Big Ideas. Meaningful Connections. Real Impact.
By Bella Rose Amburgey
Las Vegas has rapidly transformed into one of the nation’s leading sports and entertainment hubs. But beyond the headline events and sold-out arenas, another movement is shaping the city’s future: innovation. At the center of that movement is the Sports, Entertainment, and Innovation Conference (SEICon), taking place July 7–9, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino. A collaboration between the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Sports Innovation Institute, Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport, Circle, and USA Today Sports, SEICon III brings together the people and ideas driving the future of sport and entertainment. The conference is expected to welcome between 800 and 1,200 attendees representing professional sports teams, leagues, universities, technology companies, hospitality organizations, investors, and public-private sector leaders from around the world. “Education plus collaboration equals deal-making” is how Jay Vickers, director of UNLV’s Sports Innovation Institute, describes the opportunities SEICon brings to the city each summer. More than an event held in the city, SEICon creates a space where ideas evolve into partnerships and opportunities, set against the backdrop of Las Vegas’ growing marketplace.
Just 15 years ago, Las Vegas was primarily known for nightlife, hospitality, and entertainment. Today, the city has reached a new level of national visibility, with the addition of professional sports teams, more premium hospitality experiences, and a booming local culture that puts innovation at the forefront of every venture. Few people have witnessed that transformation more closely than Erick Harper, director of UNLV Athletics, who has firsthand experience of the city’s evolution from a hospitality powerhouse to a global sports and entertainment destination. To him, the city’s rise has been driven by its willingness to continuously reinvent itself. “This is a city that, if you go back to the very, very beginning, has continued to evolve and lean into innovation and creativity, and continue to enhance its profile,” says Harper.
As a supporter and thought leader at SEICon, Harper has been a major part of the city’s growing sports market since 2012. He helps shape the strategic direction of UNLV Athletics and the university, leveraging events like SEICon to stay connected to the ever-changing sport, entertainment, and innovation industries. For companies and innovators looking to challenge traditional industry norms, Las Vegas has become a proving ground where new ideas can reach some of the world’s largest sports and entertainment audiences.
Growth across sports and entertainment is now fueling a broader movement centered on innovation. One person helping shape the movement is Corey Yantha, founder and CEO of Dispension Inc. Dispension is a technology company that enables venues such as stadiums, hotels, and arenas to monetize underutilized space through SmartServ stationary robots that sell alcohol. Yantha describes the product as “high-tech vending machines” and “a compliant self-service solution for canned alcohol.” The process is simple: the technology scans and verifies the user’s ID, the customer selects and purchases their product through Dispension’s cashless system, and the machine dispenses an opened canned alcoholic beverage. The company is helping redefine how modern venues approach efficiency, event operations, and modern consumer expectations.
Last summer’s SEICon II became a defining moment for Dispension’s expansion into the United States. At the time, as a Canadian-based company, Yantha used the opportunity at SEICon to showcase Dispension’s SmartServ solution to address the long lines and staffing issues that many venues face when selling alcoholic drinks. A central part of innovation is leaning into customers' pain points. The company has been able to identify the problems the modern consumer faces when purchasing alcohol at major events, particularly events in the sport and entertainment spheres. For Vickers, the success of Dispension comes from addressing one of the most common frustrations fans face at live events. “What deters you from a concession stand? Long lines,” says Vickers, who is quick to highlight SEICon’s potential for bringing forth solutions to industry challenges.
By showcasing Dispension’s technology and positioning the product as a problem-solver and revenue generator at SEICon, Yantha connected with UNLV and the Thomas & Mack Center just days before the NBA Summer League was set to begin at the arena. Erick Harper describes the moment he interacted with the product at SEICon II, saying, “Seeing the product at SEICon last year and using it firsthand showed me the opportunity for a seamless, low-overhead option to generate additional revenue.” Harper's reaction reflected the immediate potential UNLV leaders saw in the technology.
Within 48 hours of connecting with the Thomas & Mack Center food and beverage team, two Dispension machines were on their way to the arena concourse ahead of NBA Summer League 2025. Yantha added, “Everyone knows UNLV. So, it kind of put us on another level where we were able to brand, in a sense, about collaborating with UNLV and launching at Thomas & Mack in the center of the hospitality and entertainment universe.” Dispension’s success at NBA Summer League demonstrated how innovation can quickly translate into measurable results, with the machines generating an average of $1,133 per hour at the Thomas & Mack Center. Through the opportunities created at SEICon and within the city’s growing innovation ecosystem, Dispension found a pathway to expand its footprint in the United States and ultimately made Las Vegas the company's new home. More than just a conference or networking event, SEICon created a space for direct access to industry leaders and decision-makers actively seeking technology to transform the fan and guest experience. Combined with Las Vegas’ reputation for embracing bold ideas, the partnership between SEICon and the city itself became a powerful catalyst for Dispension’s growth. In a city like Las Vegas, where sports, hospitality, entertainment, and technology constantly interact, conversations often extend far beyond the conference floor, evolving into long-term partnerships, opportunities, and industry growth.
The same innovation driving business growth through SEICon is also influencing how future sports and hospitality professionals are being educated. As more professional sports teams flock to Las Vegas, it becomes clearer just how intricately hospitality and sports are intertwined. At the forefront of emerging sport hospitality professionals is the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. To Hospitality College Dean David Cárdenas, preparing future leaders means recognizing how closely connected the hospitality and sports industries have become. “From a student perspective,” Cárdenas says, “the skill set is so similar between hospitality and sport management students. You’re thinking about customer service and engagement, which could be fan engagement or consumer engagement, selling tickets, building loyalty." Developing a workforce that understands the business of sports, entertainment, and hospitality is therefore critical, adds Cárdenas: “Our job is always helping develop hospitality leaders. Now developing sport leaders is also a big part of what we do."
UNLV offers a master’s program in Intercollegiate and Professional Sport Management (IPSM) that will move under the College of Hospitality umbrella. “Starting this fall, we’ll have the Sport Hospitality Management degree, so there will be an undergraduate degree in sport hospitality, and IPSM is moving over to be a part of the college.” The integration of these programs reflects how rapidly the city’s workforce needs are evolving. As the city’s sports and entertainment industries continue to grow, SEICon’s emphasis on collaboration and education is helping shape the people who will lead them next.
If there’s one thing people can expect to see, it’s SEICon's leadership continuing to raise the bar for educational opportunities and expansion across the sports, entertainment, and innovation industries. As SEICon III approaches, Vickers emphasized that the conference’s focus remains centered on intentional engagement, educational growth, and meaningful industry conversations. Vickers said, “We will continue to raise the bar on the overall experience and look. We’re really going to focus on the things that have been foundational to our success; that’s making sure there's open dialogue on subjects that matter.” In addition to strengthening the foundational pillars that have defined SEICon’s success, this year’s conference is placing greater emphasis on uplifting women leaders across the sports, entertainment, and innovation ecosystem. One of the newest additions, The Studio IX Collective, expands on last year’s “Glam Jam” initiative through a collaboration between SEICon, USA Today’s Studio IX women's sports platform, and Osprey Collective. Designed as a dedicated space for accomplished women across the industry to share their voices and experiences, the collective will feature conversations on a variety of topics while fostering intentional collaboration and storytelling. The space will also include a podcast studio and gallery experience, which Tiffany Sorensen, executive director of SEICon, described as “celebrating and elevating the women of SEICon past, present, and future.”
In just three years, SEICon has become a key player in shaping the future of Las Vegas’ sports, entertainment, and innovation. To Vickers, SEICon’s greatest strength lies in helping people envision where they fit in the market's future. “That's the message we want to give people: that they can see themselves within this huge ecosystem of sports, entertainment, and innovation. They can see themselves at SEICon.” At a time when many conferences focus on narrow segments of the industry, SEICon brings together leaders from sports, entertainment, hospitality, and technology in a single collaborative space. From startup technology companies to future industry professionals, SEICon has increasingly become a place where connections produce tangible results. As Las Vegas continues to redefine itself as a global hub for sports and entertainment, SEICon is helping shape the conversations, connections, and ideas that drive that future forward.
Those interested in being part of that future can register now for SEICon III, taking place July 7–9, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Special registration rates are available for students and UNLV alumni, faculty, and friends. To secure your place among the leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping the next chapter of the industry, visit the SEICon website and register today.