Organizers of CES support LVCVA

Monday, April 26, 1999 | 12:36 p.m.

Organizers of the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, which meets annually in Las Vegas each January, reaffirmed their support for the means of financing a Convention Center expansion.

In a letter to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors, International CES Vice President Robbi Lycett called the financial plan a a "win-win" for trade show organizers and the Las Vegas community.

The LVCVA board meets on Tuesday to consider issues related to the $100 million, 1.3 million-square-foot two-story expansion south of the existing facility.

The financing plan includes the payment of $52 million in prepaid rent by a consortium of trade show customers, including CES, the Men's Apparel Guild in California, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Super Show and two trade-show production companies, Reed Exposition Service and Miller-Freeman. The latter two operate several smaller shows in Las Vegas.

"As show organizers, the expansion will allow us to plan for future events and offer the quality of service and equitable pricing to retain existing and attract new customers," Lycett's letter said. "Additionally, the proposal provides our customers and us with flexibility in choice of services required to produce our shows while other venues attempt to force us to accept exclusive services, high prices and bundling of services not wanted, required or customary."

Sheldon Adelson, who owns the Sands Expo Center and the soon-to-open Venetian hotel-casino, opposes the financing plan and persuaded the LVCVA to postpone its vote at an April 13 meeting.

"The authority has long worked to provide us with great service and fair pricing and the entire Las Vegas community has historically been a place that welcomes us with open arms," Lycett said. "But our shows are growing at an accelerated pace, leaving us very few options with regard to available space in Las Vegas.

"It is our view that without the expansion, we would be forced to look at moving to other cities with more convention space. With this expansion, however, we can continue the partnership that has enabled our shows to become a virtual part of the Clark County and Las Vegas communities."