LAS VEGAS— Architects and designers are expected to flood Las Vegas for Hospitality Design 2004, which will offer 25 educational sessions and 900 manufacturers when it opens at the Sands Exposition & Convention Center later this month. More than 10,000 attendees are expected for the April 28 to May 1 event, and in addition to architects and designers, it will include hotel owner/operators; contractors; purchasing agents; and consultants. “The show is becoming more and more important and we’re seeing more international attendees,” said Madeline Eng, a designer with BBA Design Consultants of Vancouver, British Columbia. “For me, the focus is looking at the different product lines and seeing what’s new. We’re always looking for trends,” she said. “In addition to that, we like the seminars. Some of the them are quite beneficial,” Eng said. The educational program at HD 2004 is divided into four tracks including CEU sessions; general design; hotel design; and restaurant design. Topics for the sessions on Wednesday, April 28, include bedding ensembles for hotels; bath and spa design; and color forecasts for 2004 and beyond. A think-tank on “Leading-Edge Hotel Design” will be one of the highlights of the program on Thursday, April 29. Sponsored by the International Interior Design Association, the session will feature several presenters including Robert Glazier, Hill-Glazier Associates; Maria Mendoza, Swanke Hayden Connell Architecture; Cheryl Rowley, Cheryl Rowley Design; and Dawn Starling, Starling & Associates. The moderator will be Julia Monk, BBGM/Brennan Beer Gorman Monk. Also on tap for Thursday is an American Hotel & Lodging Association Forum titled, “Will Hospitality Design Practitioners Be Certified?” Panelists include Bruce Ford, Lodging Econometrics; Rebecca D. Jones, R.D. Jones & Associates; Roy Kennington, AH&LA Educational Institute; and Jessica Lytle, AH&LA. The moderator will be Mark Bischoff, Cole + Russell Architects. Purchasing and design trends will be the focus of the opening session on Friday, April 30. This session, called the “HD/ISHP Town Hall Meeting,” will discuss the findings of the International Society of Hospitality Purchasers’ (ISHP) proprietary study. Presenters will include Stephen Rushmore, HVS International; Julie Pernell, Loews Hotels; William H. Reynolds, MeriStar Hospitality Corp.; and Karen Rubin, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. The moderator will be ISHP Founding President Alan Benjamin of Benjamin West. Scheduled for Saturday morning, May 1, are sessions on the resort as a mixed-use development; digital architecture; and restaurant design. The Hospitality Design Expo will also offer attendees networking opportunities including the 2004 Platinum Circle Awards Gala on April 29 at Rain Night Club in the Palms Casino, and a Party by the Pool on April 30 at the Venetian Resort & Casino.