Where do you want future ICE and the co-located iGB Affiliate conferences to be held?

[MichaelCorfman]

Clarion Gaming has just announced the short list of cities in which ICE and the co-located iGB Affiliate conference could be held in future years. So, for this week's poll, I ask what would be your favorite choice out of the cities of Barcelona, London, Madrid and Paris.

I know the ICE conference has been held in London every year for over two decades, so I don't know how likely the location is to change. Besides voting in the poll, share you opinion of whether you think it would be a good or a bad idea for the conference to be moved to a different city.

Here is Clarion's announcement:

Working in partnership with event strategy and location specialist Equimore, Clarion has finalized a shortlist of four cities, which met the criteria set out for a future location of ICE. The four are Barcelona, London, Madrid and Paris.

Each city will next make a formal bid to host the event between 2025 and 2029. This process will be completed later this year, with an announcement to follow in Q3 2023.

Clarion Events’ group managing director, gaming Alex Pratt said the “robust process” was customer-centric, and would allow for the final decision to be taken in the best interests of stakeholders and of the global gaming industry.

The process will also involve iGB Affiliate London, with stakeholders in that community also involved “in order to identify their preferred strategic path”.

“The four short-listed cities will progress through a selection process with the help of the experienced and knowledgeable team at Equimore which is overseeing every aspect of what is a robust programme,” Pratt explained.

He added that factors such as the locations in terms of capacity, facilities and the ability to accommodate future growth would be considered, as well as dateline availability, transport links and broader hospitality infrastructure, including accommodation costs.

“By pursuing all due diligence we will identify the city that’s best equipped to not only host an event which continues to play such a central role in helping to create opportunity and prosperity for gaming businesses of all sizes, across every vertical and in every global jurisdiction, but also demonstrate its leadership in the sector,” he added.

“In the interests of transparency Clarion will not be making any further comment during the official process.”

This year’s ICE London takes place at ExCeL London next week, running from 6-9 February, with iGB Affiliate London starting on 8 February and ending on 11 February.

Michael

[Pokerface]

London is perfectly fine and would be difficult to find a venue with the same space elsewhere. In fact Excel is expanding to a third phase which I am sure could be utilized for a larger ICE/LAC when completed.

If the event was in the spring that would be fantastic.

[baldidiot]

I'm happy for it to stay in London, but Excel is such a pain in the butt to get to.

They're redeveloping olympia at the moment and it'll be much bigger with some hotels inside the building etc... - my vote would be take it back to there: https://olympia.london/future

[newcustomeroffer]

I might be wrong, however I wonder if they'd get the same level of attendance if they moved it from London? It was as busy as I've ever seen this year, maybe a bounce back from the pandamic-affected years but even so Clarion must have been delighted.

Geographically London also works for me, however as balditiot says Excel isn't the best of locations especially if there's issues on the DLR out of Bank like this year for me.

[nwalker]

Geographically London also works for me, however as balditiot says Excel isn't the best of locations especially if there's issues on the DLR out of Bank like this year for me.

The new Elizabeth Line now stops at Custom House, so staying in central london is a breeze and means you don't need to rely on the DLR. Shame we'll not be making use of it after next year.

[newcustomeroffer]

The new Elizabeth Line now stops at Custom House, so staying in central london is a breeze and means you don't need to rely on the DLR. Shame we'll not be making use of it after next year.

Yes, came back that way afterwards - was using an old tube map to get down there and didn't even cross my mind to look at the Elizabeth Line!

[Mattbar]

I'm happy for it to stay in London, but Excel is such a pain in the butt to get to.

They're redeveloping olympia at the moment and it'll be much bigger with some hotels inside the building etc... - my vote would be take it back to there: https://olympia.london/future

I would love it to go back to Olympia, it is a nicer venue, excel is massive but sterile. I also think if they made it a bit later in the year it would work much better.

Geographically London is great, I would be far less likely to go if they move it.

[nwalker]

it's funny but ICE is more important to me than LAC. In fact i squeezed my meetings into the first day of LAC and left about 16:00.

The value of LAC for me has virtually dried up. I don't use it to look for new affiliate programs, i mainly use it to connect with the ones that haven't been paying me and give them a hard time face to face. The Affiliate progs that i do business with I'm in regular conatct with and the ones with really big stands have already closed my accounts. don't really know why they are there if they don't want to work with affiliates. Strange world we're in.

So if ICE moves i'll go wherever it is, but will skip the Affiliate side as it's not attractive to me anymore.

[wonderpunter]

Madrid has way less traffic better transport, less crime, better weather, cheaper, central, ifema is as big as excel and the nightlife is great for those that like to party after.

[MichaelCorfman]

Clarion announced their decision earlier today:

Clarion announces ICE and iGB Affiliate will move from London to Barcelona

Since the decision has been announced, I have closed the poll.

Michael

[newcustomeroffer]

Clarion announced their decision earlier today:

Clarion announces ICE and iGB Affiliate will move from London to Barcelona

Michael

In terms of convenience it's a shame that it's moving from London if I'm being selfish, however the thought of spending a few days somewhere hopefully a little warmer and sunnier in the depths of the British winter does hold some appeal!

[Mattbar]

While I won't miss excel I am now not going to be attending every year

[mickyfu]

So basically the February IGB will no longer be held in London? If so is there going to be no London IGB? London was always the best out of the conferences, when the conferences were actually good and of use.

[Juan Roman]

Yes, the winter iGB is moving from London to Barcelona (January), but there will still be an iGB event in London. The iGB Live is moving from Amsterdam to London (July).

[Oliver Cooper]

I looked at the voting results. It seems that many were disappointed that this is not Lodnon

[Former Member 14]

many were disappointed that this is not Lodnon

Did you work that all out by yourself???!!!

Yet another useless post...

[Former Member 14]

Fiji or new Zealand - a lot closer to Australia. I don't attend conferences because they're just too far away.

[mickyfu]

I looked at the voting results. It seems that many were disappointed that this is not Lodnon

Many will be happy it is not in London too. Overpriced, cold and not very central.

Personally I prefer Barcelona to Madrid. Madrid Airport is way too much for my liking.

[Oliver Cooper]

Agree. In any case we can’t influence this in any way it remains to accept.