World Market Center

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The World Market Center at 495 S. Grand Central Parkway in Las Vegas, Nevada is intended to be the United States', and possibly the world's, preeminent furniture wholesale showroom and market place.

The most successful similar operation, the International Home Furnishing Market, is in High Point, North Carolina. Other similar venues are Chicago's Merchandise Mart and the San Francisco Mart.

History

In 2002, the project was announced on a lot adjacent to the City of Las Vegas' 61 ac (247,000 m?) redevelopment parcel, as an 8 building, 7? million ft? (697,000 m?) facility.

In 2005, the Center announced plans for completion of an expansion increasing the space to a total of 12 million ft? (1.11 km?) complete with skywalks between all buildings on all levels.

The center opened in May 2005 with 1.3 million ft?. The first tenant, JBS Envionments, moved in on June 1, 2005.

The first show, July 21-25, 2005, was so overbooked that it used space in three Pavilions (huge tent structures) and the Las Vegas Convention Center. These tent structures have been declared by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest tents in the U.S.

Construction started on the 1.6 million ft? building 2 in 2005 with completion scheduled for January, 2007.

Construction started on the 1.5 million ft? building 3 in 2005 with completion scheduled for January, 2008.

Design and layout

All 8 of its buildings would be on a single site with enclosed skywalks connecting all buildings on the site.

One advantage that Las Vegas has for a showroom of this caliber, is the availability of hotel rooms, many near the marketplace. The International Home Furnishing Market has to provide transportation to buyers from remote towns. The Center will make the visit more productive for the buyers, as they will spend much less time getting to the various showrooms.

Las Vegas Market

Las Vegas Market is the name of the major trade show hosted by the World Market Center. Currently the Las Vegas Market is held twice a year. The winter show, being held January 30 ? February 3, 2006, is one show followed by the summer show later in the year.

Design Center

When not hosting the Las Vegas Market or other trade shows, selected portions of the center are open as showrooms for interior decorators. These spaces are called the design center and will run throught all of the buildings on the lower floors. The 2006 shows will continue to use the pavilions and add the Mandalay Bay Convention Center

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