It's a giant convention center. I mean giant! You won't believe how big this place is since it doesn't look so huge from the outside. The halls are massive and can hosts lots of conventions at once.
They have been doing some renovations so the bathrooms are nicer, and the common areas have new carpet and furnishings. There are some shiny new Coke machines ($3 for a 20 ounce bottle) as well.
The biggest plus for the Sands Convention Center is that it's connected to the Venetian / Palazzo so it's right on the Strip (and during breaks you can walk to those properties for lunch instead of getting stuck at the ridiculously overpriced snack bar).
The biggest negative is the drop-off area. It is INSANE. There is one teeny tiny little underpass where you can get a taxi or have someone meet you. When I have a convention, I walk a few blocks and have my husband pick me up down the street. It can take a long time for cars to get through traffic just to turn IN to the place.