Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

I’m here in Seattle this week presenting at a conference on business blogging. It seems that I have been doing a large amount of traveling recently. This trend continues as it looks like i will be traveling to Miami in December to present on a panel at the IAEE about using social media to promote your trade show or convention. This is becoming a more popular way of promoting conventions, events and trade shows. People are using applications like blogging, YouTube, and other web applications that are consider social media tools. I’ll be talking with other industry leaders in the social media field on the panel to discuss how you can promote a convention or trade show using the tools available. Lots of convention and event planners are scrambling to get the upper hand in getting attendees and exhibitors to learn more about their event and the facilities where there event will be held. It should be a well attended session.

The event in December is well known to industry people involved in conventions and trade shows. The International Association of Exhibitions and Events Expo Expo is set to be held on December 9-11, 2008 in Miami, Florida at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Registration is set to open August 4, 2008. This is one of the largest events or the convention industry and if you decide to go, look me up! I’ll be looking for you too.

Last weekend we continued to hear how the Pepsi Center here in Denver was handing over the keys to the facility to the Democratic National Committee to begin preparations on the Democratic National Convention scheduled to begin on August 25, 2008. Stories of 160 miles of new cable to be installed, lights, cameras, and other things being added.  This morning the local news is reporting that the committee has announced that the acceptance speech of Barack Obama for the nomination of the democratic ticket for President will be held at Invesco Field at Mile High .  The officials indicate that those that want to attend the acceptance speech will be given special “community credentials” to attend.  As the time gets closer to the event the details will be provided.

Invesco Field is a relatively new stadium replacing the old Mile High Stadium where the Denver Broncos played for many years.  They have many of the latest features that are available to the newest of stadiums.  You can get some information for your event if you want to book a space at the facility including the visitors locker room, and other places in the stadium.  They have weddings, proms and other events held here throughout the year when they are not hosting the sports teams that use the field.  This is turning out to be quite a big deal for the people here in Colorado and the Denver Metro area.  Apparently, Barack Obama really wants to win Colorado as a swing state and is pulling out all of the stops.  To give some equal billing, John McCain is stopping in Denver today as well, but the big news is Obama is looking for some Mile High magic.

I have been following along with the news of what is happening in the Democratic National Convention and a story that is catching a few links is a story by Leslie Wayne of the New York Times. Apparently, the Coors Brewing Company here in the Golden, Colorado has been brewing beer and changing the unsatisfactory stuff and that not fit to sell into ethanol. This ethanol is used in GM cars that operate on E85 fuel. I am not saying that Coors makes bad beer, heck I was brought up on the beer living here in the Denver area. Coors is an icon business here in rockies. Leslie explains more about what will be going on with the beer and how it will be used:

The happy cars getting an injection of beer in their tanks are to be provided by General Motors, designated as the convention’s “Official Vehicle Provider.” G.M., a major sponsor at both conventions, will be showing off its fleet of cars with biofuel capabilities and hybrid technologies to lawmakers often been dubious about Detroit. A fleet of 400 G.M. cars will chauffeur around members of Congress, Democratic officials, state party leaders and other Democratic V.I.P.’s during the four-day extravaganza.

Coors has been a big part of the Denver area and is the title sponsor of the Colorado Rockies field in lower downtown. They are sponsoring the DNC as well. Apparently they are a large contributing sponsor of over $1 Million and are also providing beer for some of the hosted events throughout the 4 day period. I’m looking forward to covering the news that happens here in Denver for the Democratic national Convention. I’ll make sure you can read about the local scene here on Convention Insider.