Chris,
I know this is a tough gig...and I think everyone appreciated your hard work.
Hope these ideas will be helpful.
I heard a really cool idea from one webmaster (Can't remmebr who told me) and when I mentioned it to a few other webmasters they loved it as well.
1) why not scrape the traditional show floor venue and opt for a complete turn around on the show idea.
2) Move the venue to a cheap hotel like the Gold Coast (Across the street) where the room rates were $25 a night and drinks were $1.
3) Get only a few larger sponsors to cover the rooms (Buy out the entire hotel if possible at $25 per night or less) so that every attendee now gets a free room and the sponsor can brand the hell out of the room, flyers, TV, inserts, etc in each room
4) get a large sponsor or two for the main floor bar (A la Circle bar) and have them issue free drinks to all attendees with the correct wrist band. Sponsors would get banners and promotions there as well.
5) Scrape the Seminars all together...opt for a web version instead
6) AVN would still charge the standard $299 for a pass but now the webmaster gets a free room and drinks included.
7) since much of the business is done outside the show floor and in the bar areas it would such a great way to maximize your event and on top of that create the "cool factor" for a show platform that desperately needs a change.
8) if you use these ideas pay me handsomely for my 2 cents.
