By Claire Hannum

Corporate events and annual meetings aren’t just back — they’re bigger, bolder, more intricate. As organizations increasingly invest in reconnecting teams and customers, a new breed of event is emerging: the multi- city production. When well- executed, these expansive events bring guests together across time zones, while making everyone feel like they’re in the same room.

Charles Eide, founder and CEO of Minneapolis-based EideCom, knows a thing or two about gathering groups in more than one city. “At the core of what I’m obsessed with is making sure that people feel connected to one another, even if you’re across the country or even the world,” he says.

And EideCom does exactly that. The company produces high-impact corporate events with budgets ranging from $200,000 to over $1 million, serving up to 25,000 attendees for some of the country’s biggest brands. EideCom has become a specialist in multi-city productions that synchronize programming, speakers and experiences across the country simultaneously, making participants feel connected regardless of geography.

One of EideCom’s signature multi- city projects includes a large Catholic youth conference that evolved over the years from a single Minneapolis venue to a sophisticated multi-location production spanning three time zones. The event now connects thousands of participants with synchronized programming that creates seamless interaction between speakers and audiences separated by thousands of miles — and even oceans.

EideCom isn’t alone in seeing surging demand for ambitious live multi-city events. Major technology brands are gathering guests across the world, many with thriving satellite events or localized gatherings and watch parties; financial services firms are organizing multi-city town halls to reach distributed workforces; retail brands are hosting product launch events simultaneously in flagship stores across major markets; and healthcare organizations are coordinating continuing education conferences across regional medical centers.

The driving force behind this increase in multi-city productions and events just might be the same need for connection that inspires any single- venue gathering, from major keynotes to living room parties. Eide notes that, during a recent walk through Times Square after producing an event in New York City, he spotted crowds gathering for no single purpose — some were recording social media videos, a few were spending time with friends and others were simply people watching.

“The reason that people do that is because they really long to be a part of community, even if that community is just other people walking through Times Square,” he explains. “Smart leaders who lead big or small companies out there, they realize that their culture is dependent on how people feel about each other and how the company facilitates that.”

If a team or organization is spread across cities, multi-venue get-togethers are often the antidote.

The Midwest is a hotspot for both single-venue extravaganzas and multi-city productions. It offers several practical advantages for event planners considering multi-city formats: time zones that bridge East and West Coast audiences, a strong convention infrastructure and accessible venues at multiple price points. Moreover, the Midwest’s transportation hubs make it easier to bring people together and, of course, this region’s hospitality and practical problem-solving rise to the occasion when it comes to the logistical demands of complex productions.

WHAT PLANNERS SHOULD KNOW

Tackling that first tech-intensive multi-city event as a planner may seem daunting, but according to Eide, it all starts with clarity of purpose. “What is the vision? Who is the audience?” Eide suggests asking. “Don’t use technology for the sake of technology. Use it to serve the people in the audience.”

Before investing in sophisticated production capabilities, planners should consider some foundational questions. For starters, do all guests expect the same experience? If you’re connecting a corporate headquarters with regional offices, do both groups share the same or similar expectations about content and interaction?

Regional differences in company culture might also require adjustments to programming or presentation style. Ask yourself if these audiences would normally gather together if they had the luxury of being in the same location. The most successful multi-city meetings and events connect people who already share an identity or purpose, and are merely separated by geography.

Beyond that, consider whether it’s truly in the project’s best interest to choose a multi-city event over sequential single- city events. The answer ultimately depends on the client’s or ganization’s specific goals and needs. If the goal is creating a unified culture and a real- time shared experience, programming and production requirements change dramatically. Perhaps the most crucial question to ask is how a multi-city event benefits guests. If a multi-location event distinctly makes guests’ experience notably better, it’s often worth pursuing.

DESIGN PROGRAMMING FOR PRESENCE, NOT OVERFLOW

One of the biggest risks in multi-city events is creating a hierarchy where one location feels like the “real” event and the others feel like overflow. Eide first confronted this challenge about a decade ago, when a client needed an event to span two ballrooms at a Florida resort. “They said, ‘We don’t want anybody to feel like they’re in an overflow room,’” Eide recalls, so he and the team decided to offer different — but complementary — programming in each room.

This worked thanks to a fiberoptic two- way connection that allowed speakers on different stages to interact as if they were on the same stage. The technology created the magic, but the programming design made it meaningful. Neither room was subordinate, both had unique content and both shared marquee moments.

That principle has since scaled to cross-country productions. “You have programming that’s originating from both sites on a schedule,” Eide explains. “Both audiences get live speakers and they get remote speakers, and sometimes the speakers talk to each other and sometimes they’re independent, but it makes people feel like they’re all connected.”

This requires careful choreography. Planners must map out precisely when each location will originate content, when they’ll receive content and how the transitions will occur. The schedule needs to account for time zone differences — what works for a 10 a.m. start in Washington, D.C., means a 7 a.m. start in Salt Lake City.

Programming rhythms, break times and energy management must work for all audiences as well.

“That schedule has to get fleshed out and rehearsed, and then the team has to understand the schedule very well,” Eide stresses. Unlike a single- venue event where adjustments can be made on the fly, multi-city productions require precise timing and clear communication protocols.

THE TECHNICAL FOUNDATION OF SYNCHRONIZING SITES

Creating a seamless and reliable technical connection is where these projects succeed or fail — not for a lack of ambition, but from underestimating the complexity of real-time, long- distance production. The key phrase is “real time.” Multi-city events require extremely low latency, as even a few seconds of lag destroys the illusion of shared space, and makes interactive programming awkward or impossible.

This demands dedicated, high-bandwidth connections at each venue, with quality-of-service guarantees. Many convention centers and major hotels now offer this infrastructure, but never assume — always verify bandwidth capacity, backup systems and technical support in advance.

The internet serves as the backbone of the operation, but specialized equipment converts that bandwidth into usable video, audio and data streams. Professional-grade video codecs compress and decompress high- definition video with minimal quality loss. Audio systems must account for acoustic differences between venues. Control systems allow technical directors to switch between feeds, manage transitions and troubleshoot problems in real time.

Technical capability is nothing without thoughtful design to go along with it. This includes lighting design that creates similar visual environments, camera work that frames speakers and audiences effectively, and graphics systems that deliver identical branding and information regardless of location. To avoid one location feeling like the main event over others, each location needs appropriate production attention and resources.

In multi-city events, screens become windows between locations, so video displays warrant special attention. Small screens in awkward positions make remote content feel like an afterthought. Large, well-positioned screens that integrate with stage design make remote participants feel present and essential.

THE TEAMS THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN

Technology enables multi-city events, but people execute them. For large-scale events like these, the team’s experience level is key. Experience matters across all roles: technical directors who’ve managed synchronized feeds, audio engineers who understand distributed systems, video directors who can seamlessly switch between locations and show callers who can maintain timing across time zones. Planners should seek production partners with documented experience working on similar events and request detailed technical proposals that demonstrate a full understanding of the project’s specific challenges.

During multi-city events, the relationship between the planner and production team shifts. Planners must trust their technical partners to make real-time decisions without constant approval. Production teams must trust planners to communicate clearly about client needs and expectations. Both must rely on each other to problem- solve collaboratively when challenges arise. This requires clear delineation of responsibilities, regular communication before the event and established escalation procedures.

Who makes the call if technical problems affect programming? How do you handle timing conflicts? What’s the protocol for emergency changes? Consider the answers to these questions in advance to avoid paralysis when the unexpected happens.

Each location needs strong on-site leadership who understands the overall event vision, can make local decisions and communicates effectively with the central production team. This might be a dedicated site producer, a trusted staff member or a local production partner. Regardless of title, this role will serve as the crucial bridge between global coordination and local reality.

Site coordinators play a major role in ensuring that what looks good on the technical planning documents actually works in the physical space.

BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS

Multi-city productions and events command premium budgets, but they also deliver premium results.

Video systems, audio equipment, internet connectivity and communications systems represent significant line items. Redundant systems like backup internet connections, spare equipment and contingency plans add cost, but help prevent catastrophic failures. Multi-city events require more personnel than single-venue events because of separate crews at each location, including central coordination teams, technical directors overseeing production and specialized roles, like video engineers and communications coordinators.

Among other costs, multiple locations mean multiple venue contracts, each with their own fees, labor requirements and restrictions. Coordination between venues can uncover cost efficiencies, however, like shared vendor contracts, coordinated load-in schedules and bulk purchasing of consumables.

Despite the expenses, the return on investment can be substantial. The key is ensuring that budget investments align with strategic goals — spending to create genuine connection rather than just impressive spectacle.

MULTI-CITY CONNECTIONS CREATE MAJOR RESULTS

Ultimately, multi-city events offer more than logistical achievement or technical prowess — they build connections that last. “Connection is one of the number one drivers of employee satisfaction,” Eide emphasizes. “It’s also the glue that makes somebody feel connected to a brand as a customer.”

As Eide alludes, the phenomenon isn’t limited to internal audiences. Customer and partner events create communities that become self-reinforcing. Attendees want to return, they recruit others to join and they become advocates for the brand beyond the event itself. “We’re tribal in our core,” Eide observes. “I think that’s why people want to gather.”

Multi-city events honor that instinct while adapting to the modern realities of distributed organizations and global mar- kets. They don’t replace digital connec- tion; they complement and enhance it.

Multi-city events offer a new way to think about what’s possible when you combine human connection with the power of technology. If your goal is genuine connection, shared experience and lasting community, multi-city events have a lot to offer. The technology exists. The expertise is available. And the audiences are ready.