LAS VEGAS (AP) — Casino giant MGM Resorts International said it's teaming with a firm that provided COVID-19 screenings for the National Hockey League playoffs and a health care provider for high-volume events in an optional conference attendee safety plan at its U.S.
Meetings, conventions and exhibitions bring 6.6 million people to Las Vegas each year. They generate $10.5 billion dollars in economic activity and more than 65,000 jobs.
Last weekend, thousands flocked to the opening of the Kaos nightclub at the Palms, which is getting a $700 million facelift thanks to its owner Station Casinos.
The International Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest trade show of the year in Las Vegas. About 140,000 show goers will visit Las Vegas this week to check out the latest in consumer electronics. But, this year an industry giant, Microsoft, announced it will be the last year the company will attend the show.
Despite being the biggest trade show of the year in Las Vegas, Slate.com writer, Farhad Manjoo argued in a recent column that CES is a worthless week in tech. Manjoo says the enormous size of the show makes it tough for any one company to stand out and instead of news about real products, CES delivers bogus trends.
The convention industry is a key driver of Nevada's economy. Many are saying, that the industry is on its way back from the huge drop off the industry experienced in 2008. Attendance at CES, the first big convention of the year was up from the year before according to most preliminary figures. We take a look at the year to come in the convention business in Las Vegas and whether or not the industry is as healthy as some are saying.
