2010 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show to Kick Off the Year with Energy, Enthusiasm and Success Strategies
You have to have a “thick checkbook” or a thick book of ideas to compete profitably in today’s marketplace. The pressures of competitor discounting and lower consumer spending have changed the game for us all. And buckle up, because the new cautious consumer will be with us for a long time.
I’ve been going to the Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show for 25 consecutive years ... wow. In fact, many of you reading this are likely one of the thousands who have attended the educational sessions I’ve conducted there, or perhaps we’ve walked the floor together or met at one of the nighttime events. Chances are, we’ve seen one another there year after year. The Show, as most people call it, never ceases to amaze me. Some years it’s bigger and some years it’s smaller, but each and every year The Show provides a place where operators can count on finding the industry’s best new ideas, presented from its brightest new stars and its established experts.
Whether it’s a hot new promotion, a monster marketing idea or a killer drink, tasty beer or unique selection for your wine program, there’s always gold to be mined at The Show. Really, a nightclub, bar or restaurant is only one idea away from the next program that can drive revenue growth, and The Show is full of those ideas. Sure, the parties are awesome (I can’t wait to see Haze this year!), the exhibit floor is full of great products and partners, and the educational programming is the best in the world, but in the end, you can count on The Show to provide the ideas, energy and fuel that will give you the edge you need in today’s new marketplace.
See you there!
Jon Taffer, president, Nightclub & Bar
On the Floor
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show is the only place to find the most exciting brands and products for your business. Whether you’re looking for the next great bottle for your backbar, a top-line piece of equipment, a sound system, lighting fixtures, gaming systems, glassware, garnishes, draft dispensing equipment or entertainment and promotional ideas, it can be found on the exhibit floor.
Not only can you find it, you can experience it. Product samplings, demonstrations and the opportunity to talk one-on-one with vendors and industry experts about ways to apply the products to your business all await you on the exhibit floor.
For one, the Center for Draught Excellence is the perfect place to learn about ramping up the quality and profitability of your beer program. Anheuser-Busch teamed up with Micro Matic, NuCo2 and TapDynamics to present this multi-faceted draft beer experience, located directly across from the Anheuser-Busch booth (#2523).
Beam Global’s top mixologists will demonstrate proper technique and some innovations for mixing up classic and contemporary cocktails. Every half-hour, Bobby “G” Gleason and Philip Raimondo will give drink-making demonstrations at the state-of-the-art cocktail bar theater at the Beam booth (#1501). Watch, listen, learn and sample!
Find out what all the buzz is about by stopping by the ABSOLUT Vodka booth (#1523) to check out both the latest ABSOLUT flavor — ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ — and also the BarSmarts program. Instructors Dale DeGroff and F. Paul Pacult will be on hand to discuss the BarSmarts bartender education program, and a screen will be available for attendees to see it firsthand and register for the online curriculum at a discount.
And, as always, watch the best bartenders in action at the Shake It Up Competition on the exhibit floor. Sponsored by Nightclub & Bar and Southern Wine & Spirits, this annual event showcases creative concoctions and skillful, entertaining drink-making by top bartenders preparing their original recipes. Hosted by Francesco Lafranconi, director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits, and judged by the nation’s leading cocktail experts, this event promises to be a winner!
Be sure to stop by and say hello at the Nightclub & Bar Magazine booth (#1937), as well, to find out more about the magazine, web site and our four e-newsletters. Plus, you can enter to win a free vacation, courtesy of Vacation Adventures International!
Attention Stargazers!
Celebs love nightlife, so you never know who might show up at the Nightclub & Bar Show. Dan Aykroyd of Crystal Head Vodka will be interviewed by Kevin Brauch, The Thirsty Traveler, on Wednesday, and will be on hand throughout The Show. A major international celebrity also will be in attendance, although we can’t let the cat out of the bag — you’ve got to be there to see and be seen. Industry stars will be shining on the Nightclub & Bar Red Carpet, from Nightclub & Bar Award winners to a “who’s who” of beverage pros. Get ready to be star-struck!
On the Program
This year at the Nightclub & Bar Trade Show and Convention, the lineup of educational programming is not to be missed, from the SuperSessions and Keynotes to Conference Sessions and Workshops. Check out the stellar speakers — they’re sure to be informative, interactive and entertaining for all — and you’ll leave with ideas and action plans you can use right away to grow your business.
SuperSessions include “Effective Beverage Promotions & Marketing Strategies,” with speakers John Lingo of A New World Production, Andy Scoggins of Ruby Tuesday, Edgar Carlson of Hospitality USA, Pete Bell of Smokey Bones, and Patrick Henry of Patrick Henry Creative Promotions. “Training in 2010 & Beyond” will be addressed by beverage pros from Hard Rock International, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Mitchell’s Fish Market; learn more about these sessions on pages 37 and 38 of this issue. Bringing one of the premier spirits and bartending experts to the stage, F. Paul Pacult will present “Boosting Business with Better Bar Skills.”
The Top 100 Panel, moderated by Nightclub & Bar publisher and editorial director Donna Hood Crecca and Technomic vice president and Adult Beverage Practice leader David Henkes, will feature tips and insider info on how to grow and succeed today from the top revenue generators from around the country. Plus, Dr. Peter Cressy, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, will give an overview of the state of the industry — the good, the bad and everywhere in between.
Wondering about ways to pair beer and food successfully? Don’t miss Anheuser-Busch brewmaster George Reisch’s Featured Session on “Powerful Food and Beer Pairing Programs.”
To dig deeper, check out the intensive Workshops: Nightclub & Bar’s own Jon Taffer will offer “Business Changing Dynamics — Increase Your Revenue by 18 Percent, Guaranteed,” while “Building a Profitable Team” will be an invaluable topic presented by Robert Casillas and Guy Wilson of Monsoon Group of Las Vegas. “Successful Beverage Management — Proven Strategies for the On-premise Operator,” will be instructed by BarMedia’s Robert Plotkin, and “Violence and Liabilities — Changing Standard Procedure,” with Robert C. Smith of Nightclub Security Consultants will deliver key insights on a crucial part of the business.
And don’t miss out on the regular conference sessions; panels include topics from developing beer and wine programs to hiring the right DJ to understanding legal liability in bars and nightclubs. The schedule is jam-packed with educational programming that is sure to help you operate successfully during yet another challenging year, so make sure you’re there!
On the Town
After days full of educational programming and walking the trade show floor, attendees will need a way to unwind — and the Nightclub & Bar evening networking events are the perfect place to mingle and enjoy a good cocktail or two, visit with old friends and partners and forge new relationships.
The party begins before the show kicks off with the Club Pass Event at the brand-new Vanity Nightclub in the Hard Rock Hotel on Sunday. Then, Monday evening, join Nightclub & Bar to celebrate our silver anniversary milestone at the Opening Night Party: Cocktails & Dreams 25th Anniversary Party. The event will take place at Haze Nightclub, the much-anticipated state-of-the-art venue located inside the newly opened Aria Resort and Casino at CityCenter.
Tuesday evening, the Top 100 bars and nightclubs will be honored at the Top 100 Party at XS Nightclub inside the Wynn Encore, sponsored by ABSOLUT Vodka. Wednesday night concludes The Show festivities with the high-energy DJ Spin Off at TAO Nightclub in the Venetian and the Club Pass Event at LAVO Nightclub in the Palazzo.
On Wednesday night from 8-10, sports bar operators can head to celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s sports-driven outpost, Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo for the Sports Bar Networking Event. The event features a memorabilia giveaway and auction as well as sports celebrity signings and beverages.
Want to enjoy the best Las Vegas has to offer? Check out the Dine Around and Bar Hop. Select Las Vegas bars and restaurants will play host to attendees of The Show, offering special discounts, menus and complimentary drinks to those wearing their badges.
The week is sure to be a whirlwind of activities, but missing out on The Show could mean missing out on great networking and business opportunities — and in times like these, who can afford to do that?
Feel the VIBE
Exclusive Event Caters to Multi-unit Beverage Execs
The first VIBE Conference, taking place at the Palazzo March 9-10, is laser-focused on the chain beverage business. VIBE stands for Very Important Beverage Executives, referring to the role of national accounts professionals in the on-premise drinks business, the people responsible for the high-volume, high-quality beverage programs in place at multi-unit restaurants across the U.S.
VIBE is the newest component of International Hospitality Week, which incorporates the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show and is owned by Questex Media Group LLC. VIBE attendees can participate in Nightclub & Bar Show seminars on Monday, March 8, and are provided exclusive access to the Nightclub & Bar exhibit floor from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9. A VIBE attendee badge also provides admission to the Nightclub & Bar Show, HotelWorld F&B Expo and International Restaurant Show exhibit floors, seminars and evening activities.
Highlights of the conference include keynote presentations by Rich Melman, chairman and founder of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, who will be joined by sons Jerrod Melman and R.J. Melman, and an address by futurist and innovation and trends expert Jim Carroll. Also on the agenda are Elizabeth DeConti of GrayRobinson, P.A. and Stephen Barth of HospitalityLawyer.com, providing their expert insights on critical issues relative to recent litigation and the legal landscape regarding alcohol sales and marketing.
Connect to NCB
For the latest news on the Nightclub & Bar Show happenings, follow us two ways:
Twitter — @ncbmagazine and @ncbshow
Mobile — Text 64842 to receive updates, prizes and party info