GSMCON2023 Reno-Tahoe venue: Fun, affordable & more

Where else could you find axe throwing and the largest social media conference for government agencies? Only at the Grand Sierra Resort for the 2023 Government Social Media Conference!

Happening May 2-4, 2023, GSMCON2023 will be held both virtually online and in person at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, with a networking night at Lake Tahoe. Attendees get 2.5 days geared towards specific learning for government communicators who handle social media and genuine networking with your peers. 

While GSMCON2023 will be a hybrid event, we can’t say enough about our in-person experience! In-person attendees get benefits like meeting face-to-face, walking through the expo area, participating in focus groups, meeting with social network representatives, and exploring the Reno-Tahoe area. What makes our venue so special? Learn more about the Grand Sierra Resort and Reno area:

Spacious conference setup

Whether it’s on your laptop or pen and paper, you love taking notes as you hear about the latest best practices and need-to-know socialgov info, and you don’t want to forget a thing!

At the GSR, spacious breakout rooms allow us to offer ‘classroom seating,’ meaning many seats will have space to take notes with a table in front of you versus a typical conference setup with only a line of chairs. Bring your laptop, notebook, cup of coffee and feel more prepared, comfortable and ready for each breakout session. 

For the entire conference, all sessions are located in a separate wing of the GSR (apart from the entertainment and gaming areas) and is accessible directly from attendee rooms. Here, you’ll find general sessions, keynotes, breakout sessions, the expo area stage, vendors and meals (in person attendees have 3 continental breakfasts and 2 lunches included in your ticket price). We’re packing  your conference schedule with 26 sessions, the Golden Post Awards ceremony and special networking activities where you’ll feel like it’s big enough to not be crowded, but comfortable enough to genuinely connect with each other. 

Fun-filled resort

Even though GSMCON is the best place to grow and get knowledge from leading industry experts in government social media, after hours is just as important to meet and build relationships with fellow social media professionals. 

During the day, we’ll have your schedule filled with concurrent breakout sessions and networking opportunities, but after hours, we encourage attendees to get together, explore the Reno-Tahoe area and make important connections with those around you. And this year, you won’t have to go far to explore! Here are just a snapshot of activities right at our venue, the Grand Sierra Resort:

• Bowling
• Swimming
• Golf driving range
• Axe throwing
• Arcade
• Gaming
• Escape room
• Laser tag
• Cinema
• Numerous restaurants (everything from a Charlie Palmer Steakhouse to a California Pizza Kitchen to a buffet and everything in between) 

Monday night, you’ll also have the opportunity to attend the GSMCON2023 Welcome Reception at the Lex Nightclub! Conveniently located right at the venue, attendees will mingle and meet each other in a fun setting with music, light snacks and a complimentary drink ticket. Attending solo? We’ll have guided networking activities to help break the ice and meet your peers!

Affordable room block rates

An important consideration to us at Team GSM is to keep making GSMCON affordable to our attendees. Hosting in Reno at our top-rated venue, we can offer hotel rooms at $100 less than other locations that responded to our RFP, airport shuttles (only 6 minutes away!) and free parking at the venue for our attendees driving in.

Our room block rate is now available! Book your hotel reservation at the Grand Sierra Resort using our special group code to receive the government per diem rate of $102 (+$2/night tourism fee+13% tax).

Reno-Tahoe, Nevada

The Biggest Little City is a unique setting where the mountains meet the city. You’ll find beautiful scenery and a growing area, which itself has undergone major revitalizations in the past several years. Long-time GSMCON fans met in Reno in 2015 & 2016 at a different venue, and bringing the conference back for 2023 was based on cost effectiveness for you & your agency, and that Reno was rated #1 out of several potential locations when surveying past conference attendees.

As you explore the area after the official conference hours, you’ll see boutique shops, farm-to-table eateries, speakeasies and live music in Reno’s Midtown District and the Reno Arch, the Riverwalk along the Truckee River, cafés, restaurants and much more Downtown. All of this is just a short drive from your hotel room. Plus, our in person attendees will get some of the nearby Lake Tahoe experience, too! We’ll have complimentary shuttles available to take you to Lake Tahoe one evening during the conference, or enjoy some time exploring the greater Reno area.

Members of our Local Host Committee (applications are due Friday, September 16!) will help create activities and let you know of fun things to do to truly experience the area like a Northern Nevadan. We’ll have more details as the event gets closer!

We’re looking forward to a special experience in Reno-Tahoe, Nevada for GSMCON2023 filled with practical skills for managing public sector social media, unparalleled opportunities to network, fun activities and building genuine connections. Registration is open with special Early-Bird pricing ending on November 14 — we’ll see you at GSMCON2023!

Best communicate with the public you serve and get connected with fellow socialgovs by registering for the 2023 Government Social Media Conference happening in Reno-Tahoe, Nevada! Join our free network for bi-weekly Government Social Media Chats or professional association for member-only webinars. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on training, events and more.

We support the largest network of government social media professionals in the U.S. by guiding government agencies through complex social media issues. Government Social Media helps you successfully communicate with the public you serve, protect your agency and keep public trust while finding your support community.