The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) announced on February 12 that it will bring its annual trade show to the Caesars Forum Conference Center in Las Vegas, July 19-23.
The conference and trade show will be held in conjunction with the Reservation Economic Summit (RES), which will be held on the same dates at Bally’s Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.
In a statement, the tribal gaming trade group predicted the two events could draw a total of 10,000 attendees.
The annual trade show and conference, typically held in San Diego, was canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was to have been held in April, but was pushed to July due to ongoing health and safety concerns.
The Reservation Economic Summit (RES), sponsored by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, is a natural complement to the gaming trade show, said NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr.
“Our two great organizations have a long history of coming together to support one another,” Stevens said. “In this unique year, the joint venture helps coordinate our two shows in one venue (Las Vegas), and allows for the maximum amount of time for our attendees to secure vaccinations and safely travel.”
The $375 million, 550,000-square-foot Caesars Forum was completed last year, but hasn’t seen much use due to the ongoing pandemic. One of its first planned showcase events, last year’s three-day NFL Draft, was postponed. According to CDC Gaming Reports, Las Vegas convention attendance tumbled 74 percent last year due to disruptions in travel and group meetings caused by Covid-19.
Stevens said the Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention would present almost all aspects of its normal tradeshow. The organization is planning to utilize a 250,000-square-foot tradeshow with more than 350 companies. The event will include the annual membership meeting, conferences, workshops, an Indian gaming commissioner certification series, and Native American arts and crafts booths.
NIGA’s mission is to protect and preserve the general welfare of tribes striving for self-sufficiency through gaming enterprises in Indian Country. As the largest gathering of tribal leaders and casino executives in the country, the annual tradeshow and convention serves to deliver new insights and strategies for operators providing them access to industry leaders and cutting-edge trends in order to help them generate new revenues to support their local communities. RES will feature high-caliber networking, business matchmaking, business development sessions, and one-on-one consulting, as well as the partnership with the American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL), which features their business plan competition for high school and college students.
“We’re excited to announce our partnership with the National Indian Gaming Association at this year’s Reservation Economic Summit,” said National Center President and CEO Chris James. “With this new format, attendees can register for three great events focused on economic development in Indian Country. Through resiliency and reinvention with our current partnership with American Indian Business Leaders, we’ll bring together leaders from across Indian Country for a unique opportunity to uplift Native-owned businesses. Attendees can expect the same high-caliber networking, educational, and business development opportunities they’ve come to expect at RES – plus access to NIGA’s one-of-a-kind trade show. The National Center, NIGA, and AIBL can’t wait to build new bridges of economic opportunities this summer.”
Registration will be available for the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention in March. In addition, there will be specific registration discounts and offers for attendees who would like to attend both the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention and RES.
