Atlanta loses its largest show to Vegas
Georgia tourism officials are scrambling to find new business after the nation’s fourth-largest convention center lost its largest show.
The National Association of Home Builders decided Atlanta was not big enough for its 105,000 delegates. The show plans to rotate between Orlando and Las Vegas.
Officials said it outgrew Atlanta’s 93,000 hotel rooms and 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space at the Georgia World Congress Center.
The builder’s show accounted for nearly 10% of the convention business on the books for 2007 and 2008, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
The move came at a time when the city is preparing to open a new $200 million Georgia Aquarium and the $2 billion Atlantic Station. An Olympics museum and possibly a NASCAR hall of fame are also underway.
Atlanta has almost 40,000 fewer rooms than Las Vegas. Its convention center will also be impacted by Chicago’s McCormick Place, which is doubling its size in its current expansion.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026