By Lauren Jones, GEW Nevada Editorial Team
October 2025 | Las Vegas, Nevada
Nevada Hosts the Global Meetings and Innovation Industry
When IMEX America returned to Las Vegas for its 2025 edition, it reinforced Nevada’s standing as a world leader in innovation across meetings, events, and hospitality. The event brought together more than 14,000 global attendees to discuss the future of sustainable growth, inclusion, and human-centered technology — a clear reflection of Nevada’s evolving business ecosystem.
As the host state, Nevada showcased not only its tourism infrastructure but also its growing influence in creative entrepreneurship, experiential technology, and sustainable design.
Inside the Press Room: Collaboration in Action
The IMEX Press Center served as a nexus for media, creators, and industry professionals. Conversations over Nevada-roasted coffee and local pastries centered on how the meetings and events sector is integrating artificial intelligence, accessibility, and social-impact measurement into its core operations.
Adjacent podcast booths recorded real-time discussions that reached global audiences, extending Nevada’s visibility as a hub for knowledge exchange.
Innovation in Motion: Nevada’s Creative Economy on Display
Visit Anaheim and Cirque Du Soleil
Representatives from Visit Anaheim shared strategies for fostering community-based tourism — an approach increasingly mirrored in Nevada’s own destination development initiatives.
Nearby, Cirque Du Soleil, a flagship of Las Vegas creativity, demonstrated how artistry and performance continue to shape corporate and experiential event design.
AREA15 and Omega Mart: Immersive Experiences Fueling Nevada’s Next Economy
Beyond the convention halls, Nevada’s creative economy was on full display at AREA15, where Omega Mart has become one of the state’s most talked-about immersive art installations.
Spanning more than fifty thousand square feet, the attraction blends technology, storytelling, and design to create a multisensory environment that doubles as an event venue. Its private spaces — including a speakeasy-style lounge, the Factory hall, and the Board Room — host team-building, private receptions, and innovation workshops.
For Nevada, Omega Mart is more than a cultural attraction; it’s a case study in how art and entrepreneurship intersect. By employing hundreds of local artists, fabricators, and technicians, the project has become a cornerstone of the state’s creative-sector diversification efforts.
Hospitality Reinvented: Millennium Hotels and M Social
IMEX also spotlighted Millennium Hotels and Resorts, which announced the transformation of its Lower Manhattan property into M Social New York Downtown.
Originally known as the Millennium Hilton, the hotel endured significant damage during the September 11 attacks and later reopened after an eighteen-month restoration, symbolizing resilience in hospitality.
Today, the M Social brand merges modern design, digital innovation, and sustainability — even extending into virtual engagement through M Social Decentraland, its metaverse platform. The company plans further expansion with M Social Sunnyvale, opening in 2026.
This evolution reflects a broader hospitality trend that aligns closely with Nevada’s innovation-driven tourism model: combining design, technology, and human experience.
Wellness, Technology, and Accessibility
One of the defining narratives of IMEX 2025 was wellness innovation. Companies introduced technologies designed to enhance focus, emotional regulation, and accessibility in the workplace.
- Novobeing showcases immersive AR/VR experiences for stress reduction.
- Shiftwave presented a nervous-system regulation device utilizing rhythmic vibration and sound therapy.
- The Neu Project Resilience Room, developed by Marriott Bonvoy Events, Google Xi, and Hello! DMC, provided a sensory-friendly space that modeled neurodiversity inclusion at major events.
These demonstrations highlighted how Nevada’s hospitality and tech sectors are moving toward wellness-oriented design, expanding the definition of innovation beyond infrastructure to include quality of life.
Leadership in Sustainable Growth
While Nevada led as host, other U.S. destinations contributed to a shared sustainability narrative.
- Los Angeles Tourism previewed the upcoming expansion of the LA Convention Center to 750,000 square feet under Global Sustainable Tourism Council guidelines, emphasizing social responsibility alongside urban growth.
- Miami Beach Tourism presented updates on its billion-dollar infrastructure investment and its certification as one of the first Autism-Friendly Destinations, demonstrating how inclusivity and accessibility are becoming economic priorities.
These conversations echo Nevada’s own emphasis on measurable sustainability and community investment as the state continues to attract global events.
Events Industry Council: Raising the Bar
The Events Industry Council (EIC) introduced the next generation of its Sustainable Event Standards (SES) — a framework integrating environmental, social, and governance benchmarks into event planning.
The standards provide clear metrics for carbon reduction, supplier diversity, accessibility, and ethical sourcing, positioning the meetings industry as a measurable contributor to global sustainability goals.
Entrepreneurship, Inclusion, and Impact
IMEX 2025 also reflected how the entrepreneurial spirit is reshaping professional influence.
Creator and advocate Alysse Dalessandro represented a new wave of digital entrepreneurs using their platforms to promote inclusivity and authentic storytelling in travel and events. Her work aligns with Nevada’s commitment to creating spaces that celebrate diversity while driving economic innovation.
Why IMEX Matters for Nevada Entrepreneurs
Hosting IMEX America reinforces why Nevada continues to be a global leader in innovation ecosystems — where technology, creativity, and sustainability converge. From the immersive design breakthroughs at Omega Mart to the wellness technologies shaping future workplaces, the event offered tangible proof that Nevada’s economy thrives on imagination and implementation in equal measure.
As Global Entrepreneurship Week Nevada celebrates innovation across the state, IMEX 2025 serves as a reminder that entrepreneurship is not just about starting companies — it’s about transforming industries through vision, collaboration, and purpose.