Unlike previous Markets all exhibitors will be housed entirely on World Market Center's 5 million square foot campus, including the new Building C.

Photo RTO Online

Inset: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman cuts the ribbon, officially opening the inaugural Las Vegas Furniture Market in July, 2005. Main photo: The Furniture Runway exhibits - models brought life to new furniture styles at the January, 2008 Vegas market. See archive photos from the first Las Vegas Market in 2005.

The registration deadline for the upcoming Las Vegas Furniture market, scheduled for July 28 through August 1, is today - July 11, 2008. The market will be host to over 1,500 exhibitors and is becoming an increasingly important stop for the rent-to-own trade.

Register here.

Unlike previous Markets exhibitors will be housed entirely on World Market Center's 5 million square foot campus, including the new Building C.

World Market Center broke ground in March, 2003. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Jack Kashani, developer and co-managing partner for the Las Vegas Market said, "Today we have planted a very important seed for the future growth of the home furnishings industry."

The inaugural Market was held two years later in July, 2005. But with only one building completed, temporary exhibits made the area look more like a tent-city than a furniture market. Three years later, the completion of Building C will allow attendees to experience for the first time, a world-class furniture market in one relatively concentrated campus. Anyone familiar with the sprawling High Point market will understand the advantage.

When completed in 2012, World Market Center Las Vegas will have 12 million square feet in 8 buildings.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman predicted in 2003 that "Las Vegas will become the furniture industry Mecca." He wasn't far off. Among the 1500 exhibitors are 154 international companies from 20 countries. The Las Vegas Market experienced a 60 percent increase in non-U.S. buyers from July 2007 to January 2008.

Dave Palmer, General Manager of World Market Center from its conception in 2001 until his retirement in January of this year (see story), led the project through years of planning and non-stop construction. “Dave was the first industry veteran we tapped over six years ago when we originally conceived of this project and needed experienced industry leadership," said Shawn Samson, co-founder and managing partner of World Market Center.

Palmer, a 40-year veteran of the home furnishings industry, said, “Of my four decades in the home furnishings industry, I couldn’t be more pleased to have my career culminate with such an exceptional project."

Robert Maricich, World Market Center President and CEO said yesterday, "Like many other industries today, the home furnishings industry operates on a global level. Now that our campus has reached critical mass with the opening of Building C, we are thrilled to be able to accommodate more international exhibitors and buyers than ever before."

Some of the companies that will showcase products at the 2008 July Las Vegas Market include Abimovel and Ditalia Moveis Industrial of Brazil; Bellini Imports, Couture International, Buhler Furniture and Eighteen Carat International of Canada; Eleganza Italia, Provasi, Galvanotecnica Cividina, Montina and Sintesi of Italy, Allezza Furniture and Sanfra of Mexico; Tema Furniture of Portugal, Velamen S.A. of Spain and the United Kingdom's Trowbridge Gallery.

World Market Center recently entered into a collaboration with Italy's Fiera Milano. As part of this collaboration, Fiera Milano will present its stunning exhibit Design Italiano, which showcases the best in Italian furniture from the 1950's through the present, for the first time ever at a U.S. venue.