Broadcasters show opens in Las Vegas on Saturday

The National Association of Broadcasters Show starts Saturday, bringing nearly 100,000 media professionals, entertainment industry leaders and zombies to Las Vegas.

Representatives of the broadcast, digital media, film and entertainment industries from 159 countries will attend the annual show, National Association of Broadcasters Senior Vice President Ann Marie Cumming said.

“The world craves quality content. And for the pros who hunger to create and deliver it, NAB Show satisfies their appetite,” Cumming wrote in an email to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Canon, Amazon, and Microsoft are among the more than 1,700 exhibitors at the six-day show, that will offer hands-on experience, learning and networking opportunities to attendees.

“The Walking Dead” will invade the show Tuesday with cast member Steven Yeun, AMC President Charlie Collier and the comic book’s creator and series executive producer, Robert Kirkman.

The show is closed to the public.

The estimated attendance translates into $131.4 million in nongaming economic impact for the community, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spokeswoman Heidi Hayes said.

Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber will deliver the keynote address during the show opening Monday morning. In the same session, longtime entertainer and humanitarian Jerry Lewis will accept the Distinguished Service Award.

Industry big names are expected to appear throughout the week.

Morgan Spurlock, an award-wining writer, director and producer, will speak Monday. He is best known for his documentaries such as “Super Size Me.”

“Heroes, Legends and ‘American Sniper,’ ” a conversation with cinematographer Tom Stern, will open the Creative Master Series on Tuesday.

Exhibits and show sessions will span almost 1 million square feet, spreading across the Las Vegas Convention Center, Renaissance Las Vegas, Westgate, Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.

Traveling to the event from the Strip will present challenges.

The Bandwagon Taxishare app has partnered with the Las Vegas Convention Center to simplify ride-sharing. With the app, people can connect with nearby commuters en route to the same location to share a ride and taxi fare.

Bandwagon services will be available from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.

Conventioneers attending outside of Bandwagon’s hours can always go old school and ride a shuttle bus. The show offers a free shuttle service from more than 30 hotels on and around the Strip, according to the NAB website.

The show will produce heavy traffic on the streets around the Convention Center until it ends Thursday, particularly around the opening and closing of the trade-show floor.

Show floor hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.

Contact Kimberly De La Cruz at kdelacruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @KimberlyinLV.