LAS VEGAS – The overwhelming sentiment at the Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress (MPI WEC), held June 15-17, 2021, was gratitude for the opportunity to meet in person. The three-day gathering, dubbed Make the Future, attracted 1,229 in-person attendees and 568 remote participants.
“Last year, the world learned an invaluable lesson about our industry. It was a painful and costly lesson, yes, but the world learned what it’s like to live without face-to-face interactions. And the world didn’t appreciate it,” said Paul Van Deventer, MPI’s president and CEO. “The value of face-to-face meetings has never been more evident, and the desire to gather in person has never been stronger.”
The MPI WEC is the first major event to be held at Caesars Forum, located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip and featuring the world’s two largest pillarless ballrooms, each measuring over 110,000 square feet. Caesars Forum also features 300,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, more than 100 meeting rooms and a 100,000 square foot outdoor plaza.
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It wasn’t the only WEC first. The opening reception was held on the grounds of Allegiant Stadium, becoming the first major event to be held at the impressive facility. The next night’s President’s Dinner honoring industry icon Terri Breining was the first major event to be held at the new Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas; and the closing night and MPI Foundation Rendezvous were held on the Venetian Resort’s new pool deck – the first celebration held there.
“It was amazing to see so many happy faces. There’s really no substitute for in-person interactions and face-to-face meetings. There were over 1,200 attendees here, not including the few hundred CAESARS FORUM employees,” said Michael Massari, Caesars Entertainment’s Chief Sales Officer. “MPI WEC was the start of our industry’s comeback. It shows the confidence that everyone is starting to have to attend conferences.”
The conference wasn’t short on stars. Global entertainment icon Usher had a conversation with Van Deventer during the opening general session on the world of entertainment and live events post-pandemic. The eight-time Grammy winner will be in residence at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
“As a mentor, I always advise my students to play in front of the stage, not just the audience that’s there with them, understanding that there’s a deeper connection,” Usher says. “There’s something much bigger in that moment than what you’re offering.”
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Although COVID-19 restrictions in Las Vegas were eased on June 1, MPI continued its duty of care program during the WEC with daily health and temperature checks upon entry to CAESARS FORUM. Nevada has fully reopened, but Caesars has maintained adequate space between chairs with social distancing in mind.
The vast majority of COVID-19 vaccinated attendees were not required to wear masks. For many, it was the first time in over a year that they could attend a conference without a mask. Colored ribbons were available to indicate people’s comfort level with physical interactions.
Some of the industry’s most prolific female leaders participated in a panel discussion titled, “Vegas Superwomen: Elevating Yourself and Empowering Others.” Stephanie Glanzer, MGM Resorts International; Devin Lewis, LVCVA; Rebecca DeLuca, Caesars; and Chandra Allison, Venetian shared their thoughts on how they’ve been empowered by other women.
“Enter the moment as if you were meant to be there,” Lewis said. That’s exactly what the MPI WEC has done, and the rest of the industry is taking notice.
San Francisco will host WEC next year from June 21-23, when MPI will celebrate its 50th anniversary. For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org
Contact Paul Van Deventer at pvandeventer@mpiweb.org; Michael Massari at mmassari@caesars.com