I have never liked much about las vegas, but I'm beginning to love las vegas
I have never liked much about las vegas, but I'm beginning to love las vegas
For me, disliking las vegas has been quite, well, "organic" for me. It is a too bright example of some of man's worst creations. Obviously nothing real about it. It's driving force is greed. Attracting hurds of the masses in hopes of possibly hitting the jackpot. Then there are tourists everywhere you bump. Then there's the poor beautiful gals that arrive here to work their trade - not even thinking about waiting until dark.
Ok, back to my new found love of Las Vegas. Now that exhibited here for the my second market, and worked past my clear biases, It is, without now my favorite market city. It's really quite clear, and has almost everything to do with comfort and convenience;
Gotta get past the obvious first step, a pretty big negative though, the flight. It takes way too long (in a perfect world) to get here from Florence Alabama. I drive to Huntsville (East, the wrong way) take my all time favorite airline - American with a layover in Dallas, then finally to McCarran airport. Once I've landed, it's almost all downhill from here.
• Five minute shuttle to my Las Vegas home away from home "Bill's Gamblin' Hall" right in the middle of the strip. If there's a closer airport to a city I've ever flown into, I can't remember it.
• So many great hotels to choose from. Lot's of competition. And you can pay almost any price you want. (this subject deserves a few blog posts on it's own).
• From here, most of the many plusses of exhibiting/visiting the Las Vegas Market have to do with the over the top "customer service" provided by the Market itself as well as the wonderful facility.
• What a beautiful marketplace the World Market Center is. Built just before and possibly into the most recent crash, this three building (originally slated for 8?) structure is amazing. Compared with almost any or market, and particularly High Point (I love High Point, but not the convenience part) there's no comparison. Great conference rooms. The three buildings are right beside each other. They are new, and beautiful, and modern. Simply a pleasure to move around in.
• Now back to the customer service. The elevator operators, security personnel, information desk workers, even the bus transportation workers, are for the most part quite, well, "southern". Maybe they aren't quite up there with High Point, which I think are the friendliest people in the world, these guys might be running close behind.
• from the show hotels, each morning, there's always a bus waiting to take us 5 to 10 minute ride to the Market Center. And most of the time, it's one of the nicest, newest, cleanest busses there could be.
• As we get off the bus, we are greeted by smiles handing out water. Reminding us of the dry climate and certainly not wanting their guests to end up with parched lips.
• As we walk into the courtyard of the Market Center, there's beautiful white, modern outdoor decor throughout. Beautiful models handing out more water. More folks handing out breakfast sandwiches and coffee, as wells as apple, bananas and fruit.
• Some really nice presentations in all areas of our biz. Showroom design, social media, and always some old timer designer/guru's sharing their tricks of the trade. And during many of these there will be a meal served.
• After the show, it takes a bit longer to get back to my hotel. Instead of 10 minutes, maybe 20, just because of the route, dropping off at 3 or 4 other hotels along the way.
• So now I'm back at my little Las Vegas home away from home Bill's Gamblin' Hall. Where, as always I seem to be the only one doing no gambling. Well, that's not the only thing I seem to be the only one not doing. And, since I'm not, I'll be sure to blog about all this - what everyone else is doing in Vegas - in a future blog. Don't worry, no pics here.