Las Vegas hosts more trade shows than any other city in North America. The Las Vegas Convention Center alone handles over 50 major events per year — CES, NAB Show, SEMA, HIMSS, and dozens more. If you exhibit in Las Vegas, understanding how freight works at LVCC is the difference between a smooth setup and an expensive, stressful move-in day.
This guide covers everything: advance warehouse windows, drayage fees, the general service contractors you will deal with, and the mistakes exhibitors make every year.
The LVCC Campus: What You Need to Know
The Las Vegas Convention Center spans 4.6 million square feet across three connected halls — the South Hall, Central Hall, and the new West Hall (opened 2021). Each hall has its own loading docks and advance warehouse assignments.
⚠️ Watch Out
Who Handles Drayage at LVCC?
The official general service contractor (GSC) for most LVCC events is GES (Global Experience Specialists), which is headquartered in Las Vegas. Freeman also handles select events at LVCC.
Your Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM) will confirm which GSC is assigned to your show. Do not assume — check the ESM.
Drayage at LVCC is charged per 100 lbs (CWT) and is non-negotiable. Current rates for most LVCC shows range from $95 to $185 per CWT, depending on the show tier and delivery method.
💡 Pro Tip
Advance Warehouse vs. Direct to Show Floor
You have two delivery options at LVCC.
Advance Warehouse (Recommended)
Ship your freight to the LVCC advance warehouse before the show opens. GES or Freeman stages your materials and delivers them to your booth space during move-in.
Benefits:
- Lower drayage rate (typically 10–20% less than direct delivery)
- Your freight is confirmed received before move-in day
- No show-floor traffic congestion at pickup
Window: Advance warehouses at LVCC typically open 30 days before move-in and close 3–7 days before the show. Check your ESM for exact dates — missing the cutoff means direct-to-show rates.
Direct to Show Floor
Your carrier delivers directly to the loading dock during published move-in hours. Higher drayage rate applies. Your driver waits in a marshaling yard, which can take 2–6 hours during peak move-in days at large shows like CES or SEMA.
Direct is necessary if your booth materials are time-sensitive, you have a short setup window, or you missed the advance warehouse deadline.
LVCC Advance Warehouse Address
Most LVCC events use GES's Las Vegas advance warehouse. The address is provided in your Exhibitor Services Manual — it is show-specific and changes. Do not use a generic GES warehouse address from a previous show.
Always pull the advance warehouse address from your specific show's ESM. Misdelivered freight is your cost to recover.
Labeling Requirements
Every crate, case, and pallet must be labeled correctly or it will not be accepted at the advance warehouse. Required label information:
- Exhibiting company name
- Booth number
- Show name and dates
- "ADVANCE" or "DIRECT" designation
- Number of pieces (e.g., 1 of 3, 2 of 3)
- Weight per piece
LVCC shows receive hundreds of shipments daily during peak intake. Unlabeled or mislabeled freight gets quarantined. Label every piece before your carrier picks up.
Deadlines: The Hard Stops
At LVCC, deadlines are enforced. Missing them costs money.
| Deadline | Consequence | |----------|-------------| | Advance warehouse close date | Freight rejected; must deliver direct-to-show at higher rate | | Move-in window | Booth not set up; may lose show-floor access | | Move-out window | Freight abandoned; charged for removal by venue |
For major shows (CES, SEMA, NAB), advance warehouse intake can run for 2–3 weeks. For smaller events, the window may be as short as 5 days. Book your freight pickup with enough lead time to guarantee delivery before the close date.
Return Freight After the Show
When the show closes, LVCC move-out is controlled chaos — especially at events like CES with 4,000+ exhibitors. Here is how it works:
- Your booth is dismantled and crates are repacked
- You submit a Material Handling Agreement (MHA) to GES/Freeman
- Your freight is moved to the marshaling area
- Your carrier picks up from the marshaling yard
⚠️ Watch Out
How Calway Handles LVCC Shipments
Calway Logistics is based in Ontario, California — 4 hours from Las Vegas. We serve LVCC year-round across CES, NAB, SEMA, HIMSS, MJBizCon, and regional events.
What we manage for you:
- Freight pickup from your origin
- Advance warehouse delivery with confirmed receipt
- Deadline tracking — we alert you if your timeline is at risk
- Return freight coordination from marshaling yard
- Direct carrier contact throughout
We know which hall your booth is in, which GSC is running the show, and where the advance warehouse is — before we book your shipment.
Common LVCC Freight Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Wrong hall delivery. Triple-check your booth hall assignment. LVCC is large.
Missing the advance warehouse close date. Watch the ESM. The date is firm.
Unlabeled freight. Every piece, every label, before pickup.
No outbound carrier scheduled. Book your return carrier before move-in, not after the show closes.
Underestimating drayage. Budget drayage separately from transportation. For a 20x20 booth at a large LVCC show, plan for $3,000 to $7,000 in drayage alone.
Ready to Ship to Las Vegas?
Get a custom freight quote from Calway within 24 hours. Tell us your show name, booth size, origin city, and estimated freight weight — we will handle everything from there.
Get a Quote or call (909) 605-9893 — available 24/7.
Calway Logistics | Ontario, CA | USDOT #3353508 | FMCSA Licensed & Bonded Serving Las Vegas Convention Center, Venetian Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and all Nevada trade show venues.
About the author: Jose Melchor is Operations Manager at Calway Logistics, based in Ontario, CA. With 15+ years in trade show logistics, he has coordinated freight for exhibitors at LVCC, McCormick Place, Javits Center, Anaheim Convention Center, and every major trade show venue across the U.S. and Canada.