The EACA will be livestreaming a panel discussion on Friday, September 11, at 1pm ET, 12pm CT, and 10am PT, to discuss the current status and future plans with the management of several of our industry’s leading venues.
In the second full month of the COVID-19 pandemic we interviewed leading facility managers to discuss their perspectives on the impact it was having on their venues. As that time COVID had already completely paralyzed the exhibits and events industry, but there was faint hope that events ‘postponed’ in March could be produced in August of this year.
More than 90 days later the outlook for re-opening is less clear and some estimates would seem to indicate that a return to a more normal event schedule may not happen until the second quarter of 2021.
The health and safety considerations that guide the decision on how events can be produced safely and responsibly vary widely from state-to-state, from municipality to municipality and, as a result, from venue to venue. While venues like the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando hosted the Together Again Expo in July huge facilities like the Las Vegas Convention Center are restricted to hold events that are attended by no more than 50 people.
This program will explore the current state of affairs with facility management at McCormick Place, Orange County Convention Center and the Las Vegas Convention Center in hopes of generating a little bit of light on when and where we may see events re-open.
Some probable questions are:
- If your venue was converted to field hospital has it been returned to show ready status?
- What are the current guidelines that have been set by your state, county, or city regarding the resumption of mass gatherings?
- What safety protocols will your facility employ once events can resume?
- What is your forecast for the event schedule at your facility?
- What is your forecast for the events industry?
- Have any postponed events circled back with you about re-scheduling in 2020?
Hosted by Jim Wurm, Executive Director
Panel:
- Mark Tester, Executive Director, Orange County Convention Center
- David Causton, General Mgr, McCormick Place
- Steve Patterson, , Sr. Mgr. Convention Svcs., Las Vegas Convention Center