New Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas Breaks Ground, Set to Open Summer 2020

January 30, 2019  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry, Las Vegas, Market   

The new Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas will feature 194,785 gross-square-feet of exhibit space, which is divisible into two halls – North with 97,684 gross-square-feet and South with 97,101 gross-square-feet – which can accommodate up to 1,000 booths. It will feature an expansive lobby area, registration area, onsite shuttle bus depot, attached parking garage and two permanent “grab and go” food service areas.

“IMC is making a $90 Million investment in the creation of The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, a new state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility,” said Robert Maricich, CEO of IMC. “We’re delighted to cooperate with the city of Las Vegas and the state of Nevada to bring this new exhibition venue to Las Vegas. Our use of local labor, at ‘prevailing wage rates’ will make this project a win-win for the exhibition industry and the city of Las Vegas.”  

Construction is scheduled to begin fully in April and the grand opening is expected for the Summer 2020 Las Vegas Market.

“According to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in 2017, the exposition industry generated $58.8 billion in economic benefit to Southern Nevada,” said Mayor Carolyn Goodman. “With the addition of this new facility, Las Vegas now offers the exhibition industry a total of 4,214,047 gross square feet of exhibit hall space at four facilities – the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Expo, Mandalay Bay and The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas.”

The Expo at Las Vegas Market will be the new permanent venue for presentation of temporary gift and home décor exhibits at IMC’s semi-annual Las Vegas Market, which showcases 4,000+ gift, home décor and furniture resources in five million square feet of permanent showrooms and temporary exhibition space.

During the Las Vegas Market, IMC plans to use the lobby of the Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas for attendee and exhibitor registration, making the new facility the gateway to its entire marketplace. The Expo’s contiguous positioning with Building C also will improve attendee traffic flow between Las Vegas Market’s permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits, which IMC expects will drive new resources to campus and enrich the pipeline for permanent showroom presentations.

Outside of the January and July Las Vegas Market dates, the facility will host tradeshows, as well as corporate and private events. According to Maricich, “Currently, there is approximately 200,000 square feet of available conference and exhibition space in downtown Las Vegas in several locations, but the largest single venue, at 85,000 square feet, is smaller than The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas. This new Expo Center will address demand for modern convention and trade show space that currently is limited in the downtown area.”

For information and exhibit space availability, contact Jennifer Muna, CEM, IMC general manager – tradeshows, at jmuna@imcenters.com.