G2E a hit despite uncertain economy

Although you might think a trade show dedicated to the gaming industry might not be the most well-attended event after three years of recession, organizers of this year's Global Gaming Expo, G2E, would beg to differ.

Held Oct. 3-6 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, the world's largest trade show and conference for the gaming industry attracted nearly 26,000 attendees and 440 exhibitors covering some 250,000 square feet of exhibit space.

The show included 70 exhibitors from overseas, according to American Gaming Association officials. In 2010, the event attracted 24,941 attendees and 520 exhibitors during the last year of its decade-long Las Vegas Convention Center run.

Despite the decline in exhibitors, "attendance was very strong," said Judy Patterson, senior vice president and executive director of the gaming association in Washington, D.C., which organizes the trade show in partnership with Reed Exhibitions.

"The gaming industry is on the right track and the show exhibited that recovery," Patterson said in a phone interview. She said the show benefited from a move to a new, smaller venue.

"We moved to this new venue and were able to reconfigure the show floor," Patterson said. "It worked well with all the exhibitors on the same floor."

She said the Sands Expo and Convention Center was small enough to allow the association to accomplish one of its "primary goals" of giving smaller exhibitors more viability during the three-day show.

Moving the show also allowed G2E to move its dates from mid-November to early October to give buyers a chance to investigate or sample new products before closing out their annual budgets.

Also, the International Association of Gaming Advisors and the National Center for Responsible Gambling met at the Venetian around the same time, making it easier for attendees to visit all shows.

Presentations by Rio headliner Penn Jillette and MGM Resorts International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren highlighted keynote addresses during G2E.

Murren said MGM Resorts, which has 10 casinos on the Strip, is looking at Asia and the Internet for future growth for the company. He said "two or three" new gaming markets are expected to open in Asia in coming years and MGM Resorts "will be there."

While the potential for Internet poker legalization in the United States was a large topic of conversation during G2E, Murren said MGM Resorts would continue to explore social media as a way to attract customers and possibly prepare for the legalization of Internet gaming.