Fewer rental operators discounting The pressure on rental companies to discount seems to be easing somewhat. According to the latest online poll from Special Events, 29 percent of respondents say they have been forced to discount some of their rates and continue to do so. This is in contrast to our poll one year ago, which showed nearly two in three rental operators were discounting rates. In this summer's poll, 22 percent said they discounted rates last year but brought them back up this year. Another 22 percent said they are now discounting but plan to bring rates back up in 2012. Twenty-five percent of respondents say they have not discounted their rates. See the whole story in the September-October issue of Special Events …

Enter the 2012 Tabletop Gallery competition Are you tops at designing tabletops? Then show the world! Our annual Tabletop Gallery completion is now open; finalists will display their work at The Special Event 2012 in Tampa, Fla. To see the rules, just click here.