At 6-foot-5, Michael Massari, chief sales officer for Caesars Entertainment Corp., is hard to miss. So are his accomplishments. Since 1998, he has helped elevate Caesars Entertainment into a national leader for meetings and events. Now, behind a wave of brand-redefining investments in new venues, experiences and technology, he and the company are aiming even higher.

Distinctive leadership, vision and strategy keep four resorts on and off the Strip competitive in the increasingly diverse Las Vegas group market.

Next-generation artificial intelligence and augmented reality solutions. Flying cars, hyper-pixelated 8K televisions and a controversial robotic massager. The reveals at CES 2019, the 180,000-plus attendee blockbuster tech show that powers up Vegas’ convention calendar each January, are pushing frontiers like never before. The same goes for Las Vegas itself, which is fast becoming its own showcase for daring new realities.

The Grand Canyon State’s mix of old and new offers compelling experiences for groups

With a change in Greater Boston CVB leadership and a number of new construction projects, Massachusetts is well-positioned for the future of tourism and meetings.

Since the 1980s, Miami has experienced a magical transformation from cultural wasteland to global destination for contemporary art. Greater Fort Lauderdale also enchants with the arts and entertainment, investing more than $200 million in new metro-area cultural facilities since the 1990s. With both destinations also investing in convention center expansions and headquarter hotels, this cultural vibrancy further enhances group appeal.

Now America’s 15th largest metropolis, the “City of Cowboys and Culture” keeps expanding. And arts are a central part of Fort Worth's boom.

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman highlights five Dallas-Fort Worth cultural off-site event venues that include NorthPark Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, Billy Bob's Texas, The Ranch at Las Colinas, DFW Heli-Tours and Southfork Ranch.

In September 2018, Hurricane Florence deluged parts of the Carolinas. Hardest hit was North Carolina, with an estimated $17 billion in crop, infrastructure and other losses. Florence went easier on South Carolina, which reportedly saw some $607 million in damages. Experiencing varying impacts, from minimal to destructive, the region’s coastal destinations have made significant recovery efforts.

Issued every five years, the latest “Arts & Economic Prosperity” study from leading advocacy group Americans for the Arts found that between 2010 and 2015, economic impact from the arts in North Texas tripled from $500 million to almost $1.5 billion. With Dallas, Fort Worth and Irving among the study’s principal participants, contributing factors included expanded public programming; multiple new or renovated cultural venues; and increased spending on hotels, restaurants, parking and more by event attendees.