Key takeaways
- The exhibitor manual is the source of truth for every show.
- Halls differ, so design for the hall and level you're assigned.
- A resort-campus venue brings its own freight and timing logistics.
- Several services are supplied exclusively; find out which before you plan.
- Exhibits here often double as meeting and hospitality space.
Know the venue
Venetian Expo, long known as the Sands Expo and Convention Center, is the exhibit hall complex connected to The Venetian and The Palazzo resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Attendees can walk from hotel rooms, restaurants, and meeting rooms to the show floor without going outside, which shapes how people move through a show and how long they stay.
That resort setting is the venue's biggest difference from a standalone convention center. Exhibit halls, ballrooms, and meeting spaces sit close together, and some shows spread across all of them. For hall-by-hall details, from ceilings to load-in doors, see our Venetian Expo venue guide, and always confirm them against your show's manual.
Before you design
Every show at Venetian Expo publishes its own exhibitor manual. Start there, before the first sketch:
- Read the exhibitor manual for booth rules, height limits, and deadlines
- Confirm your hall, booth location, and neighbors
- Note move-in and move-out windows
- Identify the official show contractor and any exhibitor-appointed contractor rules
- Check the floor plan for columns, utility access, and overhead obstructions
- Find the deadlines for rigging, structural review, and contractor forms
Design for your hall and level
Venetian Expo's halls are not all alike. They sit on more than one level, and they differ in ceiling height, column spacing, how utilities reach the booth, and whether anything can hang overhead. A design that works in one hall may not fit in another, so wait for the hall assignment before committing to height or hanging signs.
Columns and utility locations matter most in the smaller footprints. Check the floor plan for anything inside or next to your space, and design around it rather than discovering it at move-in. A good exhibit company will ask for the floor plan before drawing anything.
Design for meetings and hospitality
Shows at Venetian Expo often mix the expo floor with meetings and events across the resort. Exhibits that include seating, meeting space, or a hospitality moment give visitors a reason to stay, not just pass by.
Plan meeting areas for the conversations you expect: a few stools at a counter for quick chats, a lounge for longer ones, or an enclosed room for private meetings. Enclosed rooms and covered areas usually have fire and safety rules of their own, so check the manual before designing a ceiling or a closed door.
Exclusive and show services
At Venetian Expo, the venue and its partners supply several services exclusively, including utilities such as electrical and rigging, plus cleaning and food and beverage. The manual and the venue's own guides list which ones apply, and they can't be replaced with outside vendors. Order them early and put each deadline on the calendar:
- Electrical and internet
- Rigging for hanging signs
- Material handling (drayage)
- Cleaning and any furniture rental
- Labor for installation and dismantle, following show rules
- Catering and any food or beverage service
Freight and timing
A resort campus has defined routes and schedules for freight. Decide early between the advance warehouse and direct-to-show delivery, and plan arrival times around the show's move-in schedule. Ship through the show's general contractor rather than to the hotel, and follow the labeling instructions in the manual exactly.
Because the halls sit on more than one level, freight bound for an upper hall travels further from the dock than freight on the ground floor. Build that time into the install plan, keep crates sized to move easily, and confirm with the contractor how and when your freight will reach the booth.
Contractors and labor
If an outside exhibit company will install your booth, register it as an exhibitor-appointed contractor before the show's deadline, usually with proof of insurance. Without approval, the crew can't get onto the floor.
Labor rules in Las Vegas are set out clearly in each show's manual, including which tasks your own staff may do and which are reserved for designated labor. Read that section before planning the install, and share it with your exhibit company so the crew plan matches.
Food, samples, and hospitality
Food and beverage at a resort venue usually runs through the venue's own catering. That covers coffee service in a lounge, a reception in the booth, and food or drink samples. Approvals, forms, and quantities are set by the venue and the show, so start the conversation early if hospitality is part of the plan.
Design the booth to support it: counters at the right height, storage for supplies, space for catering staff to work, and a layout that keeps a crowd inside the booth instead of in the aisle.
Getting your team in and around
Resort venues are big, and the route from parking to the show floor can be long. Find out where the install crew should park and which entrance to use on move-in days, and allow extra time on the first morning.
During the show, staff will walk between the booth, meeting rooms, and hotel spaces. Pick a meeting point visitors can find, keep a charged phone list of key contacts, and plan breaks with the walking time in mind.
During the show and move-out
Keep a small kit for touch-ups and a build-team contact who can reach the floor quickly. Check the booth each morning before doors open, and keep copies of your service orders at hand.
- File outbound shipping paperwork before the deadline in the manual
- Confirm the carrier's pickup window or the local truck
- Pack and label every crate against the original packing list
- Photograph the empty booth space before leaving
Local advantage
Building in Las Vegas means the exhibit travels across town to the Strip, and the shop that made it is a short drive away if anything needs attention during install. A panel that needs recutting or a graphic that needs reprinting can be handled locally instead of shipped in overnight.
Frequently asked questions
Is Venetian Expo the same as the Sands Expo?
Yes. Venetian Expo is the current name of the exhibit hall complex long known as the Sands Expo and Convention Center, connected to The Venetian and The Palazzo. Older manuals, maps, and directions may still use the Sands Expo name for the same venue.
Is Venetian Expo connected to the hotel?
Yes. The exhibit halls connect to The Venetian and The Palazzo resort, so attendees can walk between hotel rooms, restaurants, meeting rooms, and the show floor indoors. It makes hospitality and meetings easy to plan, but the walk between spaces still takes time.
Do shows at Venetian Expo follow the same rules as LVCC shows?
No. Each show writes its own exhibitor manual, and each venue has its own policies, exclusive services, and freight process. When a show uses both venues, it often publishes a separate manual for each. Plan from the manual for the venue your booth is in.
Can our booth include a private meeting room at Venetian Expo?
Often, yes, within the show's rules. Enclosed rooms and covered areas usually need to meet fire and safety requirements, and some shows limit walls, ceilings, or heights by booth type. Check the manual, then plan the room with your exhibit company early.
Who unloads our freight at Venetian Expo?
The show's general contractor. Freight goes to the contractor's advance warehouse or arrives at the dock on your assigned schedule, and the contractor's crews move it to your booth. Confirm the address, labels, and timing in your show's manual.