G2E Booth Availability

I just took a look at the interactive floorplan for G2E next month. As I scrolled my cursor over the various booths, it appears that with less than a month to go before the show, there are a lot of booths still available. Most of them are the 10'X10' size but there are several larger spaces available as well.

Is there a larger floorplan at the Sands Convention Center than last year? Or is the apparent excess of available space a result of the state of the industry? Or the cost of booth space?

I wonder if G2E is starting to figure out that perhaps their booth pricing is out of line with the value created by exhibiting unless you are a major player in the industry.

This is the first time that G2E has been at the Sands. In previous years it was at the LV Convention Center.

So it's impossible to compare floor plans.

But simpler questions would be: What was the total space size available, and sold, this year and last year?

They may start selling some at reduced rate, or they may juggle things a little. I.E. Make some of the islands smaller and aisle space bigger, so that it doesn't appear to have many unsold booths.


For what it's worth, I've worked conventions at Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC. The prices G2E is charging is in line with convention industry standards.

Bottom line: It ain't cheap.

Has anyone ever tried to purchase a booth as a collective? If 3 or 4 of us pooled our money and purchased a booth it would greatly reduce the cost to each of us and then we would all have a small space to display our game ideas. It would probably draw more attention with 4 new game ideas displayed in the same area instead of just one.

Would anyone else be interested in doing this? I am planning to go to G2E anyway to try and find willing ears to hear my idea, but it would help to have a permanent presence on the floor too.

It's a little late this year -- you have less than 30 days. Raving used to do something similar, but I think the show coordinators changed the rules to prohibit booth sub-letting. You should look into whether that's still the case.

I agree that purchasing a booth as a collective can lower costs, but you'd really need to trust everyone you're sharing space with. Otherwise things will go badly for you. The last thing you'd want, if you're making a serious attempt at introducing a new product, is for someone who's less credible to be sharing your booth with you. In an industry built on reputation, guilt by association can be fatal.

Also, 10' x 10' is SMALL.

It's really just enough space to set up your own table and signs / literature, and to have space to stand and talk to one or two people.

After that, it gets crowded quickly.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Also, 10' x 10' is SMALL.

It's really just enough space to set up your own table and signs / literature, and to have space to stand and talk to one or two people.

So make a signs that says "THIS GAME IS SO GOOD IT DOESN'T NEED A LARGE BOOTH"

and then you wake up.

Seriously, if space is going unsold, do you figure the organizers will lower their prices as opening time nears?

Not so seriously, has anyone ever thought of picketing G2E with signs like:

"A FAIR EDGE FOR A FAIR BET"

"EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL ODDS"

"6:5 IS NOT BLACKJACK"

"NO COMPS NO PLAY"

Quote: Nareed

Seriously, if space is going unsold, do you figure the organizers will lower their prices as opening time nears?

Maybe. But if I paid for a booth at full price, and found out that they were also sold at a discount, I'd be pissed.

Then again, that's the strategy behind arline prices, right?

Quote: Nareed

has anyone ever thought of picketing G2E with signs like:

"6:5 IS NOT BLACKJACK"

Why picket G2E? They're not responsible.

Instead, get a button, and wear it at the casino.

Quote: Nareed

Seriously, if space is going unsold, do you figure the organizers will lower their prices as opening time nears?

I admit to not really paying close attention to pricing changes as the show nears, but in the past there have *always* been empty spots at the back of the LVCC. They just put up those metal and cloth dividers to block off the unused portion of the hall. It's at the Sands this year but I don't see that changing. If you look at the show floor map right now, not only are there plenty of unused booths, there is also plenty of empty space where the show could build more booths. I don't think someone is going to make a last-minute decision to buy a booth at G2E because they dropped the price a few thousand dollars.

For my part, I don't think I'd exhibit this year even if the booth were free. I haven't spent any time prepping product or marketing materials, hiring/training dealers and other booth minders, or doing anything else you'd want to do prior to a trade show.

Quote: MathExtremist

I admit to not really paying close attention to pricing changes as the show nears, but in the past there have *always* been empty spots at the back of the LVCC.

I thought later that perhaps the unsold spaces are unsold because nobody wants them. But the OP had a tone of it being odd there were empty spots this late.

Last year they put up partitions so that the convention space looked full, but behind the partitions was lots of empty space, about 25% of the convention floor.

Quote: Nareed

has anyone ever thought of picketing G2E

Last year about five people were picketing with signs saying such things as "second hand smoke kills." I said said to one of them that I applauded what they were doing.

Quote: Wizard

Last year about five people were picketing with signs saying such things as "second hand smoke kills." I said said to one of them that I applauded what they were doing.

Not quite the province of game developers...

I read that Caesars staged a "street protest" agaisnt resort fees. of course that's a publicity stunt to advertise their properties don't charge resot fees. I thought perhaps we ought to get gamblers together and picket for better rules. But I'm going seriously way off topic now.

Quote: Nareed

I thought later that perhaps the unsold spaces are unsold because nobody wants them. But the OP had a tone of it being odd there were empty spots this late.

Actually, the floor map shows some pretty nice booths available right near the front of the hall. If all you need is a 10x10, there are plenty right now. G2E doesn't make its money from selling 10x10s to individual inventors, though. They make their money by selling booths to IGT, Bally, Aristocrat, Shuffle Master, etc., and by putting on the conference.

To VonVester, if you're really looking to get into G2E as an exhibitor, why not call them up and say "The show is a month away and you have lots of unsold 10x10 booths. How about I give you $3000 for one right now?" The worst thing that happens is they say no. The best thing is that you get a booth at half-off.

G2E Floor Map

Speaking of the G2E floor map and booths up front, I saw this one right next to a few open spots:

Booth 4010, "Texas Roulette Gaming"

I think this is another individual inventor with a new table game, but I can't actually tell from his website what the game is or how it's played...

Raving is going boothless this year. Sort of. Raving will be strategically wandering around the entire G2E Conference, but you can be sure to find a Raving Senior Executive each day of the tradeshow from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Casino Journal (BNP Media Gaming Group) booth #4936. Stop by!

Just used Raving News from Sep 6 to get a free pass for G2E for Oct 4-6.

ME Tell Dennis I said THANKS !!!!