Two more conventions heading for Vegas

Monday, Jan. 20, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

The National Association of Television Program Executives and the Venetian Hotel and Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas have entered into an agreement to host NATPE's annual Conference and Exhibition beginning in 2004 and beyond. The announcement was made Sunday by Bruce Johansen, president and CEO of NATPE.

Separately, the insurance industry trade groups LOMA and ACORD announced plans to merge their technology conferences next year. The ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum will be held at Paris Las Vegas May 23-26, 2004. The separate conferences this year are in San Antonio and Orlando.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement with the Venetian and Sands, NATPE 2004 will be held Jan. 13-16 at the adjoined Venetian/Sands complex, where television production and distribution companies will be afforded the opportunity to select suites and/or exhibition space to participate at the annual global television complex.

NATPE kicks off its annual Conference and Exhibition this week in New Orleans, where the association is celebrating the event's 40th anniversary. It is the last time NATPE will be held in New Orleans, which has hosted the event 12 times, before moving to Las Vegas on a permanent basis.

Johansen added, "We understand our clients' wishes to exhibit at NATPE in hotel suites, where they can hold meetings in an intimate environment. Other companies, however, desire to have dedicated space on an exhibition floor during our conference. By moving NATPE to the Venetian and Sands, we provide the best of both worlds to the television community, which in January 2004 will be reunited in one central location."