Entertain. Elevate. Experience – The 2025 ED EXPO!

The 2025 Exotic Dancer Expo will present a fresh format to introduce a new era in the adult nightclub industry.

(NOTE: This story appears in the March 2025 issue of ED Magazine.)

There is a certain sense of romance in the here and now. Fleeting as it may be, it’s easier to reside in the comfort of what has come before rather than anticipate or prepare for what could happen tomorrow. It’s the muscle memory of our collective familiarity. For example, as humans, we have our daily routines — the sun rises as assuredly as it will set. And found within the spaces in between, we attempt to make the best of any day or night when it comes to our professions, our families and ourselves. It’s the status quo. Basically, it’s the norm.

Life’s little irony, though, is that for anything to survive, change has to occur. It comes for us all. Nothing lasts forever. Laurels, in any form, can’t be rested on for very long, particularly when it comes to running a business. And especially in this business. Perhaps that is why now, when we’re all one system upgrade closer to fulfilling Orwell’s fever dream, permanently connected via fiber optics intravenously feeding us our daily dose of information or temporary gratification, the mechanics of change channels at momentums we’ve never experienced. Whether we choose to change or are forced into change is entirely by choice.

Don’t think that brand of rail-liquor existentialism doesn’t apply to you here simply because you work in the adult nightclub industry. You may think that the only constant application of change is the difference between day and night shifts, but as we have been experiencing since the lights went out during the COVID pandemic, change isn’t just taking place in our industry, it’s settled — done dug in like an Alabama tick.

It’s the regular customer you no longer serve. It’s the weirdo millennial with a bad attitude, leaving lousy tips with his cell phone out. It’s the murmurs around the circle bar at ED EXPO. It’s the indifference seen on your mainstage and the animosity overheard in the entertainers’ locker rooms. It’s the slow Saturday nights and the “in seasons” becoming shorter. It’s coming from the competition down the street. Not other strip clubs, but music venues, high-end restaurants and family outlets like Dave & Busters and Top Golf. Change has come for the discretionary dollars. Change can be found on an app on your iPhone.

It’s time to talk about new ideas and implement new strategies. To help one another so that we all succeed. To get excited about what we do for a living. It’s a new era for ED Publications, the ED EXPO and hopefully your brand as well.

– Kris Kay

The comforts of complacency that this industry was afforded for decades by being in the “titties and beer” business have all but receded, resulting in a time — this time — for hard reflection and action. Direct, immediate action. And we’re no different. At this year’s ED EXPO, our theme will be: Entertain, Elevate, Experience. Doing our part as a collective to help adjust the adult nightclub industry traverse into a new era. One that will elevate guest experiences with new ways to entertain and retain clientele so that your front doors remain a portal to the kinds of sights, sounds and feelings that only this industry can provide.

It’s time to talk about new ideas and implement new strategies. To help one another so that we all succeed. To get excited about what we do for a living. It’s a new era for ED Publications, the ED EXPO and hopefully your brand as well. If ever the term “one industry” could be applied, it’s right now. Change for the adult nightclub industry is happening, so let’s make it work for us. All of us.

Same brand, different flavors 

Fun fact. Of the past 31 ED EXPOs, 25 were held in Las Vegas. So, it was no surprise that when we announced this year’s location during a brief (albeit convivial) time in Dallas, Vegas was the obvious choice. This year, however, we’re expanding our footprint in the desert by staying at the resort that put Las Vegas on the map, the iconic Flamingo Hotel and Casino, located in the right ventricle of Las Vegas’ reverberating heart.

With its impressive convention area, newly renovated rooms and suites, a charming centralized casino and a multitude of upscale dining options, including Bugsy and Meyer’s Steakhouse, Pinky’s by Vanderpump and Carols ‘n Charlie’s Restaurant, EXPO attendees can expect a bit of old school Las Vegas glitz alongside the new amenities the city is famously known for.

We’re confident that setting the EXPO at the Flamingo will appeal to all of our attendees. It retains the charm of the city’s past while offering the variety of entertainment and dining options expected by its guests. Being located right in the middle of the strip will also give EXPO attendees access to both the convention and the neighboring casinos in equal measure. And with a sparkling new renovation at their famed pool area, we believe The Flamingo will end up surprising a lot of our industry friends.

Adding to the entertainment options, the Flamingo is directly adjacent to The LINQ Promenade, another Caesars property, offering dozens of bars, restaurants and shopping options just steps from the 2025 ED EXPO convention space.

Ultimately, the theme for this year’s EXPO will emphasize how we can all play a role in elevating our industry, by methods and through inspiration. In order to do that, we wanted to find a location that is not only conducive to a relevant, content-heavy convention but also a place where our industry friends and partners can enjoy themselves. We’ve listened to your feedback and want to provide our attendees with a meaningful work trip combined with a kick-ass vacation.

Introducing: The ED “Honors” Awards

At our 2021 EXPO in Miami — some call it the “post-COVID” EXPO — we had to modify our ED Awards. After all, most clubs had been closed for the better part of a year, so how could we present our “Club of the Year” Awards? The easy answer is, we couldn’t.

But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. We had to create new awards that would instead honor specific individuals who accomplished something of particular significance during a challenging time period. These awards were well received, and ever since then, we’ve been thinking about how we could bring them back.

Now, we have, with the ED “Honors” Awards.

In addition to the club awards we typically present during the ED Awards Show at EXPO (voted on by industry professionals via our online ballot), we’re now introducing several ED “Honors” Awards that will acknowledge specific individuals who have made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners of these awards will be chosen collectively by the members of our “ED Honors Board,” who will be introduced in the coming weeks.

“We will continue to utilize our ‘pre-nominations’ voting website (theEDawards.com) to gather nominees for these new ED ‘Honors’ Awards while also soliciting direct input from the ED Honors Board itself,” says ED Publisher Dave Manack. “Our ultimate goal is to celebrate specific individuals who are not only making significant contributions to the industry at large but are moving the industry forward into the next era of club operation.”

Here are the new ED “Honors” Awards that will be presented under the guidance of the ED Honors Board.

Progressive Leader (GM) of the Year – This award (formerly the General Manager of the Year Award) will honor the leaders pushing their teams forward and navigating them toward success. This award seeks to recognize the leaders who are guiding their club, and perhaps the industry, in a whole new direction.

Outstanding Employee of the Year – While general managers are often the engines that make the club move, the employees themselves are the ever-important cogs in that engine. This award seeks to honor an employee who has gone above and beyond the limitations of their title. As the nominees in this category will prove, anyone can make a difference in a club’s success, no matter what duties they perform. Be it a server, bartender, VIP hostess, security staff or DJ, the Outstanding Employee of the Year just might be your club’s MVP.

Industry Innovator of the Year – A trailblazer who pushes the boundaries of possibilities within the industry, the recipient of this award is someone whose creative thinking, groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions are transforming the landscape. Whether through technology or new approaches, this individual is leading the charge in redefining the future, setting new standards and shaping the next generation of success.

Businesswoman of the Year – Let’s be real: Conducting business in the adult nightclub industry is not for the meek, but it’s even more challenging for women. This award signifies our appreciation for an industry professional who can easily traverse these choppy waters to provide a better product or service in an industry that may not recognize them as often as they should.

Club Transformation of the Year – A club “transformation” can come in many forms. It could be a full renovation, an overhaul in club management or even an upgrade or significant change to the overall format of the club. This award recognizes the owner who achieved the freshest, most modern approach to their club’s transformation, helping their brand achieve an all-new look and feel for their guests to enjoy.

Carol Doda Entertainer Award – Named after the famed Condor Club performer recognized as being the first topless exotic entertainer in the US, this award will honor an entertainer who has transcended the lights and lore of the mainstage and achieved newfound success in our industry through their leadership, innovation and talent.

Our ultimate goal (with the ED ‘Honors’ Board) is to celebrate specific individuals who are not only making significant contributions to the industry at large but are moving the industry forward into the next era of club operation.

– Dave Manack

Please note that the Don Waitt Industry Ambassador Award and the Exotic Dancer Hall of Fame Award will also be presented at the 2025 ED Awards Show. Winners will be selected by ED Publications staff in conjunction with input provided by the ED Honors Board.

“These new ‘Honors’ Awards represent where we feel the industry’s attention should be paid, and what areas are important to the future of our business,” says Manack. “Our board will be made up of industry pros from all aspects of club ownership and operation, ensuring that the awards are presented to the most deserving recipients.”

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