LAS VEGAS -

It’s already a record-setting 2016 NIADA Convention and Expo, and the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association is just getting its week of meetings, training, networking and other festivities started.

The 70th anniversary convention opened on Monday at its new venue — the recently renovated Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas — having already surpassed the record for most registered attendees, breaking the previous record by 19 percent.

That previous record was set at the 2006 Convention and Expo at the Las Vegas Hilton.

That record number is expected to grow with on-site registrations to solidify the event’s place as the largest in its 70-year history.

NIADA highlighted that convention attendance had already been trending upward as last year marked the third consecutive increase, an 8 percent rise above the 2014 event. The 2016 convention attendance received an extra boost from the addition of the BHPH World Convention, one of the assets acquired by NIADA from Leedom and Associates in December.

That convention has been folded into the NIADA Convention and Expo, significantly expanding its buy-here, pay-here and subprime auto finance training.

As a result, the 2016 NIADA Convention and Expo offers more dealer education sessions on more topics than ever before, including an extensive BHPH component led by NIADA national director of 20 Groups Chuck Bonanno.

Bonanno is a 13-year veteran of the Leedom operation who joined NIADA to grow the newly acquired educational assets, which also include 20 Groups, boot camps, dealership consulting and BHPH Dealer magazine.

The association also mentioned this year's event also boasts the largest expo hall ever with more than 170 exhibitors in a space some 10,000 square feet larger than last year’s Expo at Caesars Palace.

As always, the 2016 NIADA Convention and Expo features the insight of NIADA director of dealer development Joe Lescota and compliance sessions led by NIADA senior vice president of legal and government affairs Shaun Petersen, as well as industry knowledge and ideas from some of the industry’s best and brightest, including TrueCar chief executive officer Chip Perry, Autotrader’s Howard Polirer, Equifax’s Angelica Jeffreys, AutoZone's Ray Curry, NABD president Ken Shilson, Cox Automotive chief economist Tom Webb and more.

In addition, the convention includes social events, networking opportunities and events to honor the used vehicle industry’s best — the National Leadership Awards Banquet on Wednesday night and the National Quality Dealer Award ceremony Thursday night.