(LVIHRS) lived up to its promise of positioning itself as the leading marketplace for Western hospitality professionals by putting key buyers in front of manufacturers showcasing their products and services. The LVIHRS took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center June 19-20.
The 2002 LVIHRS attracted attendees from 44 states and also had broad international support, hailing from such countries as Canada, China, Bermuda, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Philippines and Turkey. Exhibitors contracted 40,500 square feet of space to display a variety of products including furnishings, technology solutions, bed linens and amenities, food items and foodservice equipment and supplies.
In addition to the numerous exhibits, the 23rd LVIHRS hosted educational seminars, special events including the International Hospitality Awards Luncheon, and a variety of competitions such as the Las Vegas Culinary Challenge, Hospitality Competitions, Menu Competition and the Hospitality Hero Awards.
Post Show Statistics
Number of Exhibiting Companies: 330
Net Square Feet of Exhibit Space: 40,500
Buyer Registration: 2,955
Total Trade Attendance: 4,671
Exhibitor Feedback
³The LVIHRS is a great show. It attracts just the right people who are able to make purchasing decisions.² Charles F. Aiken Axxess Industries
³The LVIHRS is a terrific place to make and develop contacts.² Kevin Brown Italian Fashion Group, Inc.
³The show exceeded my expectations. I was very pleased with the quality of the contacts I made.² Bob Buddenbohn Brentwood Mills
³The show was great for me. There is a lot of potential in Las Vegas because of the large foodservice industry here.² Carrie Jordan Babe¹s Farms
³The show allowed me to establish some good leads. I¹ll be back.² Erik Nilsson Northern Feather Canada Ltd.
Seminars and Special Events
In addition to the hundreds of exhibits, attendees had the opportunity to learn and be entertained through a comprehensive seminar and special event program.
INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY AWARDS LUNCHEON
The International Hospitality Awards Luncheon featured Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels. Tisch discussed the importance of establishing dedicated and deep-rooted business relationships with employees, customers and the community at large. His comments also included how the travel and tourism industry has been affected by the events of Sept. 11, and how the industry has been working to communicate its needs and challenges to the President¹s administration and members of Congress.
Also during the luncheon, awards were presented to winners of the Hospitality Hero Awards. Patricia Fleming from Las Vegas¹ MGM Grand Hotel was awarded for saving the life of a choking guest. The charitable organization Windows on the World from New York City also won a Hospitality Hero Award. The organization formed after the events of Sept. 11 to provide aid, scholarships and funds to families of the victims who worked in the food, beverage and hospitality professions of the World Trade Center. Bob Brookstein and Jamie Snyder from the MGM Detroit Casino were recognized for their rescue efforts at the World Trade Center site. The employees of The Sherry-Netherland Hotel, also in New York City, were recognized for their assistance in response to the Sept. 11 tragedies.
The Nevada Hotelier and Nevada Restaurateur of the Year were also named during the luncheon. The Nevada Hotelier award was given to Ed Crispell, general manager of the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas, and the Nevada Restaurateur award was given to David Alenick, co-owner of the Pasta Shop and Ristorante in Las Vegas. The awards are given each year to individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality and restaurant industries.
NATIONAL MENU DESIGN COMPETITION
Awards also were presented to the winners of the National Menu Design Competition. The winners included:
Drink/Appetizer/Desserts:
GOLD Elements at the Aladdin Resort & Casino
SILVER Curve Nightclub at the Aladdin Resort & Casino
BRONZE The Aladdin Bar
Restaurant: Average check under $15:
GOLD Towering Palms Café at the Aladdin Resort & Casino SILVER Boiler Room at the Colorado Belle Hotel/Casino BRONZE Turf Club at Baldini¹s Sports Casino
Restaurant: Average check under between $16-$35:
GOLD Bamboleo at the Rio All-Suite Casino Resort
SILVER Billy Bob¹s Steakhouse and Saloon at Sam¹s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall BRONZE WB Stage 16 at the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino
Restaurant: Average Check More than $36:
GOLD The London Club at the Aladdin Resort & Casino
SILVER All American Bar & Grill at the Rio All-Suite Casino Resort BRONZE Elements at the Aladdin Resort & Casino
Wine List:
GOLD Lawry¹s The Prime Rib
SILVER Monte-vigna Italian Ristorante at the Atlantis Casino Resort in Reno BRONZE Renoir at the Mirage
€ LAS VEGAS CULINARY CHALLENGE
The country¹s next generation of chefs competed during both days of the LVIHRS for American Culinary Federation (ACF) gold medals at the Las Vegas Culinary Challenge. Each competing chef prepared a signature dish at one of six cooking stations.
John Metcalfe of the Community College of Southern Nevada won Best of Show and two gold medals for pork tenderloin and fish categories. Alfredo Ruedas of China Grill at Mandalay Bay won the Judges Choice award for cake decoration. Kathy Wessman of Mandalay Bay was the gold medal winner in the cold salon category.
€ HOSPITALITY COMPETITIONS
The nation¹s top housekeepers from more than 25 of Las Vegas¹ major hotels competed in several exhilarating contests of skill, speed and accuracy including a bed-making competition, buffer pad toss, a Johnny mop toss and a vacuum relay. The top winners were:
Bed-making:
First: The Aladdin Resort & Casino
Second: New York-New York Hotel Casino
Third: Sunset Station
Johnny Mop Toss:
First: Mandalay Bay
Second: Monte Carlo
Third: The Rio All-Suite Casino Resort
Buffer Pad Toss:
First: Monte Carlo
Second: MGM Grand
Third: Bally¹s
Vacuum Relay:
First: Treasure Island
Second: New York-New York
Third: Caesars Palace
KEYNOTES
The restaurant keynote was held on Wednesday, June 19, and featured well-known restaurateurs as they shared their thoughts on the direction the industry is headed, increased competition and future technologies. Regynald Washington, vice president and general manager of Disney Regional Entertainment/ESPN Zone, moderated the keynote. Panelists were: Howard Hamada, president, Hamada¹s Inc.; Julian Serrano, principal and executive chef of Picasso¹s at the Bellagio and Tony Grappo, joint venture partner, Outback Steakhouse.
Thursday¹s hotel keynote, ³Lodging A View from the Top,² addressed the aftermath of Sept. 11 and what the lodging industry can expect in the near future. The keynote was moderated by Mike Malley, publisher and editorial director of Hotel & Motel Management. Panelists were: Robert Baldwin, president & CEO, Mirage Resorts; Peter Yesawich, president & CEO, Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown; Mary Mahoney, president of Howard Johnson and Jay Witzel, president, Carlson Hotels.
The LVIHRS is managed by George Little Management, LLC (GLM). For exhibitor information, contact Christian Falkenberg, show manager, at GLM, 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606-1954. Telephone (914)-421-3296. Fax (914) 948-6180. E-mail: Christian_falkenberg@glmshows.com. For attendee information, contact GLM¹s Customer Service department at (914) 421-3206. Additional information is available on-line at www.lvihrs.com.
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2002 Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show Post Show Report
4 minute read
LVIHRS