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SHOT Show to Stay at Sands Expo through 2018

SHOT Show will be held at Sands Expo through 2018

The National Shooting Sports Foundation followed up its recently concluded, record-setting SHOT Show by adding another year to its agreement with Sands Expo in Las Vegas.

Under the new terms, NSSF will put on the SHOT Show at Sands Expo through 2018.

The 2014 SHOT Show, which ran Jan. 14-17, attracted more than 67,000 in total attendance, an all-time high, and was the fifth consecutive SHOT Show held at Sands Expo. NSSF had previously extended its stay at the venue for three years through 2017.

SHOT Show is the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas and the largest trade show of its kind in the world.

“Sands Expo has spent millions of dollars evolving the venue in order to meet SHOT Show’s needs and to make our attendees feel welcome,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We’ve been pleased with the improvements, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to build on our success here in Las Vegas.”

“Everyone at Sands Expo enjoys having SHOT Show in the building. The team is wonderful to work with, and it’s exciting to know that we’ve played a role in helping them grow,” said Ashlyn LaPorte, Sands Expo Executive Director of Event Management. “We look forward to continuing this relationship, and can’t wait to see what records will be broken in subsequent years.”

Sands Expo recently completed a $37 million renovation that significantly upgraded its facilities, including redesigning and remodeling the lobby and adding escalators, new carpeting, Wi-Fi hotspots, food outlets, digital signage and other amenities that have enhanced trade-show experiences for exhibitors and attendees.

The SHOT Show generates more than $73 million for the Las Vegas economy.

What and Where to Eat During Show Hours

Burgers available in the traditional favorites beef and turkey, as well as offerings like chicken, buffalo and vegetarian at i♥burgers.

Everybody needs to eat, especially those that are walking for miles each day at the SHOT Show. You’ll need to re-fuel at some point.

Here are a few options for attendees looking to grab a bite to eat during show hours:

The Palazzo and Venetian: Don’t forget that the Sands Expo is connected to both the Venetian and Palazzo hotels. Both offer a ton of amazing dining options. For example, the Grand Luxe Cafe, owned by The Cheesecake Factory, is open 24 hours and the food is great. If you’re looking for a burger, check out i♥burgers in The Shoppes at the Palazzo or B&B Burger and Beer in the Venetian. Another great option is Cafe Presse, which has a convenient location in the Venetian corridor. Click here to see all the casual dining options at both hotels.

NSSF Member Lounge: Yet another perk for members of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the NSSF Member Lounge (sponsored by GunBroker.com) is located in the Lido Ballroom on Level 3 of the Venetian. It’s a convenient place for members to sit down for lunch and take a break from the show floor. Not an NSSF member? Join at the NSSF booth (L221) in the Sands lobby and get instant access to the Member Lounge.

The SHOT Show website also has a restaurant guide to help you find quality meals in Las Vegas for $50 or less. We’ve also included some free Las Vegas attractions.

12 Tips to Get the Most Out of the 2014 SHOT Show

Are you ready? The SHOT Show is almost here! Here’s a list of the top 12 items you can check off. Introduce yourself to the offerings by watching this brief video, first.

1. It’s your last chance to book your travel plans with onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show. Its hotel rate-guarantee deadline closes tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 11. SHOT Show provides two sources for special hotel room opportunities; one is direct with the Venetian/Palazzo, and the other is through onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show and the service provider directly linked to the SHOT Show website for all hotels besides the Venetian/Palazzo. To view or book available hotel/travel deals through onPeak, click here or call 800-388-8104. To view or book available hotel rooms at the Venetian/Palazzo, you may do so by clicking here or calling 866-580-1198.

2. Tell us if you are hosting celebrities in January. Log in to the Exhibitor Listing Dashboard and let us know about celebrity appearances or other special events you are planning at your booth. Follow the provided screenshots to inform us of celebrity appearances.

3. Register for SHOT Show University on Monday, Jan. 13. A limited amount of seats are available. Offered each year on the day before the SHOT Show opens, SHOT Show University, with a theme of Aiming for Excellence, is a day of seminars specifically tailored to the needs of those in the firearm retail business. Check out our speaker spotlights from Chip Bell and Dan Mann.

4. Find the retail seminars you need to attend. Retailers, Patrick Shay gives you an inside look at these scheduled sessions. Stay tuned for the follow-up and get the run-down of what should be on your schedule! We are offering a dozen courses (at cost) during the SHOT Show, all designed to increase your retailing expertise, make your operations more profitable and keep our industry strong. You can view the full schedule of speakers and topics here. Seating is limited, and classes are filling up fast. Don’t miss out!

5. Reserve the ultimate dining experience. Check out our “SHOT on a Dime” restaurant guide aimed to help you find quality meals in Las Vegas for $50 or less. If you are dining on a budget, you can even choose from dining options of $25 or less. No matter your cuisine preference or desired location, you’ll find all sorts of selections.

6. Work smarter, not harder! First, download the mobile app, sponsored by ArmaLite. Then, use the My Show Planner online aid to navigate the show floor, keep track of appointments and find new products and services, among other conveniences. You can review the entire SHOT Show layout, search for exhibitors, find specials, search for brands and much more. You can even map out your own planned schedule and route!

7. Learn about the scheduled Law Enforcement Education Seminars (LEEP). NSSF has partnered with Law Officer magazine to present a quality education program for law enforcement professionals at the 2014 SHOT Show®. These are free for our LEEP sponsors.

8. Catch up on all three segments of the SHOT Show Exhibitor Webinar series, available online in the Exhibitor Resource Center under Exhibitor Education and News.

9. Get to know this year’s pinnacle sponsor, Outdoor Channel.

10. Meet the new management team. You can read all of the bios, here. The firearms, exhibition and event industries, as well as the Las Vegas business community, continue to respond positively to the selection of Las Vegas-based ConvExx as our new SHOT Show management company.

11. Become an NSSF member. As the owner of the industry’s largest trade show, NSSF rolls out the red carpet for its members at the SHOT Show. Members receive discounted booth space, five extra booth-priority points when exhibiting, early notification on registration and hotel accommodations, access to the NSSF Member Lounge and Member Business Center and more. NSSF is currently offering a SHOT Show special for range and retailer memberships, starting as low as $50.

12. Get social. Follow us and subscribe to get the latest SHOT Show updates. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@nssfshotshow) and join the official SHOT Show group on LinkedIn. Also, be sure utilize the #SHOTShow hashtag to ensure your social media communications are being seen by all who follow the show online. Another way to keep up-to-date is to subscribe to NSSF’s Bullet Points e-newsletter, which delivers a weekly roundup of industry happenings.

Diedra Cauley is the Senior Director of Exhibitions and Conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

Rate-Guarantee Deadline Approaching

2014 SHOT Show^® is less than six weeks away. As you are making travel plans, take advantage of special hotel-room opportunities through onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show. Its hotel rate-guarantee deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 11.

To view or book available hotel/travel deals through onPeak, click here or call 800-388-8104.

The SHOT Show provides two sources for special hotel room opportunities; one is direct with the Venetian/Palazzo, and the other is through onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show and the service provider directly linked to the SHOT Show website for all hotels besides the Venetian/Palazzo.

The Venetian/Palazzo and onPeak are the ONLY two entities authorized to contact SHOT attendees regarding hotel rooms, and the SHOT Show requires each communication to be pre-approved and branded with the official SHOT Show logo.

As a reminder, remember that you can be scammed. Click this link to find a list of unofficial vendors that are working hard to take advantage of YOU. This warning also provides you with tips for how to handle yourself if you choose to book with an unofficial vendor. We want to know if you hear from these non-official vendors. Please let me know via email at dcauley@nssf.org.

For your own protection, we ask that you exercise caution when making your hotel and travel arrangements. Unofficial vendors cannot provide the same benefits and protection offered by onPeak or directly with the Venetian/Palazzo. The SHOT Show only guarantees hotel room rates or availability during the show dates for reservations made through the two sources mentioned above.

To view or book available hotel/travel deals through onPeak click here or call 800-388-8104.

To view or book available hotel rooms at the Venetian/Palazzo you may do so by clicking here or calling 866-580-1198.

Beware of Scammers and Poachers

As you are preparing your travel plans for January, remember that you too can be scammed. We have received reports that other companies are posing as official travel vendors for the SHOT Show. They are NOT affiliated with the SHOT Show in any capacity.

Recently, it was brought to our attention that an exhibitor group booked with a poacher, Exhibition Housing Services, back in June and paid upfront for the rooms. The customer followed up with that company and was unable to reach them, so they contacted onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show, to see if we were that company. Our contact center manager also contacted the company’s number and couldn’t reach them. This is unfortunate, so we urge you to book through our authorized vendors.

Click this link to find a list of unofficial vendors that are working hard to take advantage of YOU. This warning also provides you with tips for how to handle yourself if you choose to book with an unofficial vendor. We want to know if you hear from these non-official vendors. Please let me know via email at dcauley@nssf.org.

To view or book available hotel/travel deals through onPeak click here or call 800-388-8104.

To view or book available hotel rooms at the Venetian/Palazzo you may do so by clicking here or calling 866-580-1198.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

SHOT on a Dime

All of us have heard the popular slogan of ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’! Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. So, while you are attending SHOT Show in January, we know you will also want to experience the sights and flavors of Las Vegas. Check out our ‘SHOT on a Dime’ restaurant guide aimed to help you find quality meals in Las Vegas for $50 or less. If you are dining on a budget, you can even choose from dining options of $25 or less. No matter your cuisine preference or desired location, you’ll find all sorts of selections. Whether you are staying in the Venetian/Palazzo, or along the strip, you’ll be able to locate something close to home.

We’ve also included some free Las Vegas attractions. Yes, even in Las Vegas, you can find one-of-a-kind entertainment and beauty for free.

Chris Dolnack is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.

Book Travel Through SHOT Show’s Official Housing Partner onPeak

Book in the official SHOT Show block — don’t be scammed by third party housing companies.

Through our designated host hotels, The Venetian and The Palazzo and official housing partner, onPeak, the SHOT Show provides reduced hotel rates and travel discounts for your trip to Las Vegas.

Attendees and exhibitors can make their travel arrangements with The Venetian or The Palazzo by calling 866-580-1198 (U.S.) or (702) 414-4100 (international) OR onPeak through the SHOT Show website’s Travel page – or directly through onPeak’s booking agents by calling 800-388-8104 or 312-527-7300 (International).

We have already received several calls and emails from exhibitors who were solicited by a high-pressure salesperson who urged the exhibitors to get their rooms for the SHOT Show while they could. I can assure you that no one affiliated with the SHOT Show will ever solicit you. And if they do, I want to hear from you.

The SHOT Show, in partnership with onPeak, is committed to providing you with the best travel deals around. onPeak is the official travel provider for the SHOT Show.

Don’t be fooled by offers from other parties using the SHOT Show name — they are NOT affiliated with Reed Exhibitions or the SHOT Show. Remember, if the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

Update Concerning Lodging, Travel Reservations

Every year at about this time, unscrupulous poachers emerge. These poachers are hotel or third-party housing agencies unaffiliated with the SHOT Show and can be very tricky in the way they present themselves. That’s why we caution all SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors to be wary of third-party services when booking your rooms for the show. In past years, we heard reports of hotel room resellers taking payment from SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors without actually booking the rooms, leaving attendees without a place to lay their head in Las Vegas.

In fact, we’ve received word that several companies, including Exhibitor Housing Services (EHS), Room Connections and Wholesale Travel Planners, are all fraudulently soliciting SHOT Show attendees.

Booking with onPeak or Venetian/Palazzo guarantees you a room and guarantees you room rate protection. So you never have to worry about having a room or paying too much for it.

The Venetian/Palazzo and onPeak are the only two entities authorized to contact SHOT attendees regarding hotel rooms, and the SHOT Show requires each communication to be pre-approved and branded with the official SHOT Show logo. Do not respond to any other related communication you may receive.

We want you to have a great experience at the 2014 SHOT Show and the surest way to start down that path is to apply for your credentials and book your rooms early. If you are booking a block of more than 20 rooms, onPeak can help you manage that efficiently.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

Beware of SHOT Show Poachers: An Important Notice Regarding Lodging, Travel Reservations

Poaching does not only occur on wildlife. You can also be a victim, and instead of the great outdoors being the location, the SHOT Show is the venue. We have received reports that other companies are posing as official travel vendors for the SHOT Show. They are NOT affiliated with the SHOT Show in any capacity.

To view or book available hotel/travel deals through onPeak click here or call 800-388-8104.

To view or book available hotel rooms at the Venetian/Palazzo you may do so by clicking here or calling 866-580-1198.

If It’s Spring, It Must Be Time For SHOT Show Hotel Scammers to Hatch

It seems that the warmer spring air has prompted an early hatch of hotel scammers trying to separate SHOT Show exhibitors and attendees from their money and perhaps leave them without a place to lay their head in Las Vegas.

That’s why we caution all SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors to be wary of third-party services when booking your rooms for the show. In years past we received reports of unscrupulous hotel room resellers taking payment from SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors without actually booking the rooms.

More recently, NSSF has received word that a company has attempted via email to solicit business from at least one SHOT Show attendee. In its email, the company claimed to offer “flexible cancellation” while providing “hotel direct confirmation numbers.” The SHOT Show has no affiliation whatsoever to this company.

Not booking through the SHOT Show’s official housing bureau, onPeak, can be risky. The safest way to make your SHOT Show hotel reservations is through the SHOT Show website.

We want you to have a great experience at the 2014 SHOT Show and the surest way to start down that path is to deal only with official SHOT Show partners. If you are booking a block of more than 20 rooms, onPeak can help you manage that efficiently.

If you are contacted and receive a similar email or phone call, we ask that you please report it to NSSF’s legal department at jyue@nssf.org. And if you ever have any doubt about anyone contacting you on behalf of NSSF or SHOT Show, contact us right away.