Comdex show cheers end of LV construction projects

Thursday, Sept. 23, 1999 | 11:26 a.m.

Comdex organizers are expecting one of the smoothest trade shows ever this year because welcome mats are out instead of construction cranes.

Bill Sell, vice president and general manager of Comdex, the computer industry's biggest gathering and Las Vegas' largest trade show, said 50,000 people have preregistered for the November event, which has grown in attendance to about 220,000.

Sell said thousands of computer industry professionals are looking to be in Las Vegas this year because there are more rooms than ever and most of the construction projects that hampered access in the past have been completed.

Sell is particularly enthused about the completion of the Venetian hotel-casino, which will give Comdex unprecedented access to the Las Vegas Strip.

"Because the Venetian is connected to the Sands Expo Center, there will be much more access to the Strip, which is where most of the delegates will be staying," Sell said in a conference call to journalists who will cover the massive trade show.

"For all these years that people have been putting up with construction, it's finally going to pay off," Sell said.

The large number of rooms also is expected to intensify competition and bring down the cost of an overnight stay. Sell said he expects room rates to fall from last year's levels.

Comdex delegates have complained that the resorts gouge them when they come to town with rates being three to five times higher than normal. The resorts counter that Comdex delegates don't gamble as much as most conventioneers and the high room rates compensate for the low casino play.

One of the Venetian's strategies has been to promote its rooms to convention guests attending shows at the Sands Expo Center.

Since the last Comdex show, Mandalay Bay, the Venetian and Paris have opened on the Strip. The Resort at Summerlin also opened since the last show.

Sell said taxis will continue to be in short supply, but cab lines should be shorter because show attendees will have more places to get transportation. He said show organizers are making contact with the city's transportation leaders to coordinate communication on how traffic patterns have been altered by the new resorts.

Sell also said improvements have been made at the Las Vegas Convention Center that should keep Comdex out of temporary tent structures set up in parking lots in previous years.

He also praised infrastructure improvements at McCarran International Airport, although the airport's new D gates were open when the show came to town last year.

Comdex '99 will open Nov. 14 with an evening keynote address by Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Gates. The Venetian will host the Sunday night address. Other industry heavyweights on the slate: John Chambers, president and chief executive officer of Cisco Systems; Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive officer of Novell Inc.; and Scott McNealy, chairman and chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems Inc.

Sell said four themes would dominate this year's show. They are e-commerce, "variable platforms," broadband networking and "informational appliances."

Informational appliances include two-way communication and mobile computer application technology devices.

Sell said Comdex is valuable to computer industry professionals because they can see demonstrations of a variety of platforms and make comparisons without leaving the trade show floor.

Advancements in biometrics, security and digital home networking also are expected to draw attention at the 20th annual show.

Biometrics involves retinal and fingerprint scanning devices to identify system users. Digital systems also are being used to authenticate data as well as protecting systems against viruses.

Home networking involves the wireless interaction of thousands of small office devices being introduced by hundreds of small companies worldwide.