BILOXI, Mississippi -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The 19th annual Southern Gaming Summit and its companion show Bingo World Conference & Expo to be held here May 8-10 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center will offer attendees a significantly expanded conference program and a new theme: Work Smart.
The Southern Gaming Summit portion of the conference program will feature 18 breakout sessions, up 50% from prior years, adding operations-oriented titles and topics such as "The Efficient Casino: 50 Ways to Meet Your Numbers," project development, slot and table game math, as well as hotel yield management, to an established agenda of executive-level conference topics. Bingo World will offer 10 breakout sessions, plus its popular customer service and Bingo U workshops.
"Profitability in highly competitive markets is the key focal point for our audience of gaming operators, and the Work Smart theme is a direct response to that," said Larry Gregory, executive director, Mississippi Casino Operators Association, which co-produces the event with BNP Media. "This year's conference will also offer the high-level sessions that attendees have come to expect from Southern Gaming Summit, such as the Executive Management Roundtable, and top-level regulatory updates from the commercial and tribal sectors. All told, we think it adds up to great value for our attendees."
All Southern Gaming Summit & Bingo World conference attendees will have access to the full program, which includes 28 breakout sessions, two general session keynote speeches, and three, half-day educational workshops, including Bingo U, which will present three interactive, one-hour classrooms designed to improve management skills, understand player needs and retain and expand the customer base; Steve Browne of Raving Consulting with "Another Look at Dealing with Hotheads, Squeaky Wheels and Plain Old Mean Nasty People," which focuses on conflict management resolution; and John Wilson, the industry-recognized "slot mathemagician" who will present "Slot Machines, Math and Magic," an intensive slot math seminar that will give attendees the tools to use basic math to develop their own slot game, allowing operators and staff to see how exactly game design translates to revenue.
The opening keynote on Wednesday, May 9, will be delivered by Keith Smith, chief executive officer, Boyd Gaming, which last fall closed on its acquisition of
IP Casino Resort and Spa and operates a total of five properties in Mississippi and Louisiana.
There will also be plenty of networking opportunities available throughout the event, with an opening day golf tournament on Tuesday, May 8, at Bridges Golf Club,
Hollywood Casino - Tunica, Mississippi's only Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course; a welcome reception that same night at VIBE, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, known for its huge, networking-friendly circular bar; and an opening night reception on Wednesday, May 9, at the IP Casino Resort's pool deck. Full details on every aspect of the show, including how to register, are available at www.sgsummit.com.
With its unique and dynamic audience of commercial and tribal casinos, racetrack gaming and bingo operators, Southern Gaming Summit is again drawing strong exhibit booth, sponsorship and advertising sales. For information on exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities, contact Lesley Grashow at grashowl@bnpmedia.com for more information.