World Market Center to house all exhibitors at summer market
No showrooms in Pavilions tents or off-site venues
Larry Thomas, Furniture Today -- Kids Today, 5/28/2008 2:20:00 PM
LAS VEGAS — Organizers of the summer furniture market here have opted to locate all exhibitors at a single venue — the World Market Center campus — as they unveil the market’s third showroom building.
The move means buyers no longer will need to ride shuttles to off-site venues or walk to the Pavilions, the tent-like structures that have housed temporary exhibit space since the inaugural Las Vegas Market in July 2005.
“It really changes everything for buyers and exhibitors,” said WMC President Bob Maricich. “Having everybody right here on our campus makes things a lot more efficient.”
He said temporary exhibit space will be located on the fourth and fifth floors of Building C, the 16-story, 2.1 million-square-foot structure that will open for the first time at this summer’s market, July 28-Aug. 1. Permanent showrooms are on other floors of C, as well as in neighboring buildings A and B.
“Our temporary exhibitors will get the same traffic flow as everybody else ... and our buyers will be able to work the market more efficiently,” said Maricich.
At previous markets, temporary exhibit space had been in the Pavilions as well as in off-site venues such as the Las Vegas Convention Center or the Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand hotels.
Maricich said the Pavilions haven’t been removed from the property, but will be used for valet parking.
He said the fourth and fifth floors of the new building were never intended to house permanent showrooms and were constructed as “flex space,” to be used for temporary exhibits during markets and for other events outside the market cycle.
He said construction of the new building remains on schedule — a certificate of occupancy was issued in mid-May — and said the first phase of a parking garage adjacent to Building C also will be ready for market attendees in July.
The economic downturn and industrywide sales slump certainly are causes for concern, but Maricich said the WMC is in the midst of an aggressive, multimillion-dollar promotional effort that touts the benefits of having all exhibitors in a single location. Plus, he said very competitive hotel rates should help offset the increased airfares for most attendees.
“Many of our attendees don’t go to other U.S. markets,” Maricich said. “And hopefully, with the marketing effort that’s underway, others will want to come see what this market is all about.”
