Emergency trade show display in Las Vegas by Tuesday morning?

May 23, 2010 6:38 AM

Emergency trade show display in Las Vegas by Tuesday morning? My colleagues just went to Las Vegas for an important trade show. We had a lovely display background made for our booth - a Skyline Mirage. Unfortunately, our guys forgot to take the display on the plane! :/ We need the booth to be ready by noon on Tuesday. Can we get a similar display made in Las Vegas by that time? Any ideas most welcome!

I have tried contacting the local Skyline dealer, but they seem to be closed for the weekend - and then there's the Whit Sunday / Whit Monday holidays to contend with too.

Do any MeFites have contacts with trade show display shops in Las Vegas? I'm hoping we could find someone willing to go in today or tomorrow and print and assemble a replacement display. We would certainly pay overtime and rush charges.

posted by krilli to media & arts (13 answers total)

Are you just missing the artwork that hangs on the display "frame?" Or the full booth? Can they not be sent overnight to Vegas?
posted by earlygrrl at 6:44 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

Is the original display lost? Can't you send it overnight via an express courier or as a priority parcel via an airline's cargo service?
posted by grouse at 6:45 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

The original display is here at the office in Iceland, both the frame and the artwork.

Overnight shipment would be the default choice, but as this is a transatlantic shipment, and this exact weekend is unusually holiday-laden, shipping is not guaranteed to make it in time. I did contact the local FedEx emergency mobile number. The guy was extremely friendly and professional, but couldn't give guarantees - only that the display would be in Vegas "sometime on Tuesday". This is risky enough to make me look into creating a new display.

♥ Thank you for the answers
posted by krilli at 6:49 AM on May 23, 2010

(I also tried contacting Icelandair - it seems that they do not have a cargo service that we can use ... Good point though grouse, I'll try a little harder there.)
posted by krilli at 6:52 AM on May 23, 2010

Ordering a popup for Tuesday delivery should be easy, but getting the artwork reprinted in time will probably be difficult. If FedEx offices operate in Iceland like they do here, there has to be at least one open tomorrow, even if it is a work holiday Barring any new ash clouds, they should be able to get it to Vegas by Tuesday noon; remember, you also have a time difference working to your advantage.

What time are set-up hours for the exhibit hall? What time does the exhibits open? Fortunately, pop-ups are very easy to set up, so even if time is tight, your team will be able to set up if everything can get there by noon.
posted by earlygrrl at 6:57 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

*"it" being your existing booth and panels. I think it will still be less expensive and more reliable to ship your existing booth than trying to get a new one.

Alternative solution: having artwork printed on foamcore panels and standing them up in an empty booth. THAT can be done quickly by even FedEx/Kinkos.
posted by earlygrrl at 6:59 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

Do you have someone who can fly to Vegas with the display? The ticket would be pricy. Reykjavik to Vegas is almost US$1700 round trip, but a Monday flight arrives at 10:30 Monday night, and a new display might cost that much or more.

Bing link.
posted by The Deej at 7:00 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ha, the goddamned volcano too. I never thought I would be in the situation where I have to get a package from Reykjavík to Las Vegas in 48 hours, with Christ's uprising and an angry volcano being the main obstacles. I guess this is all part of being a grownup. (Luckily the eruption seems to be petering out.)

Praise AskMeFi - I can't tell you guys how wonderful you are.

Foamcore replacement and trip-to-vegas solution suggestions are appreciated! Yeah, the price being displayless are worth the plane ticket for sure.
posted by krilli at 7:07 AM on May 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but Whit Sunday and Monday are not holidays that are widely celebrated in the US -- I expect almost all shops in Vegas will be open tomorrow for regular hours. You should be able to get them on the phone first thing tomorrow morning without any extra hassle because of the holiday.
posted by katemonster at 7:13 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

That is incredibly useful to know, katemonster.
posted by krilli at 7:14 AM on May 23, 2010

And one more suggestion: while icelandair may not have a cargo service, is it possible to just buy another danged ticket and get over there? It might be faster, less hassle, and who knows, cheaper?
posted by CharlesV42 at 7:58 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

Having worked trade show logistics before, I can assure you that whoever is holding the convention has a vendor's rep on hand who will provide all kinds of services in exchange for wads of cash or a purchase order. Have your folks on the ground contact them and see if they can provide an instant booth. The days before a convention starts are work days, even the weekend or any federal holiday (which as katemonster says, this weekend isn't here in the US). LV has the biggest convention center in the US, and infrastructure to support that business is pretty big in that town. The trade show folks have probably seen this situation before and despite my snarky comment above are generally pretty good at coming up with solutions.
posted by Runes at 10:13 AM on May 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

I fail to see any snark in your incredibly useful comment, Runes. That angle was what the US guys were working on today — we had hoped that the environment in Las Vegas would be conductive to an instant and miraculous fabrication of a booth. You have confirmed that, and that is super cool of you.

Through a series of epic and desperate moments, the matter has now been resolved. The chest containing the display is actually on the way from Iceland to the US now, to then be FedExed to Las Vegas by a relative.

Words fail to express how grateful I am towards a bunch of strangers right now. Including but not limited to MeFites.
posted by krilli at 10:26 AM on May 23, 2010