7.21.2010

8 Values of a Successful Team-Timely

“Timely” & the Thom Pass Time Warp!!



Event Manager, Thom Pass, is caught preparing his performers (partnering with Farrington Productions) for his Gala Award-nominated event-interpretation of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Bellagio Resort.



…with a little help from Director of Events & Corporate Sales, Lenny Talarico.







Lip-licking candy apples by Bellagio Catering.





Saints & Sinners, NBP Productions, had the crowd rockin’ all night long!



Thom’s story- When King first asked that I prepare a blog post on the “T” of the MGM Resorts Events “CREATIVE” acronym-Timely, my first thought was “Where in the Hell am I going to find time to write this”?! Week after week passed and finally the time came when he peeked his head inside my office and asked “How is the post coming along, Thommy? Think I can get it tomorrow”? Timely…I don’t think so…. as my desk was buried and my phone was ringing off the hook with clients and vendors needing information NOW. Putting this into perspective…I was asked three months ago to do this.

We can all find excuses not to do something. Is it we are over loaded with work? Stressed out? Are the creative juices just not flowing? Plain old procrastination? 6:00 PM and its time for happy hour? Or possibly all of the above???

I strongly believe in “Passion”. I try to LIVE it, CREATE with it, and to USE it everyday in my life. This “Passion” comes along with a timeframe in designing an event. I know that my vision and proposal needs to be communicated to my client, and as we all know, this alone can be a lengthy process. The contracts, payments and insurance requirements need to be received from all parties involved. Flowers, décor and entertainment need to sourced and secured from around the world. Fabrication of specialty props, signage….labor has to be coordinated. The list goes on…

Then come the Design Meetings, Sales Meetings, Production Meetings, Management Meetings, Pre-Cons, Post-Cons and our weekly staff-wide meeting-Talk Tuesday …how many more meetings does one need? People, I can you tell you this, without each of these meetings, timely execution of every aspect of the event would not happen efficiently. It is in these meetings that our team communicates concerns, exchanges ideas, and addresses opportunities that might arise during the event. One of our philosophies at MGM Resorts Events is that “Planning and Preparation leads to Timeliness”.

The MGM Resorts Events management team developed an Event Process Wheel, in which each process depends on the timely execution of the prior process. Each and every day, this execution route can be seen, and in the end, each and every department will have fulfilled its obligation to the overall production of the event. Again, Timeliness is the key word here. One department cannot effectively do their job without the correct and timely performance from the other.

Clients expect, deserve, and demand an exceptionally produced final product. We as event professionals are expected to deliver that product while working within the confines of profitability and operational efficiency, while maintaining the flexibility to address the unanticipated variables that frequently occur in the event industry.

We at MGM Resorts Events accomplish this while producing 800+ events a year by Thinking and Being Ahead of the Curve.

Plan for tomorrow today
Plan for next week this week
Plan for next month this month
Plan for next year this year.



Photography by Kelly McKeon