The new NamesCon conference made a very successful debut this past January when show founder Richard Lau and his all-star production team, featuring Jodi Chamberlain, Jothan Frakes and James Morfopoulos, launched the event with a well-run, well-received and well-attended conference at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. NamesCon's exceptionally low registration and hotel room prices played a big role in making the show an instant hit. 

In March, when NamesCon announced the dates for their return engagement in Las Vegas (January 11-14, 2015), I wrote "2015 room

rates are not yet available on the NamesCon site and I will be surprised if they are that low ($79) again. Prior to the 2014 show, the Tropicana had just finished a major remodeling and were cutting some great deals to get people to sample the impressively revamped facility." 

Well, color me surprised - maybe even shocked - but today NamesCon announced that they have been able to secure room rates at the Tropicana for just $79 again for the 2015 conference. Unless you are a high roller who gets your rooms comped, you may never see a
A view of the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas that we  snapped during the January 2014 NamesCon conference.	better deal on such spacious and very well appointed rooms right on the Las Vegas Strip. I immediately booked six nights in the Tropicana's Club Tower (which puts you just a quick elevator ride away from the conference floor).  While the show runs from noon Sunday January 11 through 6pm Wednesday, January 14, you can get the $79 rate - as of this writing - starting Saturday, January 10 all the way through Thursday night, January 15. However, with NamesCon expecting over 800 attendees for the 2015 event, those rooms will likely go quickly - so if you plan to attend, I would reserve them now to make sure you get the deal and dates you want.   The Tropicana is conveniently located on the south end of the Strip, just minutes from the airport and immediately across the street from the MGM Grand (which you can walk to in minutes over a
pedestrian bridge across Tropicana Avenue that connects the two properties). While NamesCon provides no food service (a key reason the conference can keep registration prices so low), there is such a wide variety of restaurants between the Tropicana and the MGM, you would never need a taxi to eat every meal at a different spot.

The first NamesCon was a real crowd pleaser because the organizers got so many things right - ultra-low prices in a great location that attracted a large and very diverse audience (perfect for networking opportunities) and an impressive array of speakers. As things are falling into place for 2015 it looks like Lau and company fully intend to once again exceed everyone's expectations.