Thanks to all our fellow fans for being part of the 2023 STLV: 57-Year Mission Convention and making the trip to Las Vegas for the annual celebration of Gene Roddenberry’s legacy. Even after the constraints and cancellations caused by Covid, it was a joy to welcome our biggest crowds since the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek. In our minds -- and it seems to be universally agreed -- this was one of the best Trek themed gatherings ever.
It was especially encouraging for the future of the franchise to see so many new attendees (we estimate approximately 40% were first timers) enjoying themselves as well as seeing our long-time attendees offering tips and help to the newbies. Fans came from all over the galaxy, and it was amazing to close the doors on all the weird stuff happening in the world and honor what Star Trek means to all of us.
We were very happy to be returning to The Rio. Although the hotel itself was not in good shape (new owners will be in charge as of October this year, with hundreds of millions planned for renovations), the separated convention facilities were, as always, perfect for the size and scope of the event.
Because we do not sell more tickets than we have seats for in the theatre, the convention was easily navigated. We are very proud of our registration system which gets our attendees processed quickly, unlike other similar events where the wait can be long. With 6,000 seats in the main Leonard Nimoy Theatre, The Rio Covnention Center will never be an overcrowded situation, and as always, our attendees have a guaranteed seat in the theatre so no one has to worry about waiting in line to see the programming they want.
This past year, with over 150 guest celebrities and speakers and three tracks of programming, we covered every Trek series to date and had guest representation from all. Of course, it was headlined by our beloved superstar friend fordecades, the legendary William Shatner. This year Bill graciously crossed paths on stage with fellow “Kirk” family members Paul Wesley and Dan Jeannotte. It was quite a historic moment as well as the amazing “Spocks” appearing together -- Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck. Just as Leonard Nimoy had passed the “Spock” baton to Zachary on our stages, Zachary did the same with Ethan.
Zachary said, “I just want to say before we finish up, how grateful I feel to be here and how I feel like my experience in this world, it’s evolved into other iterations and other forums. And to be able to share the stage with the person to whom I am now passing the mantle to in a lot ways, who is engaging you all in these stories from perspective of this character now into the future. It’s really exciting. It’s really gratifying. You all are really a truly wonderful fan base. And I feel heartened and just optimistic. There’s a lot reasons and a lot of ways in which we can feel really discouraged about humanity, but this collection of people in this franchise and what it’s based on is not one of them. I feel really happy to be here with you all.”
The convention experience is different for every attendee so all will have their favorite memories. Here are some photos of some of some of the events and panels that were very well received. Our gratitude to the thousands of fans who came in costume -- our cosplayers are truly awesome and add so much to the convention.
We think some of the new changes we instituted this year worked out well, including the two photo op areas, which allowed for some creative pairings and group shots that were pretty awesome. Our photographers do take extra time to center and correct photo ops which is why it takes a little longer to get the prints than at some other shows were “volunteers” just push a button. We hope that this explains this issue a bit
We also upgraded our complimentary Trek Treats this time around and will be doing that again for our Gold and Captain’s Chair attendees. We loved working with the amazing artist Kavita and she will be back to join us again with another display. Fans enjoyed seeing the complimentary crafts folks and they will be back this time, too.
We worked hard to do a good job with the in-dealer area celebrity signers, and we think there was definite improvement from previous years and will continue in this path.
THANK YOU TO ALL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN 2024.
Your friends at Creation Entertainment
For 50 years, we’ve been proud to present convention gatherings for our fellow fans in North America. It’s been a wonderful ride that allowed us to enjoy our love of the genre with others who share that passion. We’ve tried to follow the beliefs of our mentor Gene Roddenberry by creating events that present a positive view of the future celebrating diversity and inclusiveness. We hope you join us in Las Vegas as the human adventure continues.
As the decades past for our company we’ve taken our experiences to provide what we believe is the absolute best presentation for fans. Unlike so many other genre conventions, Creation Entertainment has a strict policy not to "oversell" our conventions. In other words, every patron, no matter what bracket of ticket they purchase, will have a seat in the main auditorium where the major guests appear and events take place. Because of this process of not overselling we have a huge vendors room where it is possible to easily check out each booth without fighting seam-busting crowds.
Creation Entertainment has the right to refuse service to anyone who interferes with the safety and well-being of other patrons, staff, actors, Creation Entertainment and the establishment itself. This includes, but is not limited to, harassment of any kind both in advance and/or at a particular event, illegal activity, unreasonable rowdiness, patrons lacking adequate hygiene and inconsideration to others. Refusal of service shall never be based on race or color, National origin or citizenship status, religion or creed, sex, age, disability, pregnancy or genetic information, Veteran or Military status, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, medical condition, political affiliations or activities, or status as a victim of domestic violence, assault or stalking.