilarating shower and exquisite marble floors.

A meticulously designed kitchenette featuring zebrawood cabinetry holds your very own Sub-Zero refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker – amenities not found in your typical Las Vegas luxury hotel room!

• King-size bed

• 620 sq. ft. studio

• 110 sq. ft. private terrace

• Large, luxurious bathroom

• Modern kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker

• High-speed wireless Internet access

• Samsung plasma-screen TVs

THE CITY ROOM

Inviting and spacious, the City Room has 2 queen-size beds and a large, luxurious bathroom featuring an exhilarating shower and exquisite marble floors.

• 2 queen-size beds

• 460 sq. ft. studio

• Large, luxurious bathroom with marble floors

• High-speed wireless Internet access

• Coffee maker

• Samsung plasma-screen TV

 Room upgrades are available when you make reservations.

Rounded out with multiple bars and lounges, a full array of restaurants, spa services and more, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will continually stimulate your senses during your stay for the 2011 Idea Factory!

Use the access/booking code SESOL1A when you book your rooms now and get the special attendee rate of only $139/night, double occupancy.

RESERVATIONS
702.698.7100 / 877.551.7772
To make your reservations online, click here.

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Editor’s Extra: Cool Stuff from Cvent

chadborenz — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:29:11 -0400

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Occasionally, something exciting crosses our desk and we just don’t want to wait for the next scheduled blog or Event Solutions E-News. So here an editor’s extra. And if you’re a Cvent user, you are going to be a very happy camper.

We spent last Friday afternoon getting a sneak preview of the upgrades announced this morning by Cvent. Bharet Malhotra, V.P. of sales and Audrey Staples, senior product consultant, walked me through their enhanced Supplier Network.

In addition to some cosmetic changes, they’ve added a lot more functionality to the site.

To start off, they’ve added a Quick RFP in case the longer, more detailed version is not appropriate for you. The short version simplifies and streamlines RFP creation for planners and facilitites more timely responses from hotels and CVBs. (BTW, did you know that Cvent people follow up on every RFP request by phone, to make sure venues are responding in a timely manner? Nice…)

Then they’ve added RFI—Request for Information— options that allows planners to reach out to restaurants and special event venues, particularly for smaller scale meetings. This is great for when you don’t need a lot of detail, but still need basic like space availability, capacities, and private spaces.

Their venue library has enhanced profile details, including new sections for restaurants and special event venues. I really liked the special event venue option—the industry is turning more and more to unique places and spaces for events, and this definitely satisfies a need. (Example: Cvent now has a “Castles” category for Great Britain venues —very cool.)

Cvent has made a concerted effort to increase its international coverage. It now has more than 20,000 special event venues and restaurants and 50,000 venues outside North America. They actually have a team of more than 100 people calling and updating supplier information every day. So what you do find on the new site is pretty solid information.

Pretty exciting stuff, and if you’d like to see more, take a look at www.cvent.com/.
The have also posted a video at http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_v...

By Ann Turner, Editor

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Road Warriors Share Their Secrets

chadborenz — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:58:18 -0400

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Travel can be stressful. But there are lots of little ways that you can ease the pain. We turned to our readers and asked them what secrets they have for making that trip just a bit easier.

Frank Robinson
Island Events
Hawaii

Buy the largest bottle of water you can after you go through security. Drink gallons of water to stay hydrated. Do not drink any of the small bottles of bad wine. Stick to hard alcohol, but don’t overdo.
Do not eat the airplane food! Buy snacks at the gift shop or newsstand before boarding.
Wear shoes that slip on and off easily.
Do not wear contact lenses when flying—the air is very dry on airplanes.
If you want peace and quiet, bring an eye mask and an iPod. It doesn’t have to be on—it just needs to look on to send a do-not-disturb message.

Denise Perich
MacDonald Financial Services
Loveland, CO

Wear flip flops—they’re easy for security—and tuck a fluffy pair of socks in your bag for the plane.
Wear cute, comfy but fashionable sweats.
I always bring trashy magazines on a trip. I love catching up on celebrity gossip!
Always remember: gum, chapstick, sleep mask, tunes, neck pillow, soduku and water!

Victoria Peterson
Grant Thornton

Bring carry-on luggage only—ship everything else.
Apple slices and turkey jerky are great snacks for the plane and hotel room.
Request a mini fridge to keep fruit on hand.
Ask for a concierge upgrade so you’ll have drinks and snacks available.

Cathy Poteet
Francis Tuttle Technical Center
Oklahoma City

Take your own toilet paper and hand soap. Seriously, some gas stations and even some restaurants (fast food and dine-in) overlook these necessities.

Lara McCulloch
Ready2spark
Ontario, Canada

I search through my social media contacts for people who live in the city I’m travelling to.
Good app: Tripit for my iPhone.
I always bring earplugs—they’ve saved my life a few times when in loud hotels.
This is kind of silly, but I bring Vitamin E oil. I use it to moisturize my skin, and I put it in my hair instead of gel. And it’s a great eye makeup remover. One small bottle goes a long way.

Marisha Morris
Done Beautifully Inc.
Los Angeles

If you have a question, ask someone who lives in the city. You’ll find great hidden gems.
I keep a toiletry bag packed, so I’ll never be without needed hygiene products or hard-to-find items.
No matter how great the deal, or how much or little time you plan to spend in your room, if your room doesn’t meet the standards you’re accustomed to at home, you won’t be a happy camper.
Be nice—smile! You’ll be surprised how far that will get you and how calm it makes your trip.

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Wi-Fi: 5 Things Planners Need to Know

chadborenz — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:24:09 -0400

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With the accelerating use of laptops and smart phones in our increasingly mobile world, the topic of wireless internet, or wi-fi, has become hot, hot, hot.

More and more audiences, including conference and meeting attendees, are counting on having access to the internet no matter where they are. This is creating a whole new set of challenges for convention centers, hotels and other venues that may not be able to accommodate the group’s need.

Savvy companies like Smart City are stepping in to help. A leading supplier of telecommunications services in 35 facilities coast-to-coast, Smart City provides network services to more than 5,500 events each year. Here’s the advice they offer to planners who are grappling with the demand for wi-fi in their events and conferences.

Start planning early, at least six months before your event. “This can actually save you money, because we’ll have the time to put together a custom plan for you,” said Laureen Boykin, director of operations for Smart City. “A lot of people who wait until the last minute end up over-ordering services,” added Mark Haley, Smart City president.
Know your audience, and share this information with your service provider. The more information you have about your group’s demographics, the more likely your wi-fi will be successful. How tech savvy is your crowd? Will they primarily be checking e-mails, or will they be streaming video and doing advanced applications? Haley explained that type of usage will determine how much bandwidth is needed. At the recent International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Smart City’s task was to provide services for more than 16,000 tech-savvy attendees, prompting them to add 500Mb of internet access and 138 new access points, and replacing every switch in the building.
Know your group’s traffic patterns. In what areas of the facility are they most likely to be using the network? Where are the hot spots that are absolutely necessary to have signal? What are the peak times they’ll be using the network? Will they need access in the break-out rooms? On the tradeshow floor?
Set up specific areas for wi-fi use. Your service provider can give you recommendations for good spots to put your tech lounges based on the building’s construction. Signals are blocked by concrete and steel but sheetrock walls allow signals to pass through. For ISTE, Smart City was able to provide the bandwidth for 5,000 wi-fi users in one designated room.
Ask your service provider for usage reports after the event so you can better prepare for the next event. How much bandwidth did you use? How many people accessed the network? What were the peak periods of use?

By following these guidelines and doing your homework, you’ll not only save money and avoid the pain of last-minute set-ups. You’ll also assure that your attendees have a successful wi-fi experience at your event.

For more information on Smart City go to www.smartcity.com.

- by Ann Turner, Event Solutions Editor

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iMentor’s Anniversary Gala

chadborenz — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:11:15 -0400

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More than 700 young people and their mentors gathered at Cipriani’s in New York City June 3 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of iMentor, a nonprofit organization that links young, underserved students with mentors from the professional world.

More than 5,000 youngsters have benefitted thus far from the program, which uses a technology-based approach to youth mentoring and education.
To celebrate its anniversary, and launch its first fund-raising event, iMentor enlisted the services of Cheryl Gentry from Glow Media, a public relations and event management agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. The result was a gala celebration that raised more than $3.8 million for the organization and highlighted the many successful relationships nourished by iMentor.

Dazzling Venue and Décor
The gala was held at Cipriani 42nd Street, in the heart of Manhattan. This Italian Renaissance-inspired showcase boasts towering marble columns, soaring ceilings, inlaid floors and spectacular chandeliers. Gentry dressed up the space with a silver and orange motif anchored by a 17-foot high tree with orange blossoms, symbolizing not only the growth of the iMentor organization, but also the personal growth many mentors and mentees have experienced as a result of the program.

Images of mentor/mentee pairs were projected onto screens flanking the stage area, highlighting the importance of celebrating these relationships.

The 17-foot high tree provided the “wow factor” as guests entered the event. Kiriba Logan from Atlas Floral affixed each orange blossom to the natural tree branches on-site.

The guest list included sponsors, donors, mentors and mentees, members of the hedge fund community, where iMentor founder and co-chair John Griffin got his start, and a host of celebrity names including Martha Stewart, Newark Mayor Corey Booker, Travel Channel/Cleveland Brown’s Dhani Jones and CBS’ Maurice DuBois.

Entertainment was A-List as well with recording artist and record producer Wyclef Jean performing for the group. “The final thrill of the evening was when Wyclef invited the mentees to join him on the stage for the final song,” Gentry said.

CONNECTIONS
Event Management and Design - Glow Media www.glowmediany.com
Catering/F&B - Cipriani www.cipriani.com
Staging and Lighting - Star Group Productions www.stargrouppro.com
Florist/Décor - Kiriba Logan, Atlas Floral Decorators www.atlasfloral.com
Video Production - B Productions www.bproductions.com
Graffiti Wall - Lumacoustics www.yrwall.com

To promote communication and the arts, as well as to provide a fun element, Gentry brought in a an interactive digital graffiti wall from London-based Lumacoustic Ltd. This is the first time this wall has been used in the U.S. The guests spray “graffiti” onto the wall with “paint cans” of infra red light that is tracked by a computer vision system. The system then prints out a hard copy of the artist’s creation.