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Attendees crowd a South Hall aisle during the Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show at Las Vegas Convention Center on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011.
Monday, Sept. 24, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Las Vegas has a solid reputation as the king of convention hosts.
Last year, the city was home to more than 19,000 conventions, trade shows, conferences and meetings that close to 5 million people attended.
Some events are mega-shows that draw tens of thousands of people. Las Vegas and its 150,000 hotel rooms are capable of accommodating the world’s largest gatherings.
Other events have strong regional appeal and are smaller in scale. Many are just quirky get-togethers for specific products or industries.
Below is a look at some of the conventions coming here soon:
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MINExpo 2012
Las Vegas Convention Center
Monday through Wednesday
Maybe you’ve seen some of the trucks hauling the oversized equipment that will be displayed at the MINExpo. They’re huge!
The show floor will cover 850,000 square feet to accommodate all the massive machines, and about 37,000 people are expected to attend.
MINExpo is held only every four years, and it’s an added bonus for Nevada to host the show. Mining is our state’s second leading industry.
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Las Vegas International Accordion Convention
The Las Vegas International Accordion Convention will squeeze 700 people into the Gold Coast Casino from Sept. 24 to 27.
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Motel 6 convention
Where do you hold a Motel 6 convention in Las Vegas? At the MGM Grand, of course. About 1,225 are expected to attend Sept. 29 to Oct. 5.
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G2E
Sands Expo Center
Oct. 2-4
The latest and greatest in slot machine technology will be on display at the Global Gaming Expo, known as G2E. This year’s show is expected to draw 17,000 people.
In addition to the equipment trade show, the industry’s leaders will participate in dozens of panels about the issues confronting the casino industry.
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UFO Think Tank on Science, UFOs and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
It may be a massive conspiracy that there are only 150 people planning to attend the UFO Think Tank on Science, UFOs and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. It runs Oct. 4 to 7 at the Tropicana.
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National Association of Convenience Stores
Las Vegas Convention Center
Oct. 8-10
This year, 30,000 people are expected to gather to discuss products, store inventories and issues of concert to the owners and franchisees of the AM-PMs and 7-Elevens of the world.
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IMEX America
Sands Expo Center
Oct. 9-12
Last year was the inaugural IMEX America show, a North American version of a major international incentive travel, meetings and events show. This year, organizers are expecting the event to be even bigger than last year, which brought 8,000 people together to meet about international tourism strategies.
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Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week
Sands Expo Center and Las Vegas Convention Center
Oct. 30-Nov. 2
Two big shows collide in Las Vegas for what traditionally has become one of the largest gatherings of the auto industry outside Detroit. The Specialty Equipment Market Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Products Exposition will bring about 130,000 people here between them, making the joint event the second-largest annual conference hosted in the city.
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National Shear Sharpening Guild Convention
Four days of shear talk. That's what's on tap for the 100 people planning to attend the National Shear Sharpening Guild Convention Nov. 10 to 13 at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino.
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Diving Equipment and Marketing Association
It's ironic that 16,000 people are coming to the desert for the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association DEMA Show 2012 that runs Nov. 14 to 17 at the Sands Expo Center.
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Catalina Cat Show
The 350 cat fanciers planning to attend the Catalina Cat Show think it's the cat's meow. It is scheduled for Dec. 29 to 30 at the Riviera.
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International Consumer Electronics Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
Jan. 8-11
CES is the largest annual convention and trade show in North America, and it’s an annual post-holiday event for thousands of the world’s technology leaders. January’s show is forecast to be the largest ever, with 155,000 people expected to attend.
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2013 Potato Expo
Any guess as to what will be on the menu for the 1,000 people attending the National Potato Council 2013 Potato Expo Jan. 8 to 11 at Caesars Palace? This spud’s for you!
Note that none of the conventions are health-related groups, such as the American Public Health Association, American Medical Association, etc. They avoid Las Vegas due to lack of non-smoking policies in the casinos. This is lost business.
Big deal! Las Vegas doesn't get the Medical non-smoker's groups. They don't spend enough money to matter. Las Vegas should get more of these Award Shows; they bring in the cash, TMZ, celebrities, & money in constant use in casinos.