NIGA announces gaming tradeshow dates

After its 2020 event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the longest running gaming tradeshow dedicated to tribal gaming will take place in Las Vegas this summer.

In a recent press release, the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) said its 2021 Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention will be held at Caesars Entertainment‘s brand new, 550,000 sq ft Caesar’s Forum Conference Center on the Las Vegas Strip from July 19-23.

NCAIED partnership:

The annual conference and tradeshow will be held in conjunction with The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s (NCAIED) 35 annual Reservation Economic Summit (RES2021), which is scheduled to take place from July 19-21 at Paris Las Vegas on the Strip and will reportedly host more than 4,000 attendees from across the U.S. & Canada, according to the non-profit’s website.

The Washington, D.C.-based trade organization said it is “excited to announce the partnership” with the (NCAIED) predicting the two events together could see in excess of 10,000 attendees.

Normally held in San Diego, last year‘s annual NIGA tradeshow and conference that was slated for March 24-27 at the San Diego Convention Center was canceled after the Board of Directors of the NIGA voted unanimously to postpone the event. The decision at the time followed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring the cancellation of large gatherings of more than 250 people.

Meanwhile, the tradeshow scheduled for April 2021 in San Diego was rescheduled again due to the continuing health crisis. Moving to Las Vegas, according to NIGA, will allow additional time for vaccine dispersal and hopefully further slow the Covid-19 infection rate.

Lofty expectations:

In a statement in the recent press release, NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. said the organization’s goal is to conduct a full access tradeshow in Las Vegas.

“Our two great organizations have a long history of coming together to support one another. In this unique year, the joint venture helps coordinate our two shows in one venue, and allows for the maximum amount of time for our attendees to secure vaccinations and safely travel.

“We are finalizing the details that will allow our Tradeshows to work through the Covid-19 precautions and provide a safe environment for what we believe will be the largest Tribal economic development event in history,” he added.

More than 350 companies will fill the 250,000 sq ft show floor of the Forum, while the annual membership meeting, workshops, conferences, the gaming commissioner certification series, and Native American arts and crafts booths will all be featured at the five-day event.

Since March 2020, the surging pandemic has triggered huge shutdowns within the casino industry, with commercial casinos mandated to close and tribal casinos voluntarily closing, seeing nearly 1,000 casinos in 43 states affected.