Plasmas that Go to Vegas, Stay in Vegas
In 2001, the world’s largest high definition plasma monitor – a one-of-a-kind 63” Samsung prototype – disappeared from the National Association of Broadcasters Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Since then, the trend of costly flat panel televisions failing to return with their owners from Vegas-based shows hasn‘t abated. In fact, over the last year or so, we’ve personally known an astonishing number of exhibitors who’ve left a Las Vegas-based show minus a 42” inch flat screen or two, or three.
Of course, we’ve also known many people over the years who have lost valuable items from shows in other cities. However, we hear several times each month about plasma and LCD monitors disappearing from Las Vegas – not Orlando, not Anaheim, not even New York City or Chicago, but Las Vegas.
What’s happening? Maybe the monitors are evaporating in the desert heat. Maybe show personnel are trying to make-up for the persistent refusal of the number 23 to show up on the roulette wheel. Or, since this is the era of the “new,” ultra-deluxe Las Vegas, perhaps some workers have maxed-out their credit cards on too many $100+ Cirque du Soleil tickets and pound after pound of $18.00 per ounce Kobe beef.
Actually, we have no idea why this is a problem, but what we want you to know is that there are a couple of ways that you can hold on to those prized televisions:
Eternal Vigilance: This includes making sure that you, or one of your trusted employees, show up at least one to two hours before the move-out call time to baby-sit the monitors through the move-out. It’s not an exciting task, but it’s effective.
Don’t Buy, Rent: Renting monitors from a reputable audio-visual company might seem to cost a few more dollars on paper, but it allows you to leave the babysitting and possible losses to the vendors. These companies have become extremely savvy at loss prevention – their livelihood depends on it. In any case, using a vendor automatically makes this someone else’s problem, and the peace of mind may well be worth adding a few extra dollars to your budget. It’s your call.