Key takeaways
- The exhibitor manual is the source of truth: read it first.
- Order show services early; deadlines and pricing tiers apply.
- The campus is big: confirm your hall and plan time to move between buildings.
- A local builder shortens freight and keeps support close.
Know the campus
The Las Vegas Convention Center is a large campus rather than a single building. Exhibit space is spread across the North, Central, South, and West halls, and a big show may use several of them at once. The LVCC Loop, an underground transportation system, carries attendees between parts of the campus, but walking from one hall to another still takes real time. Some shows also use outdoor exhibit areas or meeting rooms beyond the main halls, each with its own access.
Your hall shapes almost everything about move-in: which docks serve it, how freight reaches the floor, where your team parks, and how long it takes to get a forgotten tool from the truck. Confirm your hall and booth location as soon as the show assigns them, and plan the build around that building.
Before you design
Every show at the LVCC publishes its own exhibitor manual, and the rules inside it belong to that show, not to the building in general. Start there, before the first sketch:
- Read the exhibitor manual: booth rules, height limits, deadlines
- Confirm your hall and booth location
- Note move-in and move-out windows
- Identify the official show contractor
- Check the floor plan for columns, utility access, and overhead obstructions
- Find the deadlines for rigging drawings, structural review, and contractor forms
Designing for big halls
LVCC halls are wide and tall, and long aisles mean visitors see your booth from much farther away than at a smaller venue. Height, where the show allows it, and hanging signs, where rigging is permitted, help a booth read from down the aisle. Clear brand marks placed high do more than detailed messaging at eye level.
Hall lighting is designed to light a huge room, not your product. Booth lighting that puts light on faces, products, and graphics makes an exhibit look finished. Big halls are also hard on feet, so good padded flooring is worth it for staff who will stand all day.
Show services to order
Most services are ordered through the show's official contractor or the providers named in the manual, usually through an online portal. Many have advance deadlines with lower rates, so put each date on the project calendar:
- Electrical and internet
- Rigging for hanging signs
- Material handling (drayage)
- Cleaning and any furniture rental
- Labor for installation and dismantle, following show rules
- Lead retrieval and any booth-level security
Labor rules on the floor
Las Vegas venues have clear rules about who can do which work on the show floor, and each show's manual spells out what exhibitors may do themselves. Some tasks may be open to your own employees; others, such as rigging, electrical work, and handling freight, are typically reserved for designated labor.
If an outside exhibit company will install your booth, the show will usually require it to be registered as an exhibitor-appointed contractor before a deadline, often with proof of insurance. Submit those forms early. A builder who isn't on the list can't get onto the floor, no matter how ready the exhibit is.
Freight and install
Decide between advance warehouse and direct-to-show delivery, label everything clearly, and keep a packing list for every crate. With a Las Vegas builder, the exhibit can come across town on a planned schedule instead of across the country.
Direct shipments typically check in at the marshaling yard and are released to the docks in a set order, often tied to a target move-in time assigned by the show. Missing that window can mean waiting, or paying for a later slot. A local truck that can arrive exactly when called takes much of the stress out of that step.
Before install day, check that the booth is marked out correctly, carpet or flooring is ready to go down first, and power drops are where the drawings say. A short walk-through with the floor manager at the start of move-in prevents most surprises.
Plan the people, not just the freight
Move-in at a busy show means long walks, security checkpoints, and limited parking near the docks. Make sure everyone on the install crew has the right badge or credential for move-in days, which some shows issue separately from attendee badges.
Hand-carry rules matter too. Many shows let exhibitors carry small items in through public entrances, but anything that needs a cart or dolly usually has to come through the docks and material handling. Check the manual before planning to bring the booth in yourself.
During the show
Keep a small kit for touch-ups and a contact on the build team who can reach the floor quickly. Small fixes on day one keep the exhibit looking right for the whole show.
Order daily cleaning if foot traffic is heavy, keep literature and giveaways in booth storage rather than out in the open, and lock up anything valuable overnight. Assign one person to check the booth each morning before doors open: lights on, screens running, graphics clean, nothing left in the aisle.
Keep copies of your service orders and key contacts in the booth. When something goes wrong on site, having the paperwork at hand speeds up the fix.
Move-out
Move-out usually starts the moment the show closes, and empty crates have to come back from storage before packing can begin, which takes time on a busy floor. Plan for it rather than letting staff leave at close.
- File the outbound shipping paperwork before the deadline in the manual
- Confirm your carrier's pickup window, or schedule the local truck
- Pack and label every crate against the original packing list
- Photograph the booth space when it's empty
- Never leave freight on the floor unattended or unlabeled
Frequently asked questions
Which hall will our booth be in at the LVCC?
That's set by the show, not the venue. The organizer's floor plan assigns each booth to a hall, and many large shows use more than one building. Check your booth confirmation and the official floor plan, then plan freight, parking, and staff travel around that hall.
Can our own staff set up the booth at the LVCC?
It depends on the show's rules. Some exhibitor manuals allow your own full-time employees to do limited setup, such as placing products or small displays, while other work is reserved for designated labor. Read the labor section of the manual before planning a do-it-yourself install.
What is an exhibitor-appointed contractor?
It's an outside company, such as your exhibit builder, that you authorize to work in your booth instead of the show's official contractor. Shows usually require a form and proof of insurance before a deadline. Without that approval, the contractor may not be allowed onto the floor.
How do people get between halls at the LVCC?
On foot through the connected buildings, or on the LVCC Loop, which carries attendees underground between parts of the campus. On a multi-hall show, plan extra time for staff moving between your booth and meetings, and pick a meeting spot visitors can actually find.
What happens to freight left on the floor after move-out?
If outbound paperwork or a carrier isn't in place by the show's deadline, the show contractor will typically move the freight and ship it with a carrier of its choosing, billed to the exhibitor. Confirm your outbound plan before the show opens to avoid it.