In a surprising turn of events, the FlightSimExpo organization team announced on January 29, 2024, that their contracted venue, Tropicana Las Vegas, is set to close its doors on April 2, 2024 to become a baseball stadium instead. The closure caught the organizers off guard, as they were assured by hotel management, Hilton, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority that Tropicana would remain operational until at least 2025. This unforeseen development has posed an unexpected challenge for the organizers, who had already integrated these assurances into the contractual agreement for the expo.

Despite the setback, the organizers remain committed to hosting FlightSimExpo 2024 and are actively seeking a new venue in Las Vegas for the originally planned dates of June 21-23, 2024. They have engaged in discussions with Tropicana and other potential venues to explore alternative options. Attendees are advised to refrain from making changes to their hotel plans at this time, as the organizers work to clarify the status of hotel room bookings and deposits. The team expresses gratitude for the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from attendees and assures everyone that, with their help, they anticipate overcoming this obstacle and making the 2024 event a resounding success.

In an update on January 31, 2024, the organizers shared that they have been in contact with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Tropicana, both of whom are actively assisting in finding an alternative venue. The Visitors Authority has sent out a revised Request for Proposal (RFP) to properties throughout Las Vegas, while Tropicana is leveraging its local contacts to relocate the event. Despite the challenges, the team acknowledges the professionalism of Tropicana’s staff in dealing with the situation. The organizers remain optimistic about hosting FlightSimExpo 2024 on the originally planned dates and commit to providing further updates as they progress in their search for a new venue.