Record turnout expected for LV gaming conference

Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2000 | 11:10 a.m.

Despite uncertainty over its future, the 14th annual World Gaming Congress & Expo opens today at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Pre-registration for the four-day event already tops last year's record pace of 25,000. More than 700 vendors have booked space at the expo's exhibit hall. In addition, more than 70 industry-related seminars are scheduled in fields including gaming and the law, Internet gaming, Indian gaming, jurisdictional updates, human resources, marketing and operations.

The expo opens today with the Slot Manager Institute, a one-day seminar devoted to the slot industry. The official opening comes Wednesday at noon, when the expo floor opens.

Celebrities scheduled to attend unveilings of new games by slot maker International Game Technology include Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, "Austin Powers" actress Mindy Sterling, WCW wrestler Sid Vicious, daredevil Evel Knievel and "Beverly Hillbillies" actor Max Baer. Boxing announcer Michael Buffer will attend an unveiling of "Ready to Rumble Boxing," a new slot by WMS Industries Inc.

This year's show will be the last co-sponsored by the American Gaming Association, which has decided to create its own gaming industry show, the Global Gaming Expo. Scheduled to launch in October 2001 -- in direct competition with the World Gaming Expo -- the conference has already booked more than half of its exhibition space.