Tobacco Plus Expo 2020 to Unite Tobacco Industry in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — January doesn't just usher in a new year, it also brings the first tobacco show of the year.
Tobacco Plus Expo 2020 will kick off at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 29 with a little star power when 14-time NBA All-Star Karl Malone keynotes the event. Malone is known in professional basketball circles as the second all-time leading scorer, and a two-time Olympic champion. He was also named the NBA's Most Valuable Player twice.
In tobacco circles, he is known for developing a premium cigar using tobacco aged in rum barrels in collaboration with Guillermo Leon Herbert, the owner of LA Aurora. His daughter, Kadee Malone, owns Legends Cigar & Vape.
The keynote is the lead-in for a packed schedule for the three-day event, which runs Jan. 29-31.
For TPE 2020, Tobacco Media Group (TMG) set out to re-invigorate the trade show's educational benefits by bringing in some of the tobacco, vapor and cannabis industry's biggest disruptors and headliners. Each session of IGNITE has been designed to empower retailers and manufacturers and improve their businesses with insights from companies and entrepreneurs who are making a difference and challenging the status quo of their respective industries.
TMG is owned by Kretek International.
"TMG's mission and goal is to provide our audience with timely, useful content that will help them do business better," said Antoine Reid, senior editor and digital content director for TMG. "We understand that the typical educational conference can be boring and a chore to sit through, but that's not what TPE 2020's educational sessions will be. IGNITE will be informative, engaging and feature a diverse lineup of speakers and experts that will leave attendees feeling inspired, invigorated and ready to take on the rest of 2020 with excitement and the knowledge needed to be successful in business."
Educational sessions include:
- Brave New World: Making the Jump into CBD
- Waiting to Exhale: Mastering Today's Vapor and E-Cigarette Market
- Cann-do Attitude: Embracing Cannabis
For a full lineup of sessions, click here.
TPE 2020 & NATO
The 2020 event will also see TPE team up with the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) again.
According to the TPE organizers, NATO will be a strong presence at this year's show, occupying a booth with team members offering information and insight to attendees and exhibitors. The association and its executive director, Tom Briant, will also be leading several of TPE 2020's IGNITE educational sessions, speaking on market trends and current legislation.
"We see the TPE show as a huge opportunity to partner with organizations like NATO," said Ben Stimpson, managing director of the TMG. "Tom Briant and his team are leading a comprehensive and imperative legislative charge to help educate and fight for all businesses in the tobacco industry. The information we share, and the money we donate helps their legislation efforts at local and state levels and strengthens our industry as a whole. NATO is the ace in all of our pockets."
From KickOff to Kicking Up Your Heels
TPE 2020 will not be all business. TPE will host an All-Industry Party for show attendees from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first night at the Sahara Hotel & Casino. The TPE 2020 party offers four different venues in close proximity for partygoers to pop in and out.
- Club 101: Sponsored by Villiger Cigars, Club 101 will feature dueling pianos and a smoke-friendly lounge and patio. It will also include culinary delights and drinks.
- The Foundry: Sponsored by Drew Estate, The Foundry will offer a club scene, featuring DJ Eli, Chicago-native and the official DJ of Drew Estate. The Foundry will also feature a smoke-friendly bar and food.
- The Gaming Casino: Featuring seven different gaming tables in a smoke-friendly environment, including Blackjack, Craps, and Mini Baccarat, attendees will play with house money — not the real stuff — and enjoy a hosted bar and carving station catered by Bazaar Meat.
- Bazaar Meat: Sponsored by Djarum, and hosted at Bazaar Meat, guests will enjoy passed hors d'oeuvres along with carving stations, Oyster Girls, and a well-stocked open bar for networking over craft cocktails.