It's All About The Beverages

Cheers, Nov, 2000

We're not quite at the end of the year 2000, but I want to make sure you're aware of what's likely to be one of the highlights of the year 2001. What I'm referring to is the Cheers Beverage Conference 2001, which will be held on April 18-19 at the just-opened Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

As you are all, I'm sure, well-aware, Las Vegas has undergone a cultural revolution in the last ten years or so. Whereas at one time it was mostly about gambling, these days there's so much more. There are great restaurants, celebrity chefs, world-class shopping and entertainment for the whole family. And it's also a great place to get a drink. As Tony Abou-Ganim of The Bellagio pointed out at last year's Cheers Beverage Conference, that one property serves 30,000 drinks a day and does $50 million a year in beverage sales.

That one statistic makes it kind of obvious why we decided to move the event from Chicago to Las Vegas. Other changes to the conference will also be for the better. The program has been expanded from a single day to a day and a half We're finalizing the lineup of speakers and panelists right now, but I can tell you that the keynote address is going to be given by Michael Kaufman, President of Metromedia Restaurants. We're also planning four original research presentations as well as discussion and real-life stories about spirits, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, marketing and customers from some of America's best on-premise beverage practitioners. And if that's not enough for you, thanks to our sponsors, who produce and market some of the world's best brands, we throw the a cocktail celebration that is unequaled. Just ask anyone who has attended one of the previous Cheers Beverage Conferences.

While we're on the subject of the Beverage Conference, I also want to remind you that this month also marks your last opportunity to enter the competition for the 2001 Cheers Awards For Beverage Excellence which will be presented at the Beverage Conference in April. (For more info about the awards, call 718-857-3660.)

Remember if beverages are important to your business, you owe it to yourself to be at the Cheers Beverage Conference 2001. I hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Robert Keane

Editorial Director