BF LiveXchange News: 11th Annual Business Facilities LiveXchange A Major Success

LiveXchange 2015 keynote presentation.
Brent Polina’s keynote.

Following Sunday night’s welcome reception and dinner, the 11th Annual LiveXchange kicked off at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, NV with a dynamic keynote presentation Monday morning by Brent A. Pollina, Esq., Vice President, Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc. Pollina presented his firm’s Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2014 Report, featuring a comprehensive analysis of state-by-state business climates. Pollina’s presentation explained the criteria used for this annual evaluation and why these critical factors loom large in the site selection decision-making process for corporate executives.

Networking reception at LiveXchange 2015.
Networking after sessions.

On Tuesday, Business Facilities Editor in Chief Jack Rogers moderated a panel discussion featuring leading site selection consultants discussing new priorities and challenges impacting location decisions in economic development and the innovative solutions that are addressing these challenges. Panel participants included Angelos Angelou, Principal Executive Office and Chief Strategist of Angelou Economics; Deane Foote, President/CEO of Foote Consulting Group; Jerry Szatan, Owner, Szatan & Associates; and Don Holbrook, Managing Partner, Vercitas Group.

The LiveXchange conference program also featured: Negotiating Incentives, Land Costs and Energy Costs by Mark Williams, President, Strategic Development Group; Evaluating Incentives by Angelos Angelou, Principal Executive Officer/Chief Strategist, Angelou Economics; Site Selection, Labor Analytics, and Incentives Case Study by Jason Hickey, President, Hickey & Associates; Creating Your Workforce by Jerry Szatan, Owner, Szatan & Associates; and Logistics by Deane Foote, President & CEO, Foote Consulting Group.

One on one sessions are the hallmark of LiveXchange.
One-on-one meetings.

 

The hallmark of Business Facilities LiveXchange is the one-on-one meetings between sponsors—who represent economic development organizations from across North America; and delegates—corporate executives who are seeking locations for their companies’ relocation, expansion and consolidation projects. Personal schedules were created for all participants according to their individual interests and project requirements, and these highly efficient meetings took place throughout the day Monday and Tuesday. Delegates and sponsors also had a chance to meet and discuss their plans over delicious meals. 

LiveXchange attendees enjoy dune buggy adventure.
LiveXchange attendees enjoy a dune buggy adventure.

At the conclusion the event, LiveXchange participants got together for some Las Vegas-style fun. One group enjoyed an afternoon of Sunbuggy dune buggy racing and a fun, intense chase through 15,000 acres of desert terrain. A second group took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Las Vegas Arena currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2016. The tour was followed by a turn on The High Roller at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, the world’s biggest observation wheel at 550 feet tall. 

Don’t miss out on next year’s LiveXchange, which will take place April 17-19, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Click here to learn more and let us know you’re interested in attending!