A tastier, more efficient WMC
Several improvements set for Vegas market
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, January 25, 2006
 The World Market Center’s second building, a 16-level, 1.6 million-square-foot facility, is on track to open for the January 2007 market. It will more than double the number of permanent exhibitors at the WMC. |
| The World Market Center’s second building, a 16-level, 1.6 million-square-foot facility, is on track to open for the January 2007 market. It will more than double the number of permanent exhibitors at the WMC. |
LAS VEGAS -- More shuttles, more (and cheaper) food options, more signage, even more toilets.
These are some of the improvements the World Market Center said it has made for its second home furnishings market. Officials here say they’re expecting a crowd of buyers that rivals or tops that of the inaugural summer show.
Meanwhile, the progress on the 16-level second market building will be evident to marketgoers as crews near completion of the steel structure work. That 1.6 million-square-foot facility is on track to open for the January 2007 market, and will more than double the number of permanent exhibitors here.
WMC’s winter show, which runs Jan. 30-Feb. 3 at the WMC complex and Jan. 31-Feb. 3 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, will have more than 1,100 exhibitors, roughly the same number as the first show.
Buyers will see a number of enhancements reflecting their own feedback from the first show, said Dana Pretner, WMC director of marketing and public relations.
“We learned that we need to improve certain services,” she said.
Shuttle service, for example, has been enhanced in several ways. For starters, there will be more shuttles between WMC venues and the 17 host hotels — 100 on the road at peak travel times, up from 80 in July. Shuttles also will pick up and drop off passengers right in front of the main building, and at the front doors of other venues.
However, as in July, the WMC won’t cooperate in transportation with the competing Las Vegas Furniture Show. The manager of that show, to be held at the Rio, says it again plans to provide its own transportation to hotels and WMC venues.
Another enhancement to the WMC show: food service. Some of the few complaints from marketgoers after the July show involved the high prices and limited selection of food. This time, organizers promise, there will be more points of service, better pricing and more vendors.
There’s a new 10th floor coffee shop in the main building, and a new food court in the Pavilions with seven vendors: At Your Service, Ben and Jerry’s, Big Daddy’s BBQ, Haifa, JB’s Dog House, Levy Restaurants and Los Compadres. All but Ben & Jerrys and Levy are new.
The Mandalay Bay exhibit area also will have food and beverage choices, including Starbucks, Border Grill, China Grill, Red, White & Blue, Red Square and Aureole.
Direction signage also is improved throughout the market, said Pretner. In addition, Mandalay Bay exhibitors will be segmented by product, such as furniture, lighting and home accents, for a more convenient organization than buyers saw in July in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
More restrooms have been added at the Pavilions, and the problems that caused some of the restrooms to close should be solved, officials said.
Dave Palmer, WMC general manager, said pre-registration is showing traffic for this market will be “as strong or stronger” than in July, when the WMC said it welcomed some 62,000 registered visitors, alhough it declined to say how many were buyers.
Palmer said the WMC is on track with plans for its third building — a 2 million-square-foot, 20-floor giant that will add another 360 to 370 showrooms some time in 2008. Construction is expected to start later this year.
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A tastier, more efficient WMC
Feb 5, 2006
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