RED WHITE AND BLUE SHOWGIRLS
THIS IS HOW WE PISSED YOUR MONEY AWAY AT THE
CONVENTION.HOW MANY MEMBERS COULD GET HEALTHCARE FOR THE COST OF ONE ICE
SCULPTURE
4,000
United Brotherhood of Carpenters Union Meet Every Five Years in Las
Vegas:Fun in Red, White and Blue
by David Merrell on October 24, 2010
Every five years this union holds its national
meeting in Las Vegas. A mixture of business meetings, exhibits and
voting in new leadership, the week-long event always ends with a great
send off. But what to do for a mostly male crowd of 4,000 in Vegas?
In keeping with the clientele, AOO Events event producer Nick Gentile and I created a casual night of camaraderie at Bally’s Las Vegas. As you can imagine with that size of event, two ballrooms were used. The one in the Grand Ballroom (pictured at top) was meant to be more of mellow pub feeling with a jazz band and pool tables by AGR Amusement Game Rentals.
The second area, held in the Event Center and pictured below, was more clubby and high-energy. It featured a large-screen projection, lounge furniture and oversized S-shaped lamps.
We started, as we always do, with a Style Page…
The main focal point would be the 20-foot-high, 170-foot-wide video screen that told the history of the union starting with its inception in the early 1900s to the present. The images on the screen continued to scroll through, showing highlights from the organization’s history. DAV Productions, a specialty company, created the video and a process that used more than 12 video projectors synced simultaneously.
Because of the sheer size of the ballroom and the amount of guests combined with a challenging budget, any decor piece had to be designed as large as possible and made to standout as large of an element as possible. These flower arrangements helped fill the massive space.
The colors of the union’s logo tied the event together through all elements down the details like this elaborate ice carving by Ice Studio.
Here we used two gobo projections from Angstrom Lighting to create the back wall treatment. A gobo pattern with one 90-degree barrel created the base of the stage treatment. A horizontal split gel of lavender and magenta gave it a two-tone look. Then a glass gobo of the client’s logo was placed on top to create the finished look you see here. Overall lighting for the event was provided by DAV Productions and Freeman Company.
Working with two A/V companies on the same event was challenging but necessary due to the way that Bally’s is set up. The Event Center is part of the convention hall and the ballroom is in the hotel although they are close to one another. We were literally walking the LDs into each others’ rooms to make sure they understood what they were lighting and how it had to complement one another!
And other details not to forget in Vegas — the bling! Hey, when in Vegas … Showgirls in red, white and blue! This was just the right touch for this All-American client.
by David Merrell on October 24, 2010
In keeping with the clientele, AOO Events event producer Nick Gentile and I created a casual night of camaraderie at Bally’s Las Vegas. As you can imagine with that size of event, two ballrooms were used. The one in the Grand Ballroom (pictured at top) was meant to be more of mellow pub feeling with a jazz band and pool tables by AGR Amusement Game Rentals.
The second area, held in the Event Center and pictured below, was more clubby and high-energy. It featured a large-screen projection, lounge furniture and oversized S-shaped lamps.
We started, as we always do, with a Style Page…
The main focal point would be the 20-foot-high, 170-foot-wide video screen that told the history of the union starting with its inception in the early 1900s to the present. The images on the screen continued to scroll through, showing highlights from the organization’s history. DAV Productions, a specialty company, created the video and a process that used more than 12 video projectors synced simultaneously.
Because of the sheer size of the ballroom and the amount of guests combined with a challenging budget, any decor piece had to be designed as large as possible and made to standout as large of an element as possible. These flower arrangements helped fill the massive space.
The colors of the union’s logo tied the event together through all elements down the details like this elaborate ice carving by Ice Studio.
Here we used two gobo projections from Angstrom Lighting to create the back wall treatment. A gobo pattern with one 90-degree barrel created the base of the stage treatment. A horizontal split gel of lavender and magenta gave it a two-tone look. Then a glass gobo of the client’s logo was placed on top to create the finished look you see here. Overall lighting for the event was provided by DAV Productions and Freeman Company.
Working with two A/V companies on the same event was challenging but necessary due to the way that Bally’s is set up. The Event Center is part of the convention hall and the ballroom is in the hotel although they are close to one another. We were literally walking the LDs into each others’ rooms to make sure they understood what they were lighting and how it had to complement one another!
And other details not to forget in Vegas — the bling! Hey, when in Vegas … Showgirls in red, white and blue! This was just the right touch for this All-American client.
5 comments:
As a woman entering the brotherhood I find the "show-girls" and the clueless enthusiasm for it highly offensive.
I'll be going to Las Vegas eventually I'm sure. Why the carpenters have their "training center" in a town based on mindless capitalist consumption,greed, excess, waste and the exploitation of women is beyond me.
We're the union and we're dying, shouldn't we being moving into the 21st century? Shouldn't be leaders is what is the right way to move forward and survive, isn't this excess killing our planet? Isn't Las Vega a hellhole of non-union, undocumented work, human trafficking and the rest?
And most of all, here unions have been plagued with the sordid history of their involvement with the mafia. Mafia and underworld crime involvement in pension funds and the rest have robbed members of locals all over the country of their earned pensions, caused shame and embarrassment to decent people trying to work for worker's rights and still casts a dark shadow over the reputation of labor organizing in this country.
But instead, as clueless and daff as a dirty old man with dementia, the union leadership builds a mammoth training center right in the heart of such filth and association.
Unbelievable.
All the while, the rust-belt and especially St. Louis, where union strife really started the true middle class in this country continues to die -- including Detroit.
Bankrupt. I'm hoping and I think that I'm not the only one who finds such poor prioritization troubling to say the least.
Well I have been to the conventions several times.Retired now. My first year. I'm starting to enjoy life. I had no regrets for my job.Doing what was right for my members. I have never bought into the exploitation of women or men. I have saw both. Married men at these conventions running amuck with a fistfull of money given to them by their locals. Plus they get their regular pay. Double dipping at its best. Take into the fact of the endless Local credit cards and International credit cards that also find there way paying for who knows what. Not carpenter items for the entire brotherhood. Some try real hard. 20 - 30%. 70% PARTY. Even at times not during the convention Representatives from all over the country are reprimanded for mis use of funds. Slapped only to do it again. Some get prison, most do not. Lawsuits across country for misconduct on representatives parts. Against citizens in that town. You carpenters are right. There is something going on. Never agree with a white ballot again. Make them all sit and count results. Recommend and vote solid men. Let them come back with stories. I've saw agents that could not even walk. So drunk. It a big free for all. With minimum participation.
Very embarrassing.
Wish we had more honest brothers and sisters the future would be bright , instead it is at nest a meager situation t11bausch@aol.com
Pushed out for not following Bains advice:
I attended the 1995 UBC Convention in Vegas that voted in McCarron's Team. Did my job and didn't blow money while there. In 2000, the convention was in Chicago. Same vote for the team and all went well. Long about 2002, Bains came to me and wanted me to run against a head of a Regional Council who I respected. I was told that this was my chance to go further in the Union and could almost guarantee me a win in the election. I was already a Local Business Manager, a trustee on our Pension and Health & We[fare board, A member of the Regional E-Board and many other positions through out our local industry.
I refused to go along with Bains suggestion and was told I could go back to working with my tools if I didn't play ball. Well stupid naïve me could not of dream that our regional council members would vote out the current leader. Well they did by conning old and registering new delegates the did by 2 votes. The only board member re-elected was myself and 3 others. All others lost their jobs immediately.
I could not work for the new head so I soon was run off after being threatened by him. I refused to work for a corrupt officer of the Union. I went on to work back with my tools and never looked back. By the way I made more money after stepping down as BA. The other two Organizers that supported the change, were soon fired by the guy they voted for (6 months later). What a look on their faces the night of our Local Union meeting that it was announced.
A Honest UBS Member that sleeps nights
Anonymous 8:11 pm
You said, I'll be going to Las Vegas eventually I'm sure. Why the carpenters have their "training center" in a town based on mindless capitalist consumption,greed, excess, waste and the exploitation of women is beyond me.
Are you that gullible. Think about it. How else can they funnel the free money given to those who attend. To enjoy
gambling, free money, food, alcohol and
whores. Quite obvious isn’t it.
Also you may go. But if you’re not corrupt, don’t count on it! Sad but true.
Post a Comment