Semi-annual publication for Booking Agents, Promoters,Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners, and Venue Management. Featured in this issue: Ford Center - Diversifying Evansville's Live Music Industry, Venuworks Looks to the Future, Casino Entertainment for a Younger Crowd, Spotlight on the Carolinas, and more.
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2015 152 Madison Avenue, Room 802 New York, NY 10016 Facilities & Event Management TM SuperBook For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners & Venue Managers VenuWorks' President & New CEO Discuss the Company's Future 20 Casino Entertainment for a Younger Crowd 96 Spotlight: The Carolinas 82 2015 PRIME SITE AWARDS 27 FORD CENTER DIVERSIFYING EVANSVILLE'S LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY 22 SCOTT SCHOENIKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FORD CENTER & VICTORY THEATRE
Transcript
2015152 Madison Avenue, Room 802 New York, NY 10016
Facilities&Event Management TM
SuperBook For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners
& Venue Managers
VenuWorks' President & New CEO Discuss the Company's Future20
Casino Entertainment for a Younger Crowd96
Spotlight:The Carolinas82
2015 PriME SiTE AWArDS 27
FOrD CENTEr Diversifying evansville's live music inDustry22
SCOTTSChOENikE, executive Director, forD center & victory theatre
Facilities A-Z Index ......................................... 36
Advertiser Index ............................................ 91
CONTENTS
While F&eM regularly brings booking agents and promoters insights from their peers, this edition of the SuperBook is largely focused on
the venue managers. These professionals are engaged in an ongoing effort to meet patrons’ needs and desires on many fronts, including maintaining a quality facility with the latest amenities and technology, offering the most popular concessions, staffing the venue strategically, Web and social media outreach to fans, and more. As seasoned industry executive steve peters, Founder and President of venuWorks, stresses in our talk with the company’s leadership (p. 20): “We have to be looking at the whole fan experience, from the way they acquire their ticket, to the way they get to the venue, to the way they get to their seat and buy their food and souvenirs.”
ViEWpOiNT
STAYiNG ON THE CUTTiNG EDGE OF CUSTOMER SERViCE
– george seliEditorial Director, Facilities Media group
A highlight of this issue is an in-depth look at each stage of the fan experience by guest columnist sally Williams, General Manager of ryman auditorium in Nashville, TN. Williams emphasizes using post-show recaps to refine the experience for patrons in the future, among several other strategies (p. 94). Her approach must be working: The academy of country Music and international entertainment Buyers association (IEBA) have recognized both Ryman Auditorium and Williams herself with prestigious awards.
Providing great entertainment content is also part of serving the customer, and what makes entertainment “great” is always informed by the demographics of the market, which must be continually assessed. In his guest column, kell Houston, owner of Houston Productions and IEBA’s 2014 Casino Buyer of the Year, discusses the imperative for casinos to gear their entertainment to Gen X and Y, instead of relying exclusively on ageing entertainers targeting the baby boomer segment (p. 96). Another principle of success in the area of entertainment programming is to play to your strengths. In our interview with Darren Davis, Executive Director of orleans arena, he noted that part of the venue’s formula for success has been a focus on its “core competencies” of sporting events, family shows and motorsports, as opposed to competing for musical acts with the five other arenas in Las Vegas (p. 10).
At the same time, it’s important to try to cultivate variety of entertainment offerings, and thereby create more opportunities within the market. The Ford center, in Evansville, IN is a case in point: The local musical entertainment market had long been strong in country and “heritage” rock acts, but Executive Director scott schoenike and his team have made a conscious effort to broaden that “comfort zone.” For example, hard rock — both classic acts like Aerosmith and new ones like Halestorm — have been convincing draws at the Ford Center and victory theatre as a result of that effort. See our cover story (p. 22) for more best practices that keep these venues on the cutting edge of customer service.
ON THE COVERScott Schoenike, Executive Director of the Ford Center and Victory Theatre, Evansville, IN, has seen the new arena emerge as a worthy replacement for the 55-year-old Roberts Stadium. Marking its fourth anniversary this November, the state-of-the-art Ford Center has made strides in drawing a greater diversity of musical acts to Evansville, and Schoenike’s team has branched out to support community projects.
Cover Photograph by Rhonda Trail
2 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
2015 Volume 23 No.1
chief operating officer David Korn
associate publisher Michael Caffin
editorial Director George Seli
creative Direction & Design Scott-Goodman Associates
Facilities & Event Management is published twice a year by Bedrock Communications, Inc., 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Telephone: (212) 532-4150. Fax: (212) 213-6382.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Facilities, 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Printed in U.S.A.
Cover ad space is available by contacting a Facilities advertising account executive at (212) 532-4150.
Facilities is published three times a year by BedrockCommunications, Inc., 6 East 46th Street, Room 301, New York,NY 10017. Telephone: (212) 532-4150. Fax: (212) 213-6382.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Facilities, 6East 46th Street, Room 301, New York, NY 10017. Printed inU.S.A.
Cover ad space is available by contacting a Facilitiesadvertising account executive at (212) 532-4150, ext 103
M E M B E R S O F :
ON THE COVER
(Clockwise) A) Charleston Civic Center;B) Giant Center (interior);C) Coliseo de Puerto Rico;D) Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza;E) River Center/Adler Theatre (interior);F) and Toyota Center.
FACILITIES: ESSENTIAL TOOL
FOR WORKING SMARTER IN ‘09
Compared to other industries, the live entertainment and event business was robust in 2008 and,according to most industry observers, ticket sales and audience attendance showed little-to-nodecline from the previous year. However, this assessment came with a qualification that many ofthe tickets had been purchased and the events had been held before the more dire economic news
came to the forefront in the 4th quarter of 2008.Even after this relatively strong year, the live entertainment and event industry will not be able to rest on
its past achievements. Our industry doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Rising unemployment, decreasing disposableincome and lack of consumer confidence have the potential to negatively impact ticket sales and the size of theaudience. Filling seats with effective entertainment during a time of economic uncertainty is causing anxietyamong venue managers and bookers. Two things are for sure: (1) Without question, 2009 will be challenging;and (2) in order to meet this challenge, everyone in the industry, from venue managers and their staff to theBooking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers and Special Event Planners, will have to work smarter—whichbasically means holding down costs while enhancing the audience experience.
Viewed through this work smarter prism, the 2009 Facilities SuperBook is more critical than ever. The cen-terpiece of this issue is the Annual 2008 Prime Site Awards (listed on page 16). Every year, the Facilities MediaGroup bestows the Prime Site Awards. This special designation—voted on by the readership (Booking Agents,Promoters, Talent Buyers & Special Event Planners) of Facilities—recognizes Venue Excellence, a criteria thatincludes the structural dynamics of a building, the level of technology of its sound, lighting, staging—and thequality of the venue staff. All these components are integral to the success of the performance and audienceexperience. The Prime Site Awards acknowledge those venues that have work smarter.
The other content in this issue—a regionalized directory of North American venues, a Product & ServicesDirectory, a spotlight interview with Greg Diekroeger, former Chair of the Board of the National Associationfor Campus Activities, and Industry Perspective columns on customer service and event service—are all focused
on enabling industry members to work smarter.In addition to print, facilitiesonline is the fastest growing website in
the industry. Facilitiesonline features news, industry links, a fun-to-read-blog, and the industry’s most extensive online database of Arenas,Theaters, Coliseums, Theaters, Civic Centers, PACs, Amphitheatres,University Venues, Fairgrounds, Convention Centers and SpecialEvent Venues. Thousands of Booking Agents, Promoters, TalentBuyers and Special Event Planners use Facilitiesonline every week tostay informed about industry issue and specific events
The way to meet the challenges of 2009? Work Smarter! The 2009Facilities SuperBook (and Facilitiesonline) has been designed to be yourfirst essential tool in achieving that goal.
SuperBook For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners & Venue Managers
Caffin’sorner As this issue goes to press, F&eM staff look forward to
attending iavM’s venueConnect in Baltimore, MD, where we’ll catch up with steve peters, Founder and President of
venuWorks. Peters, whom we recently interviewed (page 20), will be honored with the charles a. Mcelravy award at the show, and his legacy of leadership at IAVM and in the venue management industry certainly deserves acknowledgement.
Also deserving praise are the industry-leading venues that won 2015 F&eM prime site awards (page 27). We encourage you to continue voting for the “best of the best” arenas, theaters and PACs via the ballot for the 2016 Prime Site Awards (page 89).
Lastly, let’s not forget to recognize leaders who, like Peters, have made their mark on the live events industry. The F&eM luminary awards will be presented to individuals in the categories listed in the ballot below. Winners will be announced and featured in the 2015-2016 F&eM Booking Guide, as well as on Facilitiesonline.com. Cast your votes today!
– Michael caffinAssociate Publisher, Facilities Media group
g i v i n g t h e w o r l d r e a s o n t o c h e e r
2015F&EM PRIME SITE AWARD
10 ARENAS T O O U R
A W A R D E D T H E
CONGRATULATIONS
10449-FA_F&E Magazine Ad Placement_FNL.indd 1 7/27/15 10:56 AM
4 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
Snapshots of the Event & Arena Marketing Conference, June 10-13, Los Angeles, CA
P h o t o v i e w
Richard Mastroberte, SMG/Osceola Heritage Park, and Mitzi Evans, SMG/Save Mart Center at Fresno State
Tim Linville (left), Director of Sales & Marketing, Chesapeake Energy Arena, and Raziel Cano, Marketing Director, State Farm Arena
Bill Plaschke (left), Los Angeles Times, moderates the Opening Panel with Lee Zeidman (right), President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE.
Shani Tate, VP, Marketing, Communications & Ticketing, Sprint Center
Jason Perry, Dir. of Sales & Marketing, Verizon Wireless Arena, and Cheryl Cohen, Dir. of Marketing, PR & Booking, Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Eric Bresler, AEG Facilities, and Cara Vanderhook, STAPLES Center/Microsoft Theater L.A. LIVE
(L-r): Terry Charles, PMI Entertainment Group/Resch Center, Paula Testin, PMI Entertainment Group/Resch Center, and Terry Dederich, Ford Center
Phil Thompson (left), Marketing Manager, Kansas Expocentre, and McQ Olsen, Marketing Manager, Taco Bell Arena
Lee Zeidman, President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE, displays the 2014-2015 F&EM Booking Guide, whose cover he graces.
EAMC 2015
5Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
CApitol thEAtrE 2015Two classic rock acts sell out historic Port Chester, NY venue
P h o t o v i e w
Liz Roca (left), Director of Arena Marketing, and Jennifer Strum, Director of Business Development, The HEAT Group/AmericanAirlines Arena
Misty Cox, Wright State University Nutter Center, and Bernie Punt, Bryce Jordan Center, who was inducted into the EAMC Hall of Fame this year
Tammy Koolbeck, recently appointed Executive Director, Iowa State Center, and Terry Dederich, Associate Director, Ford Center
(Left): Kelly Hansen, lead singer of Foreigner, performs with the band, Feb. 19. (Above): Steve Winwood on his solo tour, April 24. The 2,000-capacity Capitol Theatre opened in 1926 in Port Chester, located 22 miles outside of New York City. It features a 45 ft. wide-by-30 ft. deep stage, with a ceiling height of 65 ft.
Antho
ny Ap
uzzi (2)
Congratulations To Our 2015 Prime Site Winners
American Bank Center (Corpus Christi, TX)
Blue Cross Arena (Rochester, NY)
BOK Center (Tulsa, OK)
Cabarrus Arena and Events Center (Concord, NC)
CenturyLink Center (Bossier City, LA)
Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, OK)
Coliseo de Puerto Rico (Hato Rey, PR)
DCU Center Arena (Worcester, MA)
Dunkin’ Donuts Center (Providence, RI)
Florence Civic Center (Florence, SC)
Ford Idaho Center (Nampa, ID)
John Paul Jones Arena (Charlottesville, VA)
Laredo Energy Arena (Laredo, TX)
Macon Centreplex Coliseum (Macon, GA)
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (Wilkes Barre, PA)
North Charleston Coliseum (North Charleston, SC)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, NE)
Royal Farms Arena (Baltimore, MD)
Santander Arena (Reading, PA)
Stockton Arena (Stockton, CA)
Times Union Center (Albany, NY)
Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, MI)
Verizon Wireless Arena (Manchester, NH)
Arie Crown Theater (Chicago, IL)
Bellco Theatre (Denver, CO)
James L. Knight Center (Miami, FL)
Saenger Theater (Pensacola, FL)
To inquire about SMG managed facilities call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com
American Bank Center
CenturyLink Center
Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Macon Centreplex Coliseum
Santander Arena
Arie Crown Theater
Blue Cross Arena
Chesapeake Energy Arena
Florence Civic Center Ford Idaho Center
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Stockton Arena
Bellco Theatre
BOK Center
Coliseo de Puerto Rico
John Paul Jones Arena
North Charleston Coliseum
Times Union Center
James L. Knight Center
Cabarrus Arena and Events Center
DCU Center Arena
Laredo Energy Arena
Pinnacle Bank Arena Royal Farms Arena
Van Andel Arena Verizon Wireless Arena
Saenger Theater
Congratulations To Our 2015 Prime Site Winners
American Bank Center (Corpus Christi, TX)
Blue Cross Arena (Rochester, NY)
BOK Center (Tulsa, OK)
Cabarrus Arena and Events Center (Concord, NC)
CenturyLink Center (Bossier City, LA)
Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, OK)
Coliseo de Puerto Rico (Hato Rey, PR)
DCU Center Arena (Worcester, MA)
Dunkin’ Donuts Center (Providence, RI)
Florence Civic Center (Florence, SC)
Ford Idaho Center (Nampa, ID)
John Paul Jones Arena (Charlottesville, VA)
Laredo Energy Arena (Laredo, TX)
Macon Centreplex Coliseum (Macon, GA)
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (Wilkes Barre, PA)
North Charleston Coliseum (North Charleston, SC)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, NE)
Royal Farms Arena (Baltimore, MD)
Santander Arena (Reading, PA)
Stockton Arena (Stockton, CA)
Times Union Center (Albany, NY)
Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, MI)
Verizon Wireless Arena (Manchester, NH)
Arie Crown Theater (Chicago, IL)
Bellco Theatre (Denver, CO)
James L. Knight Center (Miami, FL)
Saenger Theater (Pensacola, FL)
To inquire about SMG managed facilities call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com
American Bank Center
CenturyLink Center
Dunkin’ Donuts Center
Macon Centreplex Coliseum
Santander Arena
Arie Crown Theater
Blue Cross Arena
Chesapeake Energy Arena
Florence Civic Center Ford Idaho Center
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Stockton Arena
Bellco Theatre
BOK Center
Coliseo de Puerto Rico
John Paul Jones Arena
North Charleston Coliseum
Times Union Center
James L. Knight Center
Cabarrus Arena and Events Center
DCU Center Arena
Laredo Energy Arena
Pinnacle Bank Arena Royal Farms Arena
Van Andel Arena Verizon Wireless Arena
Saenger Theater
8 Facilities & event management 2015 superBook
On May 27, representatives from own-er/developers aeg and mgm resorts international hosted a traditional “top-ping out” ceremony to commemorate the installation of the last steel beam used in the construction of the new las vegas arena set to open next spring. mark prows, Senior Vice Presi-dent, Arenas, MGM Resorts Interna-tional, and mark Faber, Senior Vice President, AEG Global Partnerships, congratulated more than 300 union construction and iron workers on the achievement of the latest milestone at the event, which featured a giant crane lifting into place the last of approxi-mately 7,000 individual steel beams with a combined total weight of 7,100 tons. Joining Prows and Faber were Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak; Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow; Monte Thurmond, Project Executive, Hunt-Penta Joint Venture; and Tim Romani, Founder and CEO of project managers ICON Venue Group. The $375 million, 20,000-seat indoor arena is located west of the Las Vegas Strip between new York-new York Hotel & casino and monte carlo Hotel & casino.
• Last month, smg canada and legends global sales, an indus-try leader in naming rights and sponsorship sales, came to terms with canalta for the naming rights of the medicine Hat regional event centre. The venue is now known as the canalta centre. Canalta develops and operates hotels and restaurants throughout Western Canada.
• Per a 10-year partnership agreement between ims arena & Hockey corps. and Flint, MI-based Dort Federal credit union, the perani arena & event center has been renamed Dort Federal credit union events center.
• As of June 30, lp Field, Nashville, TN was renamed nissan stadium, per a new 20-year naming rights agreement between the NFL tennessee titans and nissan north america.
Last month, l.a. live’s 7,100-seat con-cert and special events venue known as Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE was officially renamed microsoft theater. lee Zeidman, President of L.A. LIVE, STAPLES Center and Microsoft Theater, and Jeff Hansen, General Manager, Mi-crosoft, made the announcement. The partnership between AEG, owners and operators of L.A. LIVE, and Microsoft will also include a rebranding of L.A. LIVE's 40,000-sq.-ft. outdoor plaza as microsoft square. Microsoft will contribute cutting-edge technology and
UpFront Venue Watch
expertise to AEG's renovation of Micro-soft Theater that will begin this fall. “We are proud to partner with one of the world's greatest and most recognizable brands,” said Zeidman. “As technology continues to transform the live enter-tainment business, I couldn't think of a better partner to help us create an even better experience for our fans . . . both on the stage and throughout Microsoft Theater.” stew Heathcote, Senior Vice President, AEG Global Partnerships, commented, “Building on their already substantial investment in Los Angeles,
Microsoft's financial and philanthropic commitment, along with the ability to leverage their technology and expertise will make their investment a win for the City, the region and our fans.”
10 Facilities & event management 2015 superBook
On July 8, the City of Davenport, IA City Council approved a new agree-ment with venuWorks for the management and programming of the rivercenter and adler theatre. VenuWorks has been managing these venues since 1998 and will continue with the same staff that is already in place. The company is planning to renovate both buildings of the River-Center in the coming years. See page 20 for an interview with VenuWorks’ President and new CEO.
Venue Watch
River Center (above), Adler Theatre (left).
Leading Edge: executive Director orleans arenaBoth Darren Davis and the arena he oversees can be described as “award winning.” Davis was recognized as one of Las Vegas’ 20 Business Leaders Under Forty in 2010, while the LEED Gold-certified Orleans Arena won IAVM’s “2014 Venue Excellence Award,” as well
as a 2015 F&EM Prime Site Award. Davis’ experience in the live event industry goes back well before he was named Executive Director of the Orleans Arena in June 2008. He assisted in opening the arena in 2003, and before that was involved in the operations and management of many different types of venues, including a riverboat, performing arts theater, arenas and convention facilities. In addition, he was raised in a family that is steeped in the theater business. “My father and mother owned and operated the last traveling vaudeville tent theater in America,” Davis notes. “The Shaffner Players’ Toby & Susie Show toured the United States from the early 1960s through the mid 1980s, when the show finally came to a close. I was on stage from the time I was 3 months old to about the age of 11. I’ve always known that I would end up in some form of live entertainment.”
Was your experience with various types of venues an asset in preparing you to manage the booking and operations of the 9,000-seat orleans arena? When I look back at the venues where I’ve worked and add the traveling tent show experience to that list, it really is amazing what a wide scope of understanding this has given me about our industry. With the tent show, I was able to learn firsthand the logistical challenges of routing a large-scale production from city to city; I’ve learned about maritime operations with my experience on the riverboat; I have worked in both public and privately owned venues; and now I am working for one of the world’s leading gaming companies. Every day, I draw from some past experience to make the present product more effective.
What niche does the arena fill in the las vegas entertainment industry? When we opened this venue 13 years ago, there were already three other arenas in Las Vegas.
Now there are four others and a fifth being built. That’s six arenas in total, all within three miles of each other. Las Vegas is probably the most competitive environment for entertainment in the world. We knew early on after we opened that the one area we couldn’t compete in was music. All of the other venues in town primarily focused on concert programming, so we decided to excel in other areas. Our core competencies include sporting events, family shows and motorsports. However, we’ve also approached agencies about doing tour rehearsals, and this has paid big dividends for us. We recently hosted the pre-tour rehearsal for Kaskade as well as Shania Twain, and we have two other rehearsals in discussion for later this year.
How is business currently trending? Our event counts continue to grow. We are on track to have 275 events at our facility this year. In 2013, we ended the relationship with our ECHL hockey team. This has opened up a number of opportunities for us with new single-day and multi-day bookings.
can you highlight any events that have been especially strong draws? Our most successful event in the history of the venue was the Continental Cup of Curling in January 2014. That event drew over 43,000 people over the four days, setting an all-time attendance record for the sport. Another wildly successful event is the West Coast Conference Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championship. We’ve sold out the event every year since 2009. This fall, we expect similar results from the World Wrestling Championship.
What are some of your keys to establishing strong relationships with promoters? I have been responsible for booking the venue since 2005. Over the past 10 years, I have developed some outstanding relationships with agents, promoters and clients of the facility. Being in Las Vegas has certainly helped in booking the arena. Very little effort has to be made with outbound calls; we get numerous inquiries per week about booking the facility, more than we can actually accommodate. Another great booking resource for us has been our relationship with Venue Coalition. This group has been instrumental in getting us leads on shows and keeping our venue in the forefront of conversations with agents and promoters.
Darren Davis, CFE
UpFront
12 Facilities & event management 2015 superBook
Industry Watch
Last month, comcast spectacor brought its three divisions — global spectrum, ovations Food services and paciolan — under the brand name of spectra. By serving clients as one business, Spectra intends to optimize full-service operations for the good of customers and fans. Comcast Spectacor now consists of three primary businesses: the philadelphia Flyers, Wells Fargo center and the new Spectra. In turn, Spectra consists of three divisions: Venue Management (formerly Global Spectrum), Food Services & Hospitality (formerly Ovations Food Services) and Ticketing & Fan Engagement (formerly Paciolan).
The winners of TheStadiumBusiness awards 2015 were announced on June 10 at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain. Among the 16 award winners (pictured above) was levi’s stadium, recipient of both the venue technology award and venue of the Year award. Judges noted that the new Santa Clara, CA stadium’s WiFi capability is four times that of the minimum standard in the NFL: “The scale and scope of this venue is so impressive and, in particular, its delivery of such a digitally connected and technologically advanced stadium merits Venue of the Year.”
In addition, Feld entertainment’s sydney monster Jam at ANZ Stadium won the guest event of the Year award. Nearly 50,000 fans attended the Oct. 18, 2014 Monster Jam show in Sydney, and nearly 150,000 fans in total attended one of the four cities (Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney) on the 2014 Monster Jam Australian Tour. “If you’ve ever been to a Monster Jam show, you’ll know the electric atmosphere that it creates,” the panel noted. “Now roaring into more stadiums around the world than ever, this Award is in recognition of Monster Jam’s work promoting stadi-ums as an entertainment destination.”
TheSTadiumBuSineSS aWarDs 2015 Winners
venue oF tHe Year Levi’s Stadium, USAsports event oF tHe Year MLB at Sydney Cricket Ground, Australiaguest event oF tHe Year Monster Jam at ANZ Stadium, AustraliaeXecutive oF tHe Year Thomas Perslund, CEO, Friends Arena, Swedenunsung Hero Keith Gallis, Seagulls Travel & Matchday Travel, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, UKFan eXperience aWarD FC Union Berlin’s “Bring your Sofa,” GermanysaFetY & securitY Croke Park Stadium’s “Certified Safety Management,” IrelandproDuct innovation Avaya Stadium’s “First Cloud-Enabled MLS Sports Venue” by Avaya, USAsustainaBilitY Hampden Park: Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games “Avoiding the Impact of a New Stadium,” UKinDustrY supplier Green 4 Solutions, UKrising star aWarD Tom Gorringe, Marketing Manager, Brighton & Hove Albion, UKproJect oF tHe Year Sydney Cricket Ground’s “New MA Noble, Don Bradman, Dally Messenger Stands,” AustraliaoutstanDing acHievement Denise Barrett Baxendale, CEO Everton in the Community and Deputy CEO, Everton FC, UKneW venue aWarD Groupama Arena, Hungaryvenue tecHnologY aWarD Levi’s Stadium, USApremium seat aWarD EverBank Field Poolside Cabanas, USA
palace sports & entertainment and the Detroit pistons have entered into two new partnerships. The first is with FanDuel, a leader in one-day fantasy sports. Elements of the partnership in-clude assigning FanDuel as the “Official Fantasy Gaming Partner” of the Pistons and the exclusive naming rights to Club 300 at The Palace. FanDuel will also present “FanDuel Friday’s” theme night for Friday home games. Fans will enjoy the entire Palace experience during Pistons games and will receive exclusive FanDuel promo codes for the opportunity for VIP experiences at the following “FanDuel Friday.”
The second partnership is with comcast to distribute and host selected multimedia non-game con-tent on Comcast’s local origination channel, CN900, and on their Get Local Video on Demand platform. On June 27, over one million XFINITY® subscribers in Michigan were able to see The Courtside Show featuring Pistons radio play-by-play announcers Mark Champion and Rick Mahorn broadcast live on Comcast CN900. In addition, Comcast now hosts a wide variety of Pistons video content on XFINITY’s Get Local Video-on-Demand platform in Michigan.
UpFront
A Perfect Circle Anne Murray Amy Grant Ani DiFranco B.B. King Ben HarperBlue Man Group Blues Traveler Bob Dylan Carlos Mencia Chicago Chris Tomlin Daniel Tosh Dave Chappelle Dave Matthews Emerson Lake & Palmer Experience HendrixFitz & the Tantrums Gabriel Iglesias George Carlin George Clinton & The P-Funk All StarsGlen Campbell Government Mule Harry Connick, Jr. Indigo Girls Jackson Browne Jars of Clay Jason Mraz Joe Bonamassa John Prine Jonny Lang Kathy Griffin Lorie LineLyle Lovett Mannheim Steamroller Matchbox 20 Melissa Etheridge Mercy MeMichael W. Smith moe. Moody Blues Motley Crue Natalie Merchant O.A.R.Pearl Jam Prairie Home Companion Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Green Rick SpringfieldRockapella Rodney Carrington Ron White Ryan Adams Santana Sarah McLachlan Second City Touring Co. Sheryl Crow Smashing Pumpkins Steven Curtis Chapman Third DayTori Amos Tracy Chapman Weird Al Yankovic Widespread Panic Willie Nelson
For booking information on 2,700-seatStephens Auditorium, contact
In partnership with Levy Restaurants, the Georgia World Congress Center debuted the Southern Roots Café on April 21. Featuring posters of Georgia-born musicians and a soundtrack of their compositions, the café offers Southern-influenced favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Items include Georgia Peach Crisp, Barbecue Chicken Flatbread, produce provided by Georgia’s Mercier Farms, and local Sweetwater and Terrapin Beer.
On June 1, scotiabank centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, announced centerplate as the new concessions ser-vices partner. Centerplate will introduce new options, including local food and healthy alternatives while con-tinuing to provide traditional favorites. The transition will take place throughout the summer.
• palace sports & entertainment recently part-nered with replyBuy, a sports and entertainment technology company that offers instant mobile purchasing functionality to simplify the ticket-buying process for fans. Palace Sports & Entertainment is reportedly the first organization to sign on with the Arizona-based company to use the technology to sell concert tickets at their venues (the palace of auburn Hills, Dte energy music theatre and meadow Brook music Festival) after having success as the first NBA team to use the platform during the 2014-‘15 Pistons season.
• In May, ticketmaster entered into a multiyear agreement with Boise state university to ticket Boise state athletics, taco Bell arena and the morrison center. Boise State joins a growing number of colleges and universities utilizing the Ticketmaster platform.
• outbox aXs, founded in 2011 by partners aeg, cirque du soleil and industry veteran Jean-Fran-coys Brousseau, merged with veritix, a leading innovator in digital ticketing, event marketing and relationship management applications. “This partner-ship is about more than ticketing,” said Bryan perez, President & CEO, Outbox AXS. “It’s about com-bining the best technology and services to create the only platform in the industry that engages with consumers beyond ticketing through every phase of the event lifecycle.”
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS Share the Excitement at MTS Centre
Now booking for the historic Burton Cummings Theatre
MTSCENTRE.CA • BURTONCUMMINGSTHEATRE.CA
1415EVNT-MTSC-01 - F&E Management Ad 8_125x10_875.indd 1 2015-07-02 12:33 PM
EvansvillE, inaerosmith played to a sold-out crowd at the Ford Center on June 24 and were awarded a Sold Out Plaque by Ford Center man-agement. (L-r): Ben Bolander, VenuWorks; Tom Hamilton; Joey Kramer; Joe Perry; Steven Tyler; Scott Schoenike, Executive Director; Terry Dederich, Associate Director of Sales and Marketing; and Brad Whitford. See page 22 for a feature on the Ford Center.
indianapolis, in(Above): On March 20, Bankers Life Fieldhouse was the site of Winter Jam 2015 featuring Christian rock band Skillet. Prior to the show, arena staff welcomed guests from Premier Productions, newsong and Jamnation. Front row (l-r): Eddie Carswell, NewSong member and WinterJam creator; Marty Bechtold, Booking Director, Live Nation Arenas and Bankers Life Fieldhouse; and Gary Gentry, Owner, Premier Produc-tions. Back row (l-r): Rich Kapp, VP, Pacers Sports & Enter-tainment; Paul Hendrix, Tour Manager; Roy Morgan, Owner, Premier Productions; Ashley Morgan, Assistant Tour Manager; Laurie Cleveland, Assistant Tour Accountant; Deanna Car-swell, JamNation Coordinator; Jake Carswell, Tour Producer; and Mike Deckard, Tour Accountant.
atlantic city, nJ(Above): Global Spectrum staff present Florida Georgia Line with a hand-painted tin from James Fudge prior to their show at Boardwalk hall in Atlan-tic City on May 8. Pictured with the band are Fran Rodowicz, General Manager; Rick Powell, Assistant Ops Manager; Elizabeth Marmo, Marketing Manager; and Erin Bilton, Director of Marketing, Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall and Convention Center.
GrEEnsboro, ncKenny Chesney in concert at the Greensboro Coliseum, April 16. For updates on the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, see the Carolinas Spotlight, page 82.
MTS’s Omega Series is the benchmark by which stackable banquet seating is measured, with over 3 million purchased in the last decade.
The CF582 is the ultimate in comfort and function, with a standard, patented COMFORTflex® back, contoured COMFORTweb® seat and premium metal based glides, and is stackable up to 12 chairs high.
DCU CENTER - 14,800 seat arena50,000 sq. ft of continous exhibit space
Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts - 2,300 seats
20 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
VenuWorks has certainly “come a long way” since 1996, when Steve Peters founded the company after parting ways with Ogden
Entertainment, a leading venue management firm at the time. Peters had been serving as Vice President with Ogden, overseeing most of its municipal and university accounts across 20 markets from Alaska to Florida. But his launch of Compass Facility Management, later to become VenuWorks, was certainly a case of modest beginnings. “I started in my basement in my house and began bidding on some business, picking up just enough to keep going and off we went,” Peters recalls. The operation proved to be a trailblazer in the private management of publically owned venues, and today VenuWorks manages more than 50 facilities. Most recently, the Ames, IA-based company has entered into a five-year agreement to oversee the Iowa State Center effective Aug. 1. Also in August, Peters will be at VenueConnect in Baltimore to receive IAVM’s Charles A. McElravy Award for lifetime achievement in the field.
Yet neither Peters nor VenuWorks is resting on any laurels. In the following interview, Peters discuss the imperative to continuing innovating and staying on top of the latest trends in venue management. Being successful in that regard means hiring forward-thinking talent to work with clients, and the company recently welcomed George Wood as its first CEO. Wood has worked for Live Nation/Ticketmaster for the last 18 years, most recently as Senior Vice President. In addition, VenuWorks has brought on John Gimenez as Vice President of Event Programming and Content (see sidebar, facing page).
In trying to ensure the success of a broad spectrum of clients, what stands out to you as a modern-day challenge for arenas and theaters? Peters: It’s certainly a much more fragmented market today. You can’t just buy an ad on a TV show where you think there’s a demographic that fits your market and hope that you’re reaching a majority of the market. People are watching their iPads and mobiles, and they’re listening to music from multiple sources, not just the top rock station in the marketplace. So with technology there are constantly new opportunities, new channels, new means of reaching people.
How has food & beverage service trended over the last 20 years? Peters: When I was with Ogden Entertainment back in 1990 and we opened the Target Center in Minneapolis, I think we broke new ground in offering salads and healthy alternatives to the typical concession stand fare. That didn’t last too long; people wouldn’t buy it in those days. We were really ahead of our time. Today, we have to be able to offer those organic and farm-to-market alternatives.
Can you relate one example of a VenuWorks success story, where the company significantly improved the performance of a facility?Peters: We took over management of the Toyota Arena in Kennewick, WA, which had been running over a $1 million a year deficit, and we’ve been able to bring a lot more new business to it. We enhanced the facility itself and brought the F&B operations in house under us, making it a much more profitable operation. Today it’s close to a break-even proposition for the city of Kennewick.
Steve PeterSFounder and PreSident, venuWorkS
GeorGe WoodCeo, venuWorkS
S t a t e o f t h e I n d u S t r y
venuWorkS: StayinG vitalGrowth-minded company heads into its 20th year
with a new CEO
In Conversation With . . .
By George Seli
“When I was with Ogden Entertainment back in 1990, I think we broke new ground in offering salads and healthy alternatives to the typical concession stand fare. That didn’t last too long; people wouldn’t buy it in those days. We were really ahead of our time.”
—Steve Peters
21Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
Is the company entering any new areas of the live events industry?Peters: We have theaters where we produce a Broadway series where we’re the presenters. And in the Longacre Theatre in New York City, for example, we’re a co-producer with other investors to mount a show that displayed on Broadway. Hopefully someday soon the work we’re doing for touring shows will yield results where we’re putting more and more shows into our theaters.
VenuWorks has not had a CEO position in the past. Why now? Peters: We have the size and scope now where I think we need a CEO, and I’m at a point in my career where I would like to spend my time on developing new business, new content and new venues. And that’s becoming more complicated. You start in the development of a venue oftentimes by finding funding and designers and land. It isn’t just bidding on an RFP anymore. In order to be able to do all that and still make sure we’re fulfilling the needs of our clients, we need more help, and that’s why we’re hiring George.
What assets and abilities does he bring to the position?Peters: With Ticketmaster he oversaw multiple locations spread out over a large geographic area where you had to be concerned about providing top-notch services, and supervising and hiring personnel, which is much of what we do.
Wood: In my most recent history with Ticketmaster I was responsible for their core business, generally speaking east of the Mississippi. So I’m used to managing people remotely and serving clients remotely, although I’ll be on the road plenty as well. In the next 90-100 days I’m going to be meeting with all of our venues and employees.
Peters: Also, George brings a different perspective that I think is going to be a big help to us. Most of the people in our organization previously have come up through venue operations and venue management.
Wood: I’ve been a promoter and in the ticketing industry. I’m excited about staying in the same industry, but developing a new perspective, the venue perspective.
George, what enthuses you about VenuWorks as a company and corporate culture?Wood: As a manager my No. 1 desire is to have people care. If you care about what you do and the quality of your response to life and work, I can work with you. And that’s what comes across with VenuWorks; they truly care about their clients. In addition, it’s very much a family atmosphere. I hope to fit that, and hope to lead this great group of people to success because I had such enjoyment doing the same at Ticketmaster.
Can the industry expect new venue management ideas from your team in the future?Wood: I’m excited to work with Steve to formulate innovations that will help our clients grow, and thereby help VenuWorks grow.
Peters: We need to innovate just in order to maintain and not be floating backwards. I’m certainly not the first person to say this, but we have to be looking at the whole fan experience, from the way they acquire their ticket, to the way they get to the venue, to the way they get to their seat and buy their food and souvenirs. It’s also about how they experience the event with their friends, in person, online, and digitally through social media.
George Wood
venuWorkS aPPointS SeaSoned aGent and talent BuyerJohn Gimenez will begin his new position as VenuWorks’ Vice President of Event Programming and Content on July 6. Gimenez joins VenuWorks after working as an agent with the agency Group, aPa and WMe in Nashville. He most recently worked at ace theatrical Group in Houston, where he was responsible for talent buying and promotion for all genres of entertainment.
“John’s years of experience at WME and The Agency Group will be invaluable to us as we redouble our efforts to drive content to our venues,” said Steve Peters, Founder and President of VenuWorks. “His nearly two decades of agent employment in Nashville has provided him with the experience to help our booking network grow and be more effective.”
Gimenez is a member of International Association of Fairs & Expositions, International Entertainment Buyers Association, The Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
ioWa State Center’S neW exeCutive direCtor
Tammy Koolbeck, CFE will be the new Executive Director for the Iowa State Center. VenuWorks assumes management of the Center on Aug. 1 and Koolbeck begins in her new position on Aug. 10.
“We are delighted to have Tammy coming to Ames and the Iowa State Center. Her approach to working with clients and facility staff will work very well with the operations of these venues and our plans moving
forward,” said Steve Peters, Founder and President of VenuWorks. “We will miss her leadership at the corporate office, yet are excited about this opportunity for her.”
Koolbeck has served VenuWorks in the corporate office for the last 10 years, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer/Senior Vice President. Prior to joining the VenuWorks corporate staff, she served as Assistant Executive Director of Marketing and Programming for the u.S. Cellular Center arena/Paramount theatre and General Manager of the Cedar rapids Ice arena.
She has been honored by the Event and Arena Marketing Conference with the Gigi Award of Excellence, the highest honor awarded by the group, and is currently serving as the Program Chair for IAVM’s annual conference, VenueConnect.
The Ford Center in Evansville, IN will mark its fourth-year anniversary this November, but as a well-conceived and designed replacement for the 55-year-old Roberts Stadium, it did not need that long to prove itself a success in the local market. Patrons quickly took a shine to
the thoroughly modern facility, observes Scott Schoenike, Executive Director for the Ford Center and accompanying Victory Theatre, both managed by VenuWorks. “People that remember seeing their first basketball game at Roberts Stadium are now making new memories. Now they’re talking about the new building,” says Schoenike. “I always equate it to buying a new car: I loved that old car, but boy this new one is nice.”
The “new car” is certainly performing: The Ford Center has been drawing ticket buyers from over 20 miles out, and has made major strides in diversifying the local live music scene beyond country and heartland rock acts such as Bob Seger. Hard rock, for example, can apparently be quite a draw in Evansville and the region. Aerosmith sold out its June 24 show in the first 24 hours. “And most of the tickets were priced at about $145, so concert-goers here will pay what the ‘going rate’ is in today’s world,” Schoenike notes. The Aerosmith sellout helped paved the way for the Ford Center to book Motley Crüe for Oct. 10. “Prior to Aerosmith, we’ve done well with rock acts like Styx and Halestorm in the Victory Theatre, showing that we can do more than pop or country,” he adds.
Schoenike’s team is also very proactive in trying to introduce new acts and genres to Evansville by buying shows in under-served entertainment markets where “maybe the profit mar-gins aren’t sufficient for a promoter to get involved,” he says. “So we ask our VenuWorks Diversity Council what kinds of
22 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
Evansville’s state-of-the-art arena proves its value proposition
By George Seli
Editor’s note: This story is a follow up to our coverage of the Ford Center in the 2012-2013 F&EM Booking Guide.
Revisiting the
FordCenter
23Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
Aerosmith play to a sold-out Ford Center on June 24.
a good building to play in.” In addition, Ticketmaster has used the Ford Center as a beta data site several times. “Tick-etmaster feels it’s a good venue to test things out in. I have a good box office staff and one that they trust, so they roll us out on select-a-seat mobile delivery and inventory control on Ticketmaster ONE and some of their reporting.”
Schoenike himself has well-founded trust in his staff, which has seen minimal turnover since the venue opened.
acts they would like to see here, and we help bring those shows to Evansville.” The city also has the advantage of being able to host acts both large and small. With the state-of-the-art, 11,000-seat Ford Center and historic, 1,950-seat Victory Theatre to offer touring acts, Schoenike’s team has more opportunities to discuss with promoters. “When you call a promoter or an agent, you’re talking about shows that may or may not happen [at either venue], but you’re getting in that conversation and staying in their minds,” he explains.
Upgrades and new features also help keep a venue in the minds of promoters and fans alike. While the Ford Center staff has begun consider-ation of such projects, the nearly 4-year-old building is still avant-garde and “goes head to head” with the newer arenas that have opened, Schoenike feels. The Silver LEED-certified arena offers fans 16 20-per-son suites and one 40-person suite, four mini suites and 95 main concourse loge seats; each premium seat has its own TV and in the future will also have an iPad with Internet access. Premium seating may be increased in the future due to high demand, Schoenike says. Fans also have the conve-nience of ordering concessions via smart-phone with the Bypass Lane System, and can enjoy a full bar and gourmet deli sand-wiches at the 100-capacity Corner Club, located on the plaza. Touring acts have 20,000 sq. ft. of arena floor space that can be modified for concerts, basketball, hockey, rodeos and a variety of other events. Rigging capacity is 180,000 lbs. In addition, “we have great acoustics as we have invested a lot of money into that feature,” he says. It speaks to the quality of the Ford Center’s acoustics that many bands, including Aerosmith and Miranda Lambert, have chosen to use the facility to rehearse. “We actually don’t have enough available dates for the groups asking to rehearse here and then do a concert afterwards,” Schoenike says. “But I think that [bands’ interest] is definitely a good sign. They know it’s
24 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
“Prior to Aerosmith at the Ford Center, we’ve done well with rock acts like Styx and Halestorm in the Victory Theatre, showing that we can do more than pop or country.”
– Scott SchoenikeExecutive Director, Ford Center & Victory Theatre
Kenny Chesney’s The Big Revival Tour, June 4, 2015
“Basically I’ve lost four people, and three of them trans-ferred up within VenuWorks this year. Other than that I pretty much have my original staff. That makes my job so much easier. Staff operations can be fine-tuned rather than having new members learn the ropes,” he relates. Several years after the Ford Center’s opening, Schoenike’s role has expanded beyond the arena into the community. “The first two years in a new building you’re very opera-tions minded, but the next couple years you’re becoming more of a political figure,” he observes. His team is cur-rently assisting with several city projects, such as im-proving the concessions service at Mesker Park Zoo and consulting with the convention and visitors bureau on a recently opened ballpark complex and its operational effi-ciency. The neighborhood around the Ford Center contin-ues to develop with a new Indiana University, University of Evansville and Ivy Tech Community College medical
campus adjacent to the arena. Breaking ground in the fall, the medical school will include housing and thereby augment the younger demographic near the arena. “In the next year or two the downtown pedestrian area will look completely different,” says Schoenike. “[The project] will bring in more restaurants and bars, making this an active area that medical students will want to live in.”
It is fitting that the neighborhood is becoming increas-ingly gentrified and even trendy, as the Ford Center itself remains an example of the “next generation” of secondary-market arenas. In the words of VenuWorks Founder and President Steve Peters, who oversees more than 50 facili-ties: “They make great use of a lot of new technology, from their food service to their ticketing and signage, and have an [innovative] approach to sponsorship development. I think they’re groundbreaking and have a great team there.”
25Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superBook
WWE Smack Down, May 12, 2015
Evansville’s Center for Sports &
Entertainment
FORD CENTER• Located in Evansville, Indiana• Capacity of up to 11,000 seats• Curtain system for multiple seating
configurations• Proud to host all these concerts during
our 2014-2015 twelve month season: Judas Priest, Casting Crowns, Eric Church, Kenny Rogers, Miranda Lambert, Winter Jam, Luke Bryan, Theresa Caputo, O.A.R., Volbeat, Kenny Chesney, Aerosmith, Boston, Motley Crue.
For Booking information contact: Scott Schoenike812.436.7151 [email protected]
www.thefordcenter.com
fordcenterevansville
@thefordcenter
ViCTORy ThEaTRE• Located in Evansville, Indiana• Capacity of up to 1950 seats• Banquet Hall• Conference Room• Second floor mezzanine which can
accommodate up to 180 guests
Competition can be a good thing, and
there is plenty of it among today’s live entertain-ment venues. With new facilities recently opened or soon to debut in several markets, competition for touring shows and fans is inceasing. Recent entrants to the U.S. arena market include Levi’s Stadium and Alaska Airlines Center, while U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and Las Vegas Arena are both expected to open next year. In addition, Fort Worth, TX, will be home to a new 12,000-14,000-seat multipurpose arena by 2019.
With more players in the market, venues increas-ingly need to distinguish themselves in the eyes of agents and promoters. Invariably, they will up the ante with facility improve-ments and staff hires to optimize service to both acts and patrons. Our 2015 Prime Site Award winners have stayed ahead of the curve and impressed our readership of industry pro-fessionals enough to garner
their vote. Such recognition from clients and peers is truly meaningful, and will be a valu-able distinction in this competitive industry. F&EM congratulates this year’s winners.
2015 Prime Site Awards
@AIRCANADACENTRE
Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Mid-AtlanticJohn Paul Jones Arena,
Charlottesville, VA Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore, MDTed Constant Convocation Center,
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VAVerizon Center,
Washington, DC
SoutheastAmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FLAmway Center, Orlando, FLBancorpsouth Center, Tupelo, MSBankUnited Center at the University
of Miami, Miami FLBJCC Arena, Birmingham, ALBridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
NortheastBarclays Center, Brooklyn, NYBlue Cross Arena, Rochester, NYCONSOL Energy Center,
Pittsburgh, PADCU Center Arena, Worcester, MA Dunkin’ Donuts Center,
Providence, RIMadison Square Garden,
New York, NYMassMutual Center, Springfield, MAMohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza,
Wilkes Barre, PAMullins Center,
University of MA AmherstPrudential Center, Newark, NJRyan Center,
University of Rhode Island, KingstonSantander Arena, Reading, PA Times Union Center, Albany, NYTsongas Center at UMass Lowell,
Philips Arena, Atlanta, GASaenger Theater, Pensacola, FL The Arena at Gwinnett Center,
Duluth, GAThe Straz Center for the Performing
Arts, Tampa, FLTime Warner Cable Arena,
Charlotte, NC
Midwest
Adler Theatre, Davenport, IAAllen County War Memorial Coliseum,
Fort Wayne, INAmes Center, Burnsville, MNArie Crown Theater, Chicago, ILBankers Life Fieldhouse,
Indianapolis, IN
Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, Concord, NC
CenturyLink Center, Bossier City, LAColonial Life Arena, University of
South Carolina, ColumbiaCrown Complex, Fayetteville, NCFlorence Civic Center, Florence, SCGreensboro Coliseum Complex,
Greensboro, NCJames L. Knight Center, Miami, FL KFC YUM! Center, Louisville, KYThe Lakeland Center, Lakeland, FL
30 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superbook
Prime Site Award-winning Macon Centreplex Coliseum
Prime Site Award-winning Morris Performing Arts Center (SuperBook Directory: p. 54)
Prime Site Award-winning Straz Center for the Performing Arts (SuperBook Directory: p. 44)
Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners
U.S. Cellular Arena, Milwaukee, WIVan Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA
WestAmerican Airlines Center, Dallas, TXAmerican Bank Center,
Corpus Christi, TXASU Gammage, Tempe, AZAT&T Center, San Antonio, TXBellco Theatre, Denver, CO BOK Center, Tulsa, OKBudweiser Events Center,
Loveland, COChesapeake Energy Arena,
Oklahoma City, OKCullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX
Fair Park, Dallas, TXFord Idaho Center, Nampa, ID Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TXGrand Canyon University Arena,
Phoenix, AZ
Bridge View Center, Ottumwa, IAFord Center, Evansville, INHartman Arena, Park City, KSHoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, IAi Wireless Center, Moline, ILMorris Performing Arts Center,
South Bend, INNutter Center at Wright State
University, Dayton, OHParamount Theater,
Cedar Rapids, IAPinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE Rushmore Civic Center Plaza Arena,
Rapid City, SDSanford Center, Bemidji, MNScottrade Center, St. Louis, MOSears Centre Arena,
Hoffman Estates, ILShow Me Center, Cape Girardeau, MOSprint Center, Kansas City, MOSwiftel Center, Brookings, SDUnited Wireless Arena,
Dodge City, KS
32 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superbook
Prime Site Award-winning Fair Park
Prime Site Award-winning U.S. Cellular Arena
Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners
For booking information on the Greensboro Colieum and Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, please contact: Scott Johnson • Phone: 336.373.7449 • E-mail: [email protected], or Gerry Duncan • Phone: 336.373.7459 • E-mail: [email protected]: www.GreensboroColiseum.com & www.WakeForestSports.com/ljvm
• Full Seating Capacity: 22,000
• End-stage Seating Capacity: 14,000
• Under Curtain Seating Capacity: 7,000
• Special Events Center Capacity: 5,000
• War Memorial Auditorium Seating Capacity: 2,516
• White Oak Amphitheatre Seating Capacity: 7,061
Lawrence Joel Veterans MemorialColiseum
CSA: Greensboro | Winston-Salem |High PointThe Piedmont Triad of Central North CarolinaCSA Population: 1,611,243Ranking: 33rd largest CSA Metro in the USA20 Colleges & Universities in 12Counties
For booking information on the Greensboro Colieum and Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, please contact: Scott Johnson • Phone: 336.373.7449 • E-mail: [email protected], or Gerry Duncan • Phone: 336.373.7459 • E-mail: [email protected]: www.GreensboroColiseum.com & www.WakeForestSports.com/ljvm
• Full Seating Capacity: 22,000
• End-stage Seating Capacity: 14,000
• Under Curtain Seating Capacity: 7,000
• Special Events Center Capacity: 5,000
• War Memorial Auditorium Seating Capacity: 2,516
• White Oak Amphitheatre Seating Capacity: 7,061
Lawrence Joel Veterans MemorialColiseum
CSA: Greensboro | Winston-Salem |High PointThe Piedmont Triad of Central North CarolinaCSA Population: 1,611,243Ranking: 33rd largest CSA Metro in the USA20 Colleges & Universities in 12Counties
Play Central North Carolina
Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners
US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZWorld Arena, Colorado Springs, COXFINITY Arena, Everett, WA
CanadaAir Canada Centre, Toronto, OntarioBC Place, Vancouver, BCBudweiser Gardens, London, OntarioCanadian Tire Centre, Kanata, OntarioFirstOntario Centre,
Hamilton, OntarioGeneral Motors Centre,
Oshawa, Ontario
MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Puerto RicoColiseo de Puerto Rico,
Hato Rey, PR
Laredo Energy Arena, Laredo, TXLloyd Noble Center, Norman, OKOrleans Arena, Las Vegas, NVPeery’s Egyptian Theater, Ogden, UTRabobank Arena, Bakersfield, CASanta Ana Star Center,
Rio Rancho, NMSAP Center, San Jose, CASTAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CAState Farm Arena, Hidalgo, TXStockton Arena, Stockton, CA Taco Bell Arena at Boise State
Air Canada Centre ................................. 78
Canadian Tire Centre ............................ 78
Coliseo de Puerto Rico ......................... 78
The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre ...................... 78
Hershey Centre ...................................... 78
MTS Centre ............................................ 78
SiteS & CitieS DireCtory A-Z by region
37Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
the northeast
Blue Cross Arena1 War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY 14614(585) 758-5300; Fax: (585) 758-5327bluecrossarena.comSMG General Manager: Jeff Calkins
Serving the Rochester market since 1955, the SMG-managed Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial has hosted acts as diverse as Ringling Brothers, Barry Manilow, Harlem Globetrotters and Monster Jam. The arena offers seating for 12,428 (upper bowl, 6,052; lower bowl, 4,696; floor, 1,680) and has a maximum capacity of 14,000 for general admission. Rolling 80 ft.-by-80 ft. StageRight concert stage with adjustable 4 ft. to 6 ft. height. Backstage areas include three locker rooms, four dressing rooms, an officials room and a green room. A promoters’ office of about 10 ft. by 25 ft. is available. The Blue Cross Arena is also known for the War Memorial shrine, accessible to the public, and the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza overlooking the Genesee River.
The 14,000-seat Dunkin’ Donuts Center, part of the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex, offers 31,000 sq. ft. of arena space with a ceiling height of 86 ft., a 25,000-sq.-ft. concourse, a 9,000-sq.-ft. lobby and 20 luxury suites. Concerts (various configurations) – 3,500-14,000; basketball – 12,100; ice hockey – 11,300; family ice show – 7,400; ice show – 10,800. 60-ft.-by-40 ft. StageRight portable staging; 200 ft.-by-85 ft. ice rink. Six dressing/locker rooms; two media rooms; two production offices. Eleven permanent, 24 portable concession stands. Twenty-five percent of U.S. population lives within 500 miles of Providence. Over 38,000 students annually within a five-mile radius of downtown.
rhode islaNd
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Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza255 Highland Park Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702(570) 970-7600; Fax: (570) 970-7601mohegansunarenapa.comGeneral Manager: Rebecca Bonnevier
Home to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, the SMG-managed Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza has played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Elton John, Cher, Neil Diamond, The Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel. End stage 360° – 8,930-9,100; center stage – 9,809-9,985; half house end stage – 4,227-4,575; one third house end stage – 3,421-3,481. 200 ft.-by-85 ft. hockey rink. StageRight decks and legs, 80 ft. by 48 ft. max. Four locker rooms, three dressing rooms, four additional multipurpose rooms. Thirty luxury suites, 624 club seats.
peNNsYlvaNia
DCU Center50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608(508) 755-6800; Fax: (508) 929-0111www.dcucenter.comGeneral Manager (Arena Bookings): Sandra DunnNew England’s Premier Arena & Convention ComplexFor over three decades, the DCU Center in Worcester has been recognized as the gathering place for people to experience the finest in entertainment, sporting events and public functions. Capacities: 240° end stage concert, 11,625; 360° end stage concert, 14,526; 180° end stage w/curtains, 5,460 (expandable up to 9,915). Backstage areas: four large rooms with showers, two medium rooms, one small room, production room, catering room, meeting room, officials locker room. Located in the heart of Massachusetts, Worcester is New England’s second-largest city, located 40 miles west of Boston.
Times Union Center51 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207(518) 487-2000timesunioncenter-albany.comGeneral Manager: Bob BelberUpstate New York’s Premier Sports and Entertainment FacilityOwned by Albany County and managed by SMG, Times Union Center opened in 1990 and is home to the Albany Devils of AHL hockey and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. The arena has hosted such prestigious artists as Rolling Stones, U2, Eric Clapton, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith. Curtaining system allows capacity to be adjusted between 6,000 and 17,000. New seats, ribbon boards and a brand new center hung video score-board equipped with led boards. Backstage areas include three team-size locker rooms and seven star dressing rooms. The arena draws patrons from all over New York as well as Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
New York
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Verizon Wireless Arena555 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101(603) 644-5000verizonwirelessarena.com
The City of Manchester, NH opened the SMG operated Verizon Wireless Arena in 2001. The arena can accommodate a center-stage concert of more than 11,000 attendees as well as a theater-style performance for 2,500. The venue has featured such prestigious artists as Bruno Mars, Dave Mathews, Elton John, Cher, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, to name a few. Six dressing rooms/team locker rooms and five production rooms round out backstage with the ability to configure to most staging needs. Take the versatile design of the arena, a successful hockey franchise in the Manchester Monarchs and a state that loves entertainment and you have the perfect stop for any tour.
New haMpshire
20 Facilities SuperBook 2009The Northeast
DUNKIN’ DONUTSCENTEROne LaSalle SquareProvidence, RI 02903(401) 331-0700; (401) 621-5987www.dunkindonutscenter.comGeneral Manager: Lawrence Lepore
Snapshot: The Dunkin’ Donuts Centeris a multi-purpose indoor sports andentertainment venue located in theheart of Providence, RI, and is home icefor the AHL Providence Bruins andhome-court for the Big East ProvidenceCollege Men’s Basketball Team. TheFacility has recently undergone an $80-million Renovation which was complet-ed the fall of ’08.Capacities: 13,000 seating; ConcertHall 3,500-6,000.Exhibition Space: Arena Floor:31,000 GSF; Exhibition Hall: 15,000GSF; Additional event level hospitali-ty/exhibit space: 4,000 GSF;Concourse: 25,000 GSF; Box OfficeLobby/Receiving Area: 9,000 GSF
Restaurant and adjacent hospitalityrooms: 6,000 GSF.Staging: 40’ wide by 60’ deep stage,with a 5’ 4” standard height; configura-tions can be customized.Lighting: Standard Quartz andHalogen lighting around the arenabowl.Backstage Areas: 2 Star DressingRooms, 2 locker rooms, 1 adjoininglocker room and 2 Home Team lockerrooms.Food & Beverage: 8 permanent concession stands, 5 portables, luxurysuites, loges, hospitality rooms and a restaurant.Audience Amenities: New state-of-the-art Daktronics video scoreboard.Marketing: Full-service, in-housedepartment offering coordination ofevent marketing campaigns includingadvertising production, media place-ment, media and retail promotions,sponsorships, group sales and publicrelations.Demographics: More than 400,000households; 9 colleges/universities;Boston is 45 miles away and Hartford,Conn. is 61 miles away.See ad on page 18
RHODE ISLAND
GIANT CENTER550 West Hersheypark DriveHershey, PA 17033(717) 534-3911; Fax: (717) 534-8996www.giantcenter.netComplex Managing Director, EventBookings, Ticketing, and Marketing:Vikki Hultquist
A Sweet Place to Play!Snapshot: The GIANT Center, astate-of-the-art arena, opened its doorsin October of 2002, with a performanceby Cher. From that moment, GIANTCenter has been the area’s leadingsports and entertainment venue.GIANT Center is also home to theAHL Hershey Bears. Because of theconstant support of its many fans,GIANT Center continues to be rankedas one of world’s best concert venues inBillboard and Pollstar. Located just min-utes from GIANT Center is the 1,928-seat Hershey Theatre.Capacities: 12,500 (in-the-round concerts); 10,000 (end staging);10,500 (hockey).
Exhibition Space: 306,000 sq. ft.Backstage Areas: 5 team rooms, pro-duction room, 2 management rooms, 2star dressing rooms, catering room.Staging: 100 pieces of 4’ x 8’ decking,variable configurations, with Black TechStage/Gray carpet surfaces—Max size80’ x 40’, adjustable heights from 48” –72” in 2” increments, Black skirting,Front of house mix in 4’ x 8’ x 6”, 12”,24” Wenger decks; Video Board; Centerhung scoreboard by Whiteway SignCompany; north/south building matrixboards; Mitsubishi Diamond VisionLeader board.Broadcast: In-house video control w/full edit/studio control; 125 TVs locatedthroughout arena; Radio broadcastthroughout; 15 media bulkhead loca-tions all patchable through centralinterconnect room on the first level; 10camera positions.Food & Beverage: 13 ConcessionsStands, 7 Portable, Bar and ClubLounge.Demographics: The Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York market isfamily oriented with a strong household income.See ad on page 19
PENNSYLVANIA
VERIZON WIRELESSARENA555 Elm StreetManchester, NH 03101(603) 644-5000; Fax: (603) 644-1575Regional General Manager: Tim Bechertwww.verizonwirelessarena.com
New Hampshire’s Premier Sports &Entertainment FacilitySnapshot: New Hampshire’s premiersports and entertainment facility, theVerizon Wireless Arena, managed bySMG, has attracted more than 4.4 millionpeople, hosted more than 830 sports andentertainment events, including more than120 sold out shows, since opening sevenyears ago. The arena was designed toaccommodate a wide variety of events—including concerts, wrestling, figure skat-ing, hockey, basketball, family shows, aswell as convention and trade shows.Capacities: Center Stage in the round–11,700; End Stage (360) – 10,655; EndStage (270) – 9,337; End Stage (240) –8,931; End Stage (180) – 8,536;3/4 Stage – 6,700; House Stage –
5,400; Theatrical Stage – 3,000.Exhibition Space: 25,348 sq. ft.; 277 10’x8’booths in typical trade show configuration.Backstage Areas: main dressing room, 3auxiliary locker rooms, visiting team lockerroom, 2 officials locker rooms, press office,3 production rooms, lounge, catering room.Staging: Stageright equipment, setup is 48ft. deep X 60 ft. wide X 4 ft. tall, 8 ft. wideX 24 ft. deep sound wings SL & SR, and afront of house mixer riser 12 ft. deep X 16ft. wide X 1 ft. tall, 100 ft. from the downstage edge.Food & Beverage: 4 permanent concessionstands; 12 portable concession stands; VIPLounge; 2 specialty bars located on upperlevel; Full catering services offered back-stage and to suites.Amenities: 34 luxury suites, 5 party suites,Exclusive Club Lounge, 542 Club Seats,Wireless connection, Flat Screen TV’sthroughout the concourse.Marketing: Group Sales; EmailMarketing; Grassroots Marketing; MediaBuying; Media Promotions/Trade; PublicRelations.Demographics: New England Market—mainly from New Hampshire, as well asMA, ME, and VT.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
WACHOVIA ARENA AT CASEY PLAZA255 Highland Park Blvd.Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702(570) 970-7600; Fax: (570) 970-7601www.wachoviaarena.comGeneral Manager: Rebecca Bonnevier
Facility Description: The WachoviaArena at Casey Plaza opened in the fall of1998 and is under the management ofSMG. With over 8,000 permanent seatsand a capacity of nearly 10,000 for con-certs, this horse-show configured arenahas played host to some of the biggestnames in entertainment, including EltonJohn, Cher, Neil Diamond, Janet Jackson,The Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel. Thearena’s primary tenants are the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AmericanHockey League, affiliated with thePittsburgh Penguins, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers of the af2 ArenaFootball league.Capacities: 1/4 house - 3,900;1/2 house - 4,900; Extended 1/2 house - 5,900; 3/4 House - 7,300; End Stage
concert - 7,500; Hockey - 8,500;Center stage - 10,000.Backstage Areas: 2-12 6’x11’6’ dressingrooms ( w/facilities), 1-13’ x 12’Lounge, Visitors Locker room 20’x36’,Tournament rooms A-18’6”x26’, B-18’6”x26’, C-10’6”x24’, Meeting roomsA-24’6”x36’, B-20’6”x36’, C-19’x36’and press room 33’6”x 12’.Exhibition Space: 27,050 sq. ft. ofexhibition space throughout two floors.Lighting: 4-2k Super Troopers (fixed),4 portable 2k Super troopers.Food & Beverage: 8 concession standson the concourse plus a club lounge/catering area on the event level that canhold up to 100 people.Audience Amenities: 624 center iceclub seats and 32 luxury suites; eventlevel VIP club lounge, featuring: upscalemenu, televisions, casual yet elegantatmosphere.Parking: 3,500 spaces.Marketing: Web site, e-mails (65,000+in database), concourse posters, videoscoreboard and concourse TVs.Demographics: 650,000+ people in theWilkes-Barre/Scranton/HazletonDMA and more than 13 million peoplewithin 100 miles.See ad on page 17
PENNSYLVANIA
Northeast v1 1/13/09 7:52 AM Page 20
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the #1 news & information Source for booking Agents, Promoters,
talent buyers & Special event Planners
38 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
Northeast / New York
Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
1 War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY 14614 • (585) 758-5300 • bluecrossarena.com
Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial opened as the Roch-
ester Community War Memorial in 1955, and underwent a
$41 million renovation and expansion in the late ‘90s. Managed by
SMG-managed, the Arena has hosted acts such as Barry Manilow,
Harlem Globetrotters and Monster Jam. Upcoming events include
Gala of the Royal Horses on Aug. 22, WWE Live on Sept. 26, Nancy
Owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the DCU Center in Worcester, MA has been recognized as the
gathering place for people to experience the finest in entertain-ment, sporting events and public functions. Hailed as one of the most successful entertainment and convention facilities in the nation, the DCU Center opened its doors in September 1982 with the legendary Frank Sinatra Inaugural Concert. Since then, acts of all musical genres have found their way to the arena stage.
The arena features annual appearances of the top family shows including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney On Ice and the Harlem Globetrotters. The DCU Center also plays host to a variety of sporting and entertainment events, including NCAA Hockey, Holy Cross Basketball, Professional Bull Riders, MIAA High School Basketball Championships, Monster Trucks and more.
The facility expanded in 1997 with the opening of an attached state-of-the-art convention center that features panoramic views of downtown Worcester. The complex, described as an architec-tural gem, added 50,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 11 meeting rooms, a 12,144 sq. ft. ballroom (the largest in Central Massachusetts) and a state-of-the-art kitchen. During the summer of 2009, the DCU Center underwent the first phase of a multi-year capital improve-ment project ($8.5 million), which included an electrical service upgrade and the complete replacement of the ice surface. A new ice plant and chillers were replaced, and new dasher boards and state-of-the-art seamless glass were installed. The Arena remained
open while the project continued behind the scenes until May 1, 2013, when the DCU Center closed for the final phase of con-struction. Over a five-month period, the DCU Center underwent a $23 million renovation and expansion project, May 1–Oct. 1, 2013, and officially reopened with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Public Preview event on Oct. 3, 2013. Elements of the new design include upgrades to both the interior and exterior of the facility and consist of a new façade, digital marquee, a landscaped promenade/entrance, redesigned box office pavilion, an expanded concourse, indoor/outdoor retail space, four luxury event suites and a new concourse-level bar/club area. The cumulative total for the multiyear capital improvement project is $31.5 million.
Capacities: 240° end stage concert, 11,625; 360° end stage concert, 14,526; 180° end stage w/curtains, 5,460 (expandable up to 9,915). Backstage areas include four large rooms with showers, two medium rooms, one small room, production room, catering room, meeting room, officials locker room.
Located in the heart of Massachusetts, Worcester is New Eng-land’s second-largest city, located 40 miles west of Boston. With its central location, the DCU Center draws fans from throughout New England — from neighboring markets like Hartford, Manches-ter and Providence, as well as pulling from the 6+ million people living within a 50-mile radius of Worcester. Worcester is a safe and affordable destination that is easy to navigate, making it an attrac-tive place for fans to travel to and from.
40 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
Northeast / rhoDe IsLaND
One LaSalle Square, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 331-0700; (401) 621-5987dunkindonutscenter.com
Providence mixes the urban sophistication of a big city with the graceful charm of a small town. At
the heart of Providence’s bustling downtown is the Dunkin’ Donuts Center (DDC), part of the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex, which also includes the Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC) and The VETS.
The 14,000-seat DDC offers 31,000 sq. ft. of arena space with a ceiling height of 86 feet, a 25,000-sq.-ft. concourse, a 9,000-sq.-ft. lobby, 20 luxury suites and five additional meeting/hospitality rooms. Other amenities include a pedestrian bridge connecting the arena to the RICC, a state-of-the-art video score-board, and concession and restaurant facilities. There are 5,500 hotel rooms in the Greater Providence area, 1,800 located within walking distance of the Center.
The Center’s Marketing Department staff is comprised of advertising, marketing, group sales, and public relations’ specialists, who in turn operate a full-service in-house agency. This in-house agency affords complete professional coordination of event market-ing campaigns including advertising production and placement, media and retail promotions, sponsorships, group sales, public relations and publicity.
Providence is known for its thriving arts scene and is recognized as one of the nation’s hottest culinary destinations. There are nine colleges and universities located in the Providence market, most of which are within a five-mile radius of the Center — Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, RI School of Design, and Providence College, just to name a few. The students at these local colleges and universities add to the diverse population of the city.
Cheryl Cohen, Director of Booking(p) 401.331.0700 ext.7123 (e) [email protected]
Contacts:
41Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
Northeast / New York
51 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207 • (518) 487-2000 • timesunioncenter-albany.com
Owned by Albany County and managed by SMG, Times Union Center opened in 1990 and is home to the Albany
Devils of AHL hockey and the Division I Men’s College Basket-ball Siena Saints. The arena has hosted such prestigious artists as Rolling Stones, U2, Eric Clapton, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith.
The state-of-the-art curtaining system allows capacities to be adjusted between 6,000 and 17,000. In 2016, the Center will un-dergo renovations to the front exterior, front atrium and parking garage entrance. Renovations will include new LED screens to the outside of the facility, an enclosed and temperature-con-trolled atrium, new escalators and stairs, and live landscaping with a beautiful waterfall. Recent upgrades to the interior of the arena include a new production studio, LED interactive ribbon boards, a new center-hung video scoreboard equipped with LED boards and two cocktail lounges. Backstage areas include three team-size locker rooms and seven star dressing rooms.
There are over 1,200 hotel rooms and nearly 22,000 parking spaces in the downtown area, 1,000 of which are located in the at-tached parking garage. The Times Union Center is located within minutes of the Amtrak station, Greyhound terminal and Albany International Airport and is also easily accessible via Interstates 787, 90 and 87. Easy access to the capital region is key since Times Union Center draws patrons from all over New York, Massachu-setts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut. There are more than 20 colleges and universities in the Greater Capital Region, with nine of them located within the Albany city limits. This large population of students adds to the diverse culture of Albany.
Times Union Center
The Times Union Center’s marketing department has access to media outlets throughout New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. The in-house department also offers complete coordination of advertis-ing production and placement, group sales, promotions and publicity. The Times Union Center has an email database of more than 140,000 members and more than 30,000 fans on social media.
As the Times Union Center celebrates 25 years of bringing concerts, family shows and sporting events to the public, it’s time to reflect on the countless artists and sports figures that have walked the halls of the 12-time Prime Site Award-winning facility. In 25 years, more than 17 million people have seen artists ranging from Frank Sinatra in 1990 to Justin Timberlake in 2014. In between, the Times Union Center has seen the likes of Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and many more. In addition to musical artists, the Times Union Center has seen a number of sports milestones, from the worldwide-televised NCAA Frozen Four Men’s Ice Hockey Championship in 2001 to the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball East Regional in 2015. It has been an event-filled 25 years, and Times Union Center and the Capital Region look forward to the next 25.
42 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
The Mid-Atlantic
DealCenter, LLCTake the work out of trade show networking340 Royal Poinciana Way-Suite 317/#345Palm Beach, FL 33480(866) 430-3023; Fax: (201) 624-7316www.deal-center.com
The DealCenter is a turnkey product for trade show, conference or expo organizers. DealCenter, LLC works with trade show, expo or conference management companies to provide an online meeting system that enhances the peer-to- peer networking at the event for attendees and exhibitors. The DealCenter team also provides on-site management of the physical DealCenter or meeting area as well as all technical and customer support.
UrbanRide421 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 (800) 525-5750; Fax: (212) 202-9638 www.urbanride.net
Chief Executive Officer: Jeremy MilikowSenior Vice President: Mitch Bornstein, SVP
‘Leading Global Provider of Meeting & Event Transportation’
UrbanRide is a global provider of ground transportation for meetings & events, and uses the top-of-the-line sedans, SUVs, vans, minibuses and motorcoaches. We provide our clients with IMS, our software that enables meeting planners to better manage transportation for their meetings, conferences, conventions, tradeshows & other events. We work exclusively with meeting & event planners and our customer service is the best in the business. UrbanRide is a one-stop solution for meeting & event transportation.
Keppler Speakers4350 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203(703) 516-4000; Fax: (703) 516-4819www.kepplerspeakers.comSenior VP for Sales and Marketing: John Truran
With Keppler Speakers, creating memorable meetings never felt so easy. With over 25 years of experience, we provide you solid, seasoned expertise, making speaker selection stress-free by managing all of the details. Keppler Speakers saves you precious time by matching you with speakers who are right on target. From proven performers to dynamic rising stars, our speakers bring fascinating, real stories and a gift for inspiring audiences.
93Facilities & Destinations 2009 SuperBook
Yo u r P r o d u c t s & S e r v i c e s R e s o u r c eB u y e r’s G u i de
Don’t Get Stuck in a Fishbowl!The Facilities Media Group
Facilities LIVE • Booking GuideFacilities & Event Management
www.Facilitiesonline.com
POTHOS, Inc.2260 El Cajon Blvd. #474San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 546-0621: Fax: (413) 723-7838www.pothos.usPresident & CEO: Michael Patton, CMM
“Our company ethos is Integrity, Clarity and Reliability. POTHOS works in a forthright manner that considers transparent communication as the cornerstone to a successful relationship with our guests and travel partners.”
POTHOS, Inc. is a globally recognized strategic meeting management company and corporate travel agency that specializes in using cutting-edge technology and resources to compete with much larger companies at a value, offering clients cost savings and efficient personal event planning services. POTHOS, Inc. specializes in the following 3 core competencies: 1. Full Service Strategic Meeting Management; 2. Full Service Corporate/VIP Travel Management; 3. Logistics – Freight & People. POTHOS, Inc. is your ONE source for meeting, travel and logistics. Achievement of goals and objectives, ROI and ROO are the basis of our strategic approach.
The C.W. Allen Group, LLC 5130 Cyrus Circle, Birmingham, AL 35242(205) 263-0555 Fax: (205) 263-0557www.cwallengroup.comDirector of Industry Relations: Jackie Jones
Brighter Ideas… Better Results ™
The C.W. Allen Group is North America’s leading event marketing consultancy delivering the industry’s leading exhibitor education and training program, Exhibiting ROI-Q Academy™, which has consistently proven to greatly increase exhibitor success/ROI, to significantly increase exhibitor “retention rates”… and to dramatically increase event sponsorship sales. It is the exhibition industry’s leading and fastest growing exhibitor education, training, and full time/full service “consulting” solution and is fully supported by the International Economic Alliance – conceived at Harvard University, TSEA, BPA Worldwide and ECEF. The C.W. Allen Group delivers the exhibition industry’s leading network quality, global television productions on a risk-free and revenue-generating basis.
The Facilities Media Group
Don’t Get Stuck in a Fishbowl!
The Facilities Media GroupFacilities & Destinations
THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUPEssential Planning Tools
FacILItIesDestINatIoNs & TM
Royal Farms Arena201 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201(410) 347-2020; Fax: (410) 347-2042royalfarmsarena.comGeneral Manager: Frank Remesch, Jr.Continuing To Make History ...
Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore’s largest indoor sports and entertainment facility, features 11,014 seats on three levels, as well as two suites seating 12 guests each and a Sky Box seating 30 guests. Backstage areas include seven connecting meeting rooms, two large team rooms, 10 small dressing rooms, promoter/production offices and a catering room. Catering is provided by Crown Foods, Inc., including 12 concession stands and 10 portable bars. There is an 850-car garage attached to the building, and 2,000 spaces are available within a five-minute walk; light rail system stop in proximity. Royal Farms Arena offers promoters a full-service marketing and PR department.
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Food & Beverage: Crown Foods, Inc. provides all concessions for Royal Farms Arena, including 12 concession stands, elegant Amsterdam permanent bar, Arena Pub and 10 portable bars. Crown Foods also provides catering in the Suites and Skybox, offering a variety of menu options from sophisticated to fun finger foods.
Parking: 850-car garage attached to building; over 2,000 spaces available within a five-minute walk; light rail system stop.
Marketing: Full-service Marketing & Public Relations department.
Demographics: Arena attracts patrons from five states and Wash-ington, DC (8.1 million potential guests).
MID-AtlAntIc / MArylAnD
Royal Farms Arena (formerly Baltimore Arena) is Balti-more’s largest indoor sports and entertainment facility.
Seating: Permanent seats on three levels: 11,014 (plus 28 wheelchair spaces); portable floor seating available; two suites seating 12 guests each with private bathroom in each; Sky Box seats 30 guests comfortably with private bathroom.
capacities: Concert capacity, large theater: 13,000–13,600; concert capacity, in the round: 14,000; mini theater capacity: 5,000–7,500; sporting event capacities: 11,000–14,000.
Backstage: Seven connecting meeting rooms, 27 ft. by 27 ft., available for small functions; two large team rooms with tile floor (30 ft. by 30 ft., six shower heads each); 10 newly remodeled small dressing rooms (5 ft. by 7 ft. and 10 ft. by 8 ft., one shower head each); newly remodeled promoter’s office/production offices; cater-ing room.
Staging: Depth: 45 ft. clear; width: 117 ft.; height: 42 ft. House stage extension available: 72 ft. maximum width by 4 ft.–8 ft.–12 ft. deep by 42 in. high (constructed with portable stage sections).
lighting: Arena is lit by a max of incandescent and mercury vapor lamps in four independent banks. Supplemental seating area lighting is available in banks of fluorescents and ceiling-hung pin spots.
Sound: House sound: Meyer Concert System — Sound Lab speakers driven through a series of amplifying, processing and equalizing equip-ment. System components include: Main Cluster – 12 Meyer MSL3 Cabinets; Delay Cluster – 12 Meyer UPA-1A Cabinets; Front Fill – four Meyer UPA-1A Cabinets.
Royal Farms Arena
UFC 172 | Jason aldean | disney on iCe: Frozen | JUstin timberlake | kanye West | WWe monday night raW | katt Williams | demi lovato
James taylor | the blaCk keys | shogUn Fights | Five Finger death PUnCh & volbeat | toP shelF Comedy toUr
miChael JaCkson: the immortal World toUr by CirqUe dU soleil | monster Jam | baltimore blast | a mother’s love: the shoW | arenaCross
disney on iCe: 100 years oF magiC | baltimore mariners | Casting CroWns | ringling bros. and barnUm & bailey CirCUs- bUilt to amaze
baltimore Charm | the harlem globetrotters | neW edition | otakon | hiP hoP legends toUr | Pro-am boxing
Caa men’s basketball ChamPionshiP | lil boosie | hillsong WorshiP | Fresh beat band | baltimore basketball ClassiC
mike ePPs | sliPknot & korn | yoUng Jeezy | dierks bentley
Saenger Theatre118 South Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502(850) 595-3882; Fax: 850-595-3886pensacolasaenger.comGeneral Manager: Douglas LeeThe Grand Dame of Palafox The SMG-managed, historic Saenger Theatre underwent a $15 million renovation in 2009, which proved to be resurgence for the Saenger as a competitive venue for Broadway shows, top musical acts, dance, comedy, drama and much more. Capacities: auditorium, 1,641 seats; orchestra level, 946; orchestra level without orchestra pit, 890; balcony, 695. Two star dressing rooms, two chorus dressing rooms, two principal dressing rooms, green room, musician’s warm-up room, two production offices, 18 ft.-by-26 ft. wardrobe room. 43 ft. 3 in. wide, 27 ft. high proscenium opening. Full-time marketing department. Mobile/Pensacola DMA is home to 450,000.
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The Lakeland Center701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, FL 33815(863) 834-8100thelakelandcenter.comAssistant Director: Scott Sloman
Located between Tampa and Orlando, The Lakeland Center is composed of the George Jenkins Arena, 2,296-seat Youkey Theatre and Sikes Hall. Opened in 1974, the arena has hosted rock ‘n’ roll legends and can accommodate up to 10,000 for a concert or indoor festival as well as an 85 ft.-by-100 ft. permanent ice floor. Capacities: 6,400, basketball; 5,432, indoor football and hockey; 6,700, end-stage concert; 4,800, arenatorium (half-house). The arena has a 60 ft.-by-40 ft. SICO stage with 12 ft.-by-8 in. wings. The theater has a 78 ft.-by-42 ft. stage and a 55 ft. 6 in.-by-20 ft. 2 in. Arena backstage areas: four team rooms, two star dressing rooms, show office, washer/dryer, four meeting rooms. Theater backstage areas: two chorus rooms, four artist rooms, green room, catering room, production office. 2,500 parking spaces are available.
Multipurpose venue with 150,000 sq. ft. of temperature-controlled event space, plus 11-acre lawn, 28,000-sq.-ft.-arena seats: 5,000 concerts/4,390 boxing and wrestling, 3,800 arena football; 1,500–3,000 half-house; indoor/outdoor portable staging; two dressing rooms. Exhibition space - Event Center A: 40,000 sq. ft.; Event Center B: 30,000 sq. ft.; Gold Hall 1: 20,000 sq. ft.; Gold Hall 2: 10,000 sq. ft.; Cabarrus Room A: 2,400 sq. ft.; Cabarrus Room B: 1,200 sq. ft.; Cabarrus Room C: 1,200 sq. ft.; Audience: 313,700 within a 15-mile radius; 1,377,900 – 30-mile radius; 3,154,100 – 60-mile radius; 7 VIP suites; six onsite concession stands.
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Florence Civic Center3300 West Radio Drive, Florence, SC 29501(843) 679-9417; Fax: (843) 679-9429florenceciviccenter.comGeneral Manager: Kendall WallCelebrating 20 Years of South Carolina Events!Multi-time recipient of the Prime Site Award, the SMG-managed Florence Civic Center is conveniently located just a few miles from the regional airport and next to dozens of national chain hotels and award-winning restaurants. Northeastern South Carolina’s largest convention and entertainment venue features 50,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose space including a 10,000-seat arena (backdrop scaling 2,500-7,500 capacity) and a 15,000-sq.-ft. grand ball-room (1,400 theater, 800 banquet). Fiber optics and Wi-Fi throughout. New HVAC systems, LED lighting upgrade, added arena reduction curtain system. Generous supplemental marketing efforts. 17,000+ Facebook fans; 22,000+ email club.
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Straz Center for the Performing Arts1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602(813) 222-1000; (800) 955-1045strazcenter.org
At the Straz Center, it’s more than just a show. Located on the Riverwalk in Downtown Tampa, the Straz Center’s nine-acre campus boasts a performing arts conservatory and five state-of-the-art theaters: Morsani Hall (2,600 seats), Ferguson Hall (1,000 seats), Jaeb Theater (300 seats), TECO Theater (200 seats) and Shimberg Playhouse (130 seats). Morsani Hall has been ranked in the Top 5 venues in the world, 5,000 seats and under, by Billboard, Pollstar and Venues Today. For avails, contact (813) 222-1272 or [email protected].
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Time Warner Cable Arena333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202(704) 688-9000; (800) 745-3000timewarnercablearena.comThe premier destination for sports and entertainment in the CarolinasOpened in 2005, Time Warner Cable Arena is the home of the Charlotte Hornets and hosts the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), college basketball (NCAA), the Jordan Classic all-star game, CIAA Basketball Tournament, NASCAR all-star pit crew challenge, American Idol and top-rated concerts. NBA capacity – 20,200; AHL capacity – 14,100. Concerts vary around 14,000+ capacity. End-stage 180° – 13,376; end-stage 270° – 15,236; end-stage 360° – 18,249; theater – 4,000-7,000. Floor size: 85 ft. by 200 ft. Six production offices; four Star dressing rooms. Suite seating includes 16-, 18-, and 22-people suites, and access to VIP entrance. In-house marketing and promotions staff available.
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Greensboro Coliseum Complex1921 West Lee Street, Greensboro, NC 27403(336) 373-7400www.greensborocoliseum.comDeputy Director: Scott Johnson
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is a multi-building facility hosting athletic events, concerts, theater, fairs and more. It consists of Greensboro Coliseum (with seating capacity over 22,500), the 2,400-seat War Memorial Auditorium, the 300-seat Odeon Theatre and the 167,000-sq.-ft. Special Events Center that includes three exhibition halls. The Complex is one of the most actively booked facilities in the country, host-ing more than 1,000 events on an annual basis. City leaders recently authorized $24 million in improvements, including new, upholstered arena seating, widening of the Coliseum’s upper-level concourse, addition of new concession cooking stands and a new, larger, higher-resolution video scoreboard.
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45Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
4751 Highway 49 North Concord, NC 28025 (704) 920-3976cabarrusarena.com
The Cabarrus Arena & Events Center is the region’s newest and most innovative exhibition center, offering a flexible floor plan and state-of-the-art features. With
the 5,000-seat arena, in excess of 150,000 sq. ft. of temperature-controlled event space and an 11-acre lawn, the Cabarrus Arena offers more meeting, banquet and exhibition options than any other facility in Cabarrus County.
Situated in Concord, NC, the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center is in the heart of an area rich with colorful history and a tapestry of both the old and the new. The facility is only moments away from the historic downtown district with its stately antebellum homes and specialty shops, and minutes from the Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills Mall, the most visited tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina.
Cabarrus Arena & Events Center
southeast / North caroLINa
46 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
southeast / south caroLINa
3300 West Radio Drive, Florence, SC 29501 • (843) 679-9417 • florenceciviccenter.com
There are always new concepts, a rein-vention of the wheel, or small changes to current plans that can improve the
experience for visitors as they walk through the doors of any facility. As time passes, so do the effective and efficient ways of impress-ing patrons. In the age of technology there is always room for improvement, especially in older buildings. One way of making those small changes is the D.I.Y. method, which is exactly what the team in Florence, SC is do-ing. Over the past several months the SMG-managed Florence Civic Center has been developing their own in-house print shop to enhance the venue’s visual appeal, as well as benefit promoters.
Now operating a wide format printer and Class A production printer, the Florence market-ing team has been hard at work updating the visual effects for visitors. Through subtle changes such as event flyers printed edge-to-edge (no white border), custom stand-up banners, large wall post-ers and window clings, the splendor is seen within the fine details. More extravagant changes like 10-ft. floor decals, 25-ft. concession art and multi-window transparent panel graphics have had visitors widening eyes in notice of the transformation. Although the print shop is fairly new, the team has managed to implant multiple up-dates and has plans for several more phases over the next couple of years. “We didn’t know exactly what we were capable of and although we’re still learning the system and software, we now know the opportunities are endless,” says Nick Hooker, Senior Marketing Manager for SMG-Florence.
No longer does the building have to wait for an outside vendor to produce arena backlit signs or print vinyl banners just hours before an event. And projects that previously would have been dismissed due to budget or time concerns are now a standard procedure. “The in-house printers provide an ability to be more creative, quickly change messages, and rejuvenate outdated visu-als, all at a reduced cost,” states Hooker.
A the saying goes, “It’s all about first impressions,” and the Center has this thought in mind while redesigning the exterior with park-ing lot directionals, custom event welcome boards and window
Florence Civic Center
sMG FLoreNce coNtINues to uPGraDe aND uPDate the 20-PLus-Year-oLD VeNue
teaM BuILDs IN-house PrINt shoP to BeNeFIt VeNue aND cLIeNts
displays. Furthermore, the venue impresses with interior changes including new concession panels, sponsorship wall graphics, con-course directional boards, floor decals and more. These details en-hance the fan experience and leave patrons exiting the venue with a much better perception and lasting impression from their visit.
Visitors are not the only beneficiaries to this new print shop; event promoters see it as a major bonus as well. The venue can now produce posters, banners, flyers, coupons and handouts for promoters in-house with exceptional quality at a rate unrivaled to commercial print vendors. The business of live events can be de-manding and require art changes on the fly or print jobs needed overnight, all of which SMG-Florence can now accommodate with ease. “Promoters are somewhat shocked when we tell them we can print street team flyers here at the venue. Then they’re really shocked when we say we can do it within hours at material cost,” states Chastity Wilson, Media and Design Coordinator.
The world of print media has just begun in Florence and the team is eager to embrace it. “We have the ability to print our own bill-boards or display a 100-ft. message on the arena floor. I can’t wait to implement some out-of-the-box ideas,” continues Wilson. In a short few months, the changes are beyond noticeable in Florence. Imagine what changes are to come over the next few years.
47Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
southeast / North caroLINa
1921 West Lee Street, Greensboro, NC 27403 • (336) 373-7400 • www.greensborocoliseum.com
the Greensboro Coliseum Complex is a multi-building facility designed to serve the citizens of Greensboro and the sur-
rounding area through a broad range of activities, including ath-letic events, cultural arts, concerts, theater, educational activities, fairs, exhibits, and public and private events of all kinds including conventions, convocations and trade and consumer shows. It is both a primary center of activity for the community and a leading economic generator for our region.
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex consists of Greensboro Coliseum (with seating capacity over 22,500), 2,400-seat War Memorial Auditorium, 300-seat Odeon Theatre, the 167,000-sq.-ft. Special Events Center that includes three exhibition halls, a 4,500-seat mini-arena and eight meeting rooms, and the 30,000-sq.-ft. Pavilion, located adjacent to the Special Events Center.
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is one of the most actively booked facilities in the country, hosting more than 1,000 events on an annual basis. With its incredible versatility, the Complex has gained worldwide acclaim from promoters, producers, event plan-ners and patrons.
The Complex expanded dynamically in 2011 with the addition of four new, unique venues that attracted thousands of visitors and brought millions of dollars in economic impact to the Greensboro community.
acc haLL oF chaMPIoNs, an 8,100-sq.-ft. museum that show-cases ACC history through interactive displays, unique institu-tional exhibits and multipurpose program space. Highlights include a four-foot, 360-degree, state-of-the-art video globe with a unique,
greensboro Coliseum Complex
multimedia display of conference highlights, life-size ACC school mascot exhibits that have been a huge hit with younger visitors, and an interactive exhibit that lets fans face off in a head-to-head challenge to test their knowledge of ACC sports trivia.
GreeNsBoro aquatIc ceNter, a 78,323-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art facility with three bodies of water and a seating capacity of 2,500. This GAC brings together all major aquatic sports — com-petitive swimming and diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and other unique sports — all in one venue.
whIte oak aMPhItheatre, an outdoor venue with a seating capacity of over 7,600, including more than 2,000 reserved seats. White Oak Amphitheatre hosts a diverse selection of community programs, music, arts and crafts, and festival-type events.
the terrace, a 12,900-sq.-ft. banquet facility ideal for hosting speaking engagements, hospitality functions and upscale dining events in a luxurious, richly decorated setting.
City leaders recently authorized $24 million in improvements so that Greensboro’s greatest economic generator can continue to thrive. The upgrades, which began last fall, include new, uphol-stered arena seating, widening of the Coliseum’s upper level concourse, addition of new concession cooking stands and a new, larger, higher-resolution video scoreboard.
These changes are critical as the Coliseum Complex, with its incredible versatility, continues to pursue bringing the most pres-tigious sporting events and biggest names in live entertainment to Greensboro, NC.
48 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
THE LAKELAND CENTER701 W. Lime St. • Lakeland, FL 33815
863-834-8100 • F 863-834-8101
A R E N A • T H E AT R EC O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R
The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts is the fourth-largest performing arts institution in the
country and home to one of the nation’s leading Broad-way series, a grand opera and a wide variety of concerts, performances and events. The Patel Conservatory, Florida Orchestra, Tampa Bay Symphony and Tampa Bay Theatre Festival are among the regular highlights. In addition to four theaters and one teaching theater, the Straz Center has three restaurants and the SteamHeat Café.
The Straz Center houses several venues with a variety of capacities. Carol Morsani Hall accommodates 2,610; Fergu-son Hall, 1,042; Jaeb Theater, 300; Shimberg Playhouse, 130; and TECO Energy Foundation Theater, 150. Carol Morsani Hall proscenium opening is 45 ft. to 60 ft. wide (Pro Mask Legs) and 30 ft. to 40 ft. high (Pro Mask Header). The stage is 70 ft. deep from plaster line to back wall. Ferguson Hall is 25 ft. to 40 ft. wide (Portable Legs) and 20 ft to 30 ft. high (Portable Header). The stage is 50 ft. deep from plaster line to back wall.
The Straz Center is well stocked with backstage areas for performers. Carol Morsani Hall has a 27-ft. wide by 37 ft. long wardrobe room. There are a total of 14 dressing rooms, one of which is a star dressing room furnished with a sec-tional sofa, chairs and tables. Ferguson Hall has a wardrobe area and seven dressing rooms.
The Straz Center also features an in-house marketing department to assist promoters in reaching local ticket-buyers, as well as a communications staff.
The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
50 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
the midwest
Adler Theatre/RiverCenter136 East Third Street, Davenport, IA 52801(563) 326-8500; Fax: (563) 326-8505adlertheatre.com • riverctr.com Executive Director: Rick Palmer, CFE
A historic, Art Deco yet also state-of-the-art PAC, the RiverCenter Complex offers 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting, exhibit and event space, 2,411-seat Adler Theatre (renovated 2006); and Great River Hall – seats 3,200 for general admission/2,500 reserved. Mississippi River Hall can host 1,400 general admission/1,100 reserved. Backstage: two production offices, 800-sq.-ft. wardrobe room, eight dressing rooms, two star dressing rooms and soloist room. Facility is key anchor for live entertain-ment and cultural enrichment in downtown Davenport, serving the greater Quad Cities area and its population base of 400,000. Reach also extends out to a 75-100 mile radius on both sides of the Mississippi River.
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Allen County War Memorial Coliseum4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805(260) 482-9502; Fax: (260) 484-1637memorialcoliseum.comGeneral Manager: Randy L. Brown
A multipurpose complex, the tri-state area’s leading sports, entertainment and event venue serves Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan. With an MSA population of 411,000, Ft. Wayne is the state’s second-largest city, within a day’s drive of 55 million. Seating capacities: End concert-180: 8,843; End Concert-240: 10,006; End Concert-270: 10,297; End Concert-360: 12,045. Hockey/indoor football: 10,495; basketball: 11,083. 24 luxury suites, one super suite, 318 club seats. 148,000 sq. ft. of multi-purpose exhibition space, capable of hosting concerts up to 8,000 seats, as well as basketball and motor-sports events, with telescopic seating and floor chairs.
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Bridge View Center102 Church Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501(641) 684-7000; Fax: (641) 684-6305 bridgeviewcenter.com Where Great Events Create Lifetime Experiences
Fast becoming the premier destination in southeast Iowa for concerts, theatrical events and conventions, The Bridge View Center opened in 2007, nestled on the banks of the Des Moines River. This 92,000-sq.-ft. complex features an Expo Hall (reserved seating – 2,617; festival – 3,000; boxing/mixed martial arts – 1,800; floor events – 1,500), adjoin-ing conference/meeting space (7,000 sq. ft., divisible into five rooms), 655-seat theater and a Grand Lobby (accommodates 2,500). Two star dressing rooms; choir dressing room with lockers and showers; 40 ft.-by-40 ft. studio adjoining theater, accommodat-ing up to 100 persons. Regional MSA 150,000 (75-mile radius).
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Arie Crown Theater2301 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60616(312) 791-6196ariecrown.comDirector: Dulcie Gilmore
The Arie Crown Theater is located in Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, just 2.5 miles south of downtown Chicago. Opened in 1960, the 4,267-seat venue can be curtained to 2,759 seats or 2,052 seats. The proscenium opening is 90 ft. wide by 40 ft. high, with a stage depth of 58.4 ft. Backstage areas include two weather-pro-tected berths on the loading dock adjacent to the stage, nine two-person dressing rooms, two 40-person chorus rooms, one star dressing room, one full-size wardrobe room, and two 50 ft.-by-50 ft. rehearsal rooms. The theater’s catering is offered in conjunction with SAVOR Chicago McCormick Place. McCormick Place/Arie Crown Theater offers convenient underground parking for all performances.
Opened in January 2009, this state-of-the-art venue, managed by VenuWorks, features a Main Hall theater and Black Box Theatre. The Main Hall theater seats 1,014 while the Black Box Theatre seats up to 150. The Main Stage has an opening of 48 ft. by 28 ft.; Black Box Theatre space is 48 ft. by 45 ft. and fully adaptable to any configuration. Green Room seats up to 20; VIP conference room available. In-house marketing and sales team assist in all aspects of promotion and sales. The Ames Center serves the entire south metro area of the Twin Cities. The city of Burnsville is home to 60,000 residents with median age of 35.9 and median household income of $60,000.
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Ford Center & Victory Theatre1 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,Evansville, IN 47708(812) 422-8000; Fax: (812) 436-7001thefordcenter.comFord Center Executive Director: Scott Schoenike
The region’s center for sports and entertainment is designed to host basketball, hockey, concerts, exhibitions and shows for audiences as large as 11,000. The multipurpose facility works with downtown attractions to create a vibrant atmosphere for sports fans, music lovers and conventioneers. Seating capacities: basketball – 9,800; hockey – 9,100; concerts – 10,500 total (9,066 permanent seats and 1,700 floor chairs); half-house – 3,500-5,700. Exhibition space: 20,468 sq. ft.; two star dressing rooms, two locker rooms, green room, multipurpose room; 137 high-definition flat-screen televisions throughout; high-definition video board with upper and lower displays and ribbon board.
Opened in 2009, the Hartman Arena serves the Wichita Metro Area. Managed by VenuWorks, it is an ideally sized, modern venue for concerts, sporting events, family shows, motorsports and more. Seating capacities: 5,000, football and soccer; 6,500, end-stage con-certs; 7,000, festival; 3,300, half-house; 1,200, theater. Features an 80 ft.-by-90 ft. floating grid suspended with 30 two-ton motors monitored by load cell system, and a 26,000-sq.-ft. arena floor. Stage: 40 ft.-by-60 ft. capacity. Up to seven dressing rooms; four additional pro-moter and production offices; locker rooms. Onsite parking, livestock friendly, easy highway access. Twenty loge boxes with in-seat service, two premium lounges/bars. Full in-house marketing agency; can promote in-house or co-promote.
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51Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
Facilities&event Management TM
booking guide For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners &
Venue Managers
What the industryis saying about us:
“Facilities has always been a great resource for our venue and also provides news and a wealth of information about industry trends.”
cheryl cohen, sMG Director of Marketing, Dunkin’ Donuts center, Providence, rI
“The Facilities publications that we showcase our venues in get the job done for us. We see results on the client side and with promoters, show producers and agents.
Facilitiesonline.com keeps us up-to-date on industry happenings and gives VenuWorks a vehicle to get our news out across the industry as well.”
tammy koolbeck, senior Vice President, Venuworks
be a part of our upcoming issuescall or email Michael caffin, associate Publisher
4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805(260) 482-9502memorialcoliseum.com
the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is one of only a few facilities in the United States to feature two arenas under one roof. The Coliseum Arena has a seating capacity of nearly
13,000 with deluxe suites and club seats, while the multipurpose 108,000-sq.-ft. Expo Center has a potential seating capacity of 8,000.
Located in Northeast Indiana, Fort Wayne is the state’s second-largest city, easily accessible from some of the Midwest’s major markets, including Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Columbus and Cincinnati. The Memorial Coliseum’s non-metro location offers affordable local media, yet more than 55 million people live within a day’s drive.
During the summer of 2013, the Memorial Coliseum Arena underwent a $4 million expansion and renovation of its main 200-level concourse, including the rebuilding of eight restrooms. In 2014, renovation of the Arena’s 100-level concourse and rebuilding of all the remaining rest-rooms in the Arena, will complete a two-year renovation project.
arena The Memorial Coliseum is home to the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) and Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA D-League). It features a four-sided, center-hung video scoreboard and nearly 360 degrees of LED ribbon board. A scaled down arena setup of 4,000 seats is also available, with a customized curtaining system.
expo centerThe Coliseum Expo Center is 152,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose space with two portable walls and flexible telescopic seating. The main Expo Center room can be used in its entirety of 108,000 sq. ft. or in increments of one-third or two-thirds. Ample loading docks and drive-through bays facilitate easy load-in and load-out. A 44,000-sq.-ft. lower level can be used separately or for those events that require more space. In 2015, a planned expansion of the Expo Center will increase the available exhibition space to over 181,000 sq. ft.
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
54 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
Hoyt Sherman Place1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309(515) 244-0507; Fax: (515) 237-3582hoytsherman.orgExecutive Director: Carol Pollock
Originally a grand manor home circa 1877, Hoyt Sherman Place opened as a theater in 1923. A beautiful and acoustically sound performing arts center, it is Central Iowa’s only mid-sized live event facility. Recent $5.5 million renovation included updated sound, lighting and technical capabilities. Year-round venue hosts 280+ events annually. Theater – 1,250 fixed seats (38 box seats); art galleries accommo-date up to 250 for receptions, meetings, etc. Large chorus with bathroom attached; medium-sized chorus room; three star dressing rooms. Full-service marketing depart-ment. The capital of Iowa, Des Moines is visited by 2.9 million+ each year – 562,000+ within 40-mile radius.
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59The MidwestFacilities SuperBook 2009
FAIRFIELD ARTS ANDCONVENTION CENTER/STEPHEN SONDHEIMCENTER FOR THEPERFORMING ARTS200 N Main StFairfield, IA 52556(641) 472-2000; Fax: (641) 472-7890www.fairfieldacc.comExecutive Director: Brendon Wagner
Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorksand opened in the Winter of 2007, theFairfield Arts and Convention Center isa stunning building that is home to theStephen Sondheim Center for thePerforming Arts, two meeting rooms,an executive conference room, and anexhibition hall. The theatre is an inti-mate space equipped with some of themost modern theatrical equipment.The meeting rooms and exhibition hallare very flexible and can accommodatemost needs.Capacities: Theatre - 522; MeetingRoom (each) - 60 banquet, 120 theatrestyle, 60 classroom; ExecutiveConference Room - 20 at conferencetable, 20 additional around perimeter;Exhibition Hall - 400 banquet, 600
theatre style, 30 exhibition booths(10X10).Exhibition Space: 112’X64’hall. Canaccommodate approximately 30 10’X10’booths. Can be combined with meetingrooms to increase capacity; direct accessto kitchen available.Backstage Areas: 2 Star dressingrooms, 1 makeup room, 2 chorus dressing rooms, and green room.Staging: Various 4’x8’ platforms in avariety of heights availableSound/Ligthing: In theatre there is a40 channel mixer withcompressors/limiters/noise gates avail-able for 24 channels. Lighting in the-atre consists of an ETC Expression 3lighting console, 228 dimmers, and acomplement of ETC Source 4 lights.Food & Beverage: 1 concession standin lobby. Portable bars available for usearound building. Full commercialkitchen.Marketing: Partnership with the CVBto send email blasts about upcomingevents. Co-promotional opportunitiesavailable.Demographics: Community is verydedicated to the cultural arts. LargeTranscendental Meditation practicingpopulation in the area.
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CLAY COUNTYREGIONAL EVENTSCENTER800 West 18th StreetSpencer, IA 51301(712) 580-3000: Fax: (712) 580-3003www.spencerevents.comGeneral Manager: Scott Hallgren
“Delivering OutstandingExperiences”Snapshot: The Clay County RegionalEvents Center, which opened inNovember 2003 and is managed byVenuWorks, includes an 2,664-seatarena; 7,600-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom,divisible into 6 individual meetingrooms, and a 24,000-sq.-ft.arena/exhibit hall. Boardroom, EventOffice, Dressing Rooms, private GreenRoom are also available.Seating Capacities: Full concert set –2,664; Wrestling / Boxing (in the round)– 2,654; Theater set – 2,160; Open floorset (Circus, Bull Riding, LipizzanerStallions) – 1,572; Banquet – 1,400.Grand Ballroom: Theater style – 750;Rounds – 504; Classroom style – 450+
Exhibition Space: 24,000-sq.-ft.column-free exhibit hall.Staging: StageRight professional concert staging – 40’ X 84’ (or custombuild to your specs).Sound/Lighting: 40’ X 60’ grid locatedon east end of arena, above stage area;50,000 pound capacity; 1,000 – 2,000lbs. per hang point, depending uponconfiguration; Total of 800 amps 208v3-phase show power; 400 amp 208vservice and 200 amp 208v service withcamlocks located in arena.Backstage Areas: private green roomwith private bath and shower; 2 dress-ing rooms, each with its own lockerroom with sink, mirrors, toilets, andshowers.Food & Beverage: exclusive on-sitecaterer with full-service commercialkitchen; 2 permanent concession stands.Parking: 750+ spaces on-site; addition-al parking throughout Fairgrounds.Marketing: co-promote on events; full-marketing services; group sales.Demographics: Spencer is the regionalhub in NW Iowa—serving a broad geo-graphic region across NW Iowa / SEMinnesota. Clay County RegionalEvents Center serves a market areawithin 75-100+ radius of Spencer.See ad on page 43
clay countyregional centerevents
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HOYT SHERMAN PLACE1501 Woodland AvenueDes Moines, IA 50266(515) 244-0507; Fax: (515) 237-3582www.hoytsherman.orgExecutive Director: Carol Pollock
Snapshot: A grand manor home builtin 1877 by prominent businessman HoytSherman; the structure, managed byVenuWorks, is a world-class performingarts center, located at the cornerstone ofDes Moines’ historic Sherman Hill. TheHoyt Sherman Place Theater opened in1923 and is Central Iowa’s only mid-sized (1,251) performing arts venue andthe last remaining historical theater inDes Moines. Since reopening inNovember, 2003 after a $5.5-million,six-month renovation, including updatedsound, lighting and technical capabili-ties, this year-round venue has welcomedover 200,000 patrons. Newly renovated,adjacent galleries can be transformed fora unique sit down dining experience, asocial cocktail party or a theater-stylemeeting place.
Capacities: 1,251 seatsStage Dimensions: Back wall toProscenium 24’ ; SR Wall to SL Wall52’; Proscenium to Front of Pit Cover8’; Proscenium Height 22’6”;Proscenium Width 34’4”.Dressing Rooms: large chorus w/bath-room attached; medium sized chorusroom; 3 star dressing rooms.Sound: 2 Stacks of McCauly n-line SRand SL; 12 top boxes and 4 bottoms;All QSC Powerlite amplifiers; 1-Alanand Heath 2200 FOH desk; 2 sm 58; 2beta sm 57; 4 boom stands; 1 cd player;1 3rd octive EQ on the stacks.Lighting: 288 channels of etc sensordimming; 1 obsession 2 w/2 monitorsand keyboards; 16-19 degree S4 Lekos(on stage); 12-26 degree S4 Lekos (onstage); 11-36 degree S4 Lekos (onstage); 11-19 degree S4 Barrels (onstage); 48-S4 par 64 (on stage); 8-S4 12circuit mutipar strips (on stage); 24-15to 30 degree S4 zooms (FOH); 12-19Degree S4 Lekos (box booms HR andHL); 2- Lycian 1272 Starklite II.Audience Amenities: 28 Box Seats.Marketing: in-house marking services;co-promotions.Managed by Venuworks.See ad on page 44
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RIVERCENTER & ADLER THEATRE 136 East Third StreetDavenport, IA 52801(563) 326-8500; Fax: (563) 326-8505www.adlertheatre.com www.riverctr.com Executive Director: Rick Palmer, CFE
“The Center With It All”Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorks,the classic, 2,411-seat Adler Theatre is ahistoric, art-deco yet also state-of-the-artPAC originally built in 1931 and mostrecently renovated in 2006. The Adler ispart of the RiverCenter Complex,which features more than 100,000square feet of meeting, exhibit and eventspace. The RiverCenter includes theGreat Hall, featuring a seating capacityof 3,200 for general admissions and2,500 reserved seats and the MississippiRiver Hall, which can host 1,400 forgeneral admission and 1,100 reserved.Staging: 40’ deep from the plaster lineto the back wall, 80’ wide, 38’ stage left
of center and 42’ stage right of center.The proscenium opening is 59’-4” wide.The height from stage floor to the gridis 69’.Backstage Areas: 2 production offices;800-sq.-ft. wardrobe room. 8 dressingrooms, 2 star dressing rooms; soloistroom.Sound: 5 EV XLD281 Loudspeakersin the center cluster; Left and RightClusters are (8 each side) EV XLC-127+. Soundcraft MH2 24 channelconsole.Lighting: Balcony/Side House fillsthroughout the theatre. In-HouseDimmers are controlled by an ETCEmphasis Server with an Express 125faceplate.Food & Beverage: Adler Theatre has 2permanent concession stands and theRiverCenter has 3 permanent conces-sion stands.Audience Amenities: Premiere ClubSeating in loge; Broadway at the AdlerTheatre Subscribers; Accessible seatingon main floor.Marketing: Full service marketing/pro-motions coordination available.Parking: 750 coveredparking spaces availablefor Adler Theaterpatrons. More than2,300 additional spacesnearby.See ad on page 49
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Morris Performing Arts Center211 N. Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601(574) 235-9190; (800) 537-6415; Fax: (574) 235-5604morriscenter.orgExecutive Director: Dennis J. AndresThe Magnificent Morris Has The Hottest Tickets in Town!State-of-the-art PAC ($24.3 million renovation in 2000) originally opened as The Palace Theater in 1921 with a design that replicated Italian Renaissance, Spanish Revival and Baroque architecture. Seats 2,560. Backstage areas: eight dressing rooms, two chorus rooms in Lower Level Hair/Wardrobe Room (30 ft.-by-18 ft.); catering room. Brand-new stage, 45 ft. deep by 103 ft. wide, with a 72-ft. fly height and 70 fly lines. Expanded orchestra pit; full Wenger symphonic shell; fully updated utilities and HVAC system. One million within 40-minute drive; venue hosts 125+ events per year, attracting 156,000+.
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iWireless Center1201 River Drive, Moline, IL 61265(309) 764-2001; Fax: (309) 764-2192iwirelesscenter.com Executive Director: Scott Mullen
The iWireless Center has hosted the top artists and touring acts in the country including The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Cirque du Soleil, Disney On Ice and more. The arena has a 12,000-seat center stage capacity (11,500 end-stage, multiple lower-bowl and theater capacities that range from 3,000-6,000; 10,700 for basketball; and 9,500 for hockey and indoor football). Seven dress-ing rooms include four team rooms, one training room, one small room, three production offices and a VIP promoter office. Food service by Levy Restaurants. Full-service marketing and PR department. Centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Omaha.
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Rushmore Plaza Civic Center444 Mount Rushmore Road North, Rapid City, SD 57701(605) 394-4115/(800) GOT-MINE; Fax: (605) 394-4119GOTMINE.COM Executive Director: Craig BaltzerTruly the Center of It All South Dakota’s premier full-service performance, exhibition, convention and event complex. Entertainment promoters, professional sports teams and business executives have all dis-covered that the Civic Center can meet their needs with professional service and competi-tive pricing. The Complex features a 10,000+-seat arena, 1,741-seat Fine Arts Theatre, and two large Convention Halls with 12 variously sized meeting rooms. New (2008) Ice Arena – 28,000 sq. ft. convention space; 5,127 seats – hockey; 7,450 seats – concerts. Arena has two star dressing rooms, five locker/dressing rooms; theater has two chorus rooms, four dressing rooms.
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62 Facilities SuperBook 2009The Midwest
ERVIN J. NUTTERCENTERat Wright State UniversitySuite 4303640 Colonel Glenn HighwayDayton, OH 45435-0001(937) 775-3498; Fax: (937) 775-2060www.nuttercenter.comExecutive Director: John Siehl, CFE
“Ohio’s premier spot for sports,concerts, and family events.”
Snapshot: This multipurpose entertain-ment and sports complex features1,000 – 12,000 seats. The venue openedin 1990 and has been renovated toallow hockey to be played and addedreinforced steel rigging along with newmotorized lower level seating, motor-ized center arena scoreboard, renovatedluxury suites and new-look concessionstands.Capacities: Basketball: 10,400;Hockey: 9,900; End-Stage Seating:11,500; Professional Wrestling/ In “TheRound” Seating: 11,500; Extreme
(Motorcross): 9,500.Staging: Stage right 60’ W x 40’ D x4’-7’ H; 2-12’x 24’ sound wings; Stageramping: ADA approved—floor tostage; Riser stock: Variable = 12” – 32”in height.Backstage Areas: Production Office:upstage left, floor level; DressingRooms: Two Star Dressing Rooms—upstage left, floor level; Four TeamDressing Rooms- upstage left.Sound: Center Cluster Unit.Lighting: 4 Lycain 1290 XLT, 2K.Food & Beverage: Ovations is theonsite concession and catering service; 8Concession stands (including the floorportable: limited menu); 2 Hot DogNation stands; 2 Black AngusHamburger stands; 1 Pizziola Pizzastand ; 1: Houssong’s Mexican Cantina;1 City BBQ; 1 Full Service Bar; 2Dippin’ Dots stands.Audience Amenities: Padded Seatingin first six rows; Video board in middleof the arena; Guest service booth.Parking: 4,238 spaces.Marketing: Marketing Departmentand a Group Sales Department.Demographics: 1.2 million people inthe Dayton area and the Greater MiamiValley.See ad on Page 47
OHIO
RUSHMORE PLAZACIVIC CENTER444 Mt. Rushmore Rd. N.Rapid City, SD 57701(605) 394-4115 or (800)-GOTMINEFax: (605) 394-4119www.gotmine.comSales and Marketing Manager:Steve Montgomery
The Center of It AllSnapshot: Rushmore Plaza CivicCenter is South Dakota’s premier full-service performance, exhibition, con-vention and event complex. Sinceopening its doors in 1977, entertain-ment promoters, professional sportsteams and business executives have alldiscovered that the Civic Center canmeet their needs with professional serv-ice and competitive pricing. TheComplex features a 10,000-seat Arena,1,752-seat Fine Arts Theatre, and 2large Convention Halls with 12 varioussized Meeting Rooms from 2,000 to 20.A new 6,500-seat Ice Arena was addedin Nov. 2008.
Exhibition Space: 180,000 sq. ft.Capacities: Arena—concerts and otherentertainment: 10,000; Sports eventsseating: 5,700-8,500; half-house settingwith seating up to 5,700 (Arena fea-tures 34,500 sq. ft. of uninterruptedspace); The Rushmore Plaza CivicCenter’s Fine Arts Theatre seats up to 1,752.Backstage Areas: Arena has 2 stardressing rooms on the 2nd level and 5locker/dressing rooms on the mainfloor; Fine Arts Theatre has 2 chorusrooms and 4 individual dressing rooms.Food & Beverage: 9 concession stands,club restaurant, and Food Court, multi-ple portable stands.Audience Amenities: Club Seating,Suites, Large Daktronics Video ScreensParking: 4,000 Free Spaces.Demographics: 250,000 in ADI.See ad on page 51
Midwest Hospitality at its Best!Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorks,the Swiftel Center is one of SouthDakota’s premier event centers formeetings and entertainment. With a30,000-square-foot Arena, state of theart Daktronics Banquet Rooms,Concourse, County Rooms, ConferenceRooms and In-House Catering service;the Swiftel Center can plan any eventthat you can imagine. Swiftel Centerfeatures a dedicated staff to make anyevent successful from conception toreality and provide superior service witha friendly smile.Seating Capacities: Basketball – 4,300;End-stage Concert (reserved) – 5,400;End stage Concert (festival) – 7,000.Exhibition Space: 30,000 sq. ft.Portable Staging: 40’ x 60’ x 4-6’ stage;(24) ME-500 supports, 48”-78”; (63)
4’x8’ decks, reversible tech; (12) 4’x8’decks, ground pepper carpet/ tech stage;(15) 8’ guardrails; (3) 4’ guardrails; (15)8’x48”-78” black skirting; (3) 4”x48”-78” black skirting; (8) 4’x8’x 18”-24”supports; (1) 21’x21’ dance floor.Sound: BOSE Quality Systems pow-ered by Crown Amplification.Lighting: Ruud Lights, (120) 400 WattMetal Halide; manually controlled.Backstage Areas: (4) Locker rooms;(2) Dressing room bathroom; (3) meet-ing Rooms.Food & Beverage: 2 Event level con-cession stands; full catering availableon-site.Marketing: full-service marketingdepartment.Demographics: The Swiftel Centerserves the tri-state region of SouthDakota, Minnesota and Iowa.See ad on page 53
SOUTH DAKOTA
ALERUS CENTER1200 South 42nd StreetGrand Forks, ND 58201(701) 792-1200; Fax: (701) 746-6511www.aleruscenter.comDirector of Administration: Vione Jordheim
Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorks,Alerus Center, built in 2001, is theregion’s premier, full service entertain-ment and event center and features both an arena and a conventioncenter. The Alerus Center Arena wasdesigned to serve as a multi-purpose,versatile facility capable of quick conversions while maintaining theintegrity of the “entertainment experi-ence”. Seating Capacities: Total –21,389; Arena Set End Stage: 11,029;Round: 12, 914; Half-House: 8,245;Standard Theater: 2,619.Staging: The stage right portable stageallows a maximum stage of 64’W x52’D x 4’ to 6’ H. Accessories includean accessible ramp, stairs, guardrails,and skirting. The standard mix stage isa 12’W x 24’D platform with heights
ranging from 1’ to 3’.Backstage Areas: 8 locker rooms;private offices, meeting rooms and startdressing rooms are available.Sound System: custom Bose system,powered by Crown amplification, andincludes corded microphones, wirelessmicrophones, CD and cassette players,mixing boards, and a variety of otheraudio-visual equipment.Lighting: mix of metal halide andquartz fixtures with a Douglas pro-grammable controller; full black-outcapabilities via an extensive half-housecurtaining system.Food & Beverage: 8 fixed concessionstands, 7 various portable stands,20 beer domes and 6 portable liquorstands; the Alerus Center also providesexclusive on-site catering service.Parking: 3,388 on-site spaces.Marketing: full in-house marketingdepartment.Demographics: more than one millionpeople within 2-hour driving radius.See ad on page 40
NORTH DAKOTA
Midwest v1 1/13/09 8:26 AM Page 62
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Paramount Theatre123 Third Avenue NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401(319) 398-5226paramounttheatrecr.comGeneral Manager: Jason Anderson
Located downtown in the heart of Cedar Rapids’ entertainment district, this com-pletely restored and renovated historic 1928 movie/vaudeville palace reopened in November 2012 after a $35 million renovation that included new dressing rooms, state-of-the-art rigging systems, lighting, video, EV X-Array speaker system, plus expanded stage and reception spaces. The Theatre houses 1,699 seats with the pit, 1,673 without; seven dressing rooms all with private showers and restrooms; three chorus rooms; and up to five portable concession stands. High-tech features include Tessitura ticketing software, a leading enterprise-wide, fully integrated software system.
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The Sanford Center1111 Event Center Drive NE, Bemidji, MN 56601(218) 441-4000; Fax: (218) 441-4099thesanfordcenter.netExecutive Director: Roger Swanson
Located on beautiful Lake Bemidji, managed by VenuWorks, The Sanford Center is northern Minnesota’s premier venue for sporting events, concerts and family shows, and offers high-tech meeting and ballroom space for conventions and conferences. Seating: 4,000 hockey, 5,500 for end-stage concerts. Exhibition space: 10,000-sq.-ft. ballroom (divisible three ways), 24,000-sq.-ft. arena/tradeshow floor; four breakout meeting rooms, pre/post reception area. Industry standard portable arena concert staging with risers. Two star dressing rooms, green room, meeting room, four locker rooms, produc-tion office. Twenty-five suites, 200+ club seats, state-of-the-art press box; in-house marketing department; 200,000+ residents within 75-mile radius of Bemidji.
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McGrath Amphitheatre475 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404(319) 398-5211; Fax: (319) 362-2102www.mcgrathamphitheatre.com Assistant Executive Director: Mike Silva
The McGrath Amphitheatre sits in the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids along a gentle bend of the Cedar River. This unique outdoor venue has been home to many concerts, festivals and special events since its opening in the summer of 2013. The amphitheater is one of the area’s best outdoor facilities and boasts a permanent covered stage and beautiful grassy seating for up to 5,000 (reserved seating, 4,000). Nestled in the highly populated corridor of Eastern Iowa, the U.S. Cellular Center draws event attendees from a population base of more than 1,500,000 people. The center of this population group is within a 60-mile radius, or a quick 45-min-ute drive from downtown Cedar Rapids.
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Iowa State CenterScheman Building, Suite 102, Ames, IA 50011(515) 294-3347; (877) 843-2368www.center.iastate.eduExecutive Director (incoming): Tammy KoolbeckGreat Events Happen HereIowa State Center, which comprises Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and the Scheman Building, regularly features quality entertainment programming. Upcoming acts include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Bill Maher and Moscow Festival Ballet Presents Sleeping Beauty. Stephens Auditorium seats 1,584, Orchestra; 467, First Balcony w/Loge; 354, Second Balcony w/Loge; 204, Third Balcony; 2,609, Total Capacity; 112, Additional Pit Seating. Proscenium opening is 70 ft. by 30 ft. Stage floor is 80 ft. wide by 50 ft. deep. Backstage areas include five 1-4 capacity at stage level and two chorus rooms. Fisher Theater seats 450 and is supported by a loading dock, freight elevator, truck parking, dance floor and two dressing rooms.
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T H E A T E R
R
Whether you are planning a concert, theatrical event or meeting, Chicago's Arie Crown Theater is here to help you make your upcoming show a success.
The Arie Crown Theater is a handsome, 4,249-seat proscenium arch theatre located in Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, just 2.5 miles south of downtown Chicago. It features one of the largest and most adaptable stages in the Midwest.
The proscenium opening is 90 feet wide by 40 feet high, with a stage depth of over 58 feet, featuring an ample orchestra pit. The Arie Crown Theater is equipped with excellent lighting and sound systems. The spacious backstage area provides generous storage for scenery and props and offers two weather-protected berths on the loading dock adjacent to the stage.
Abundant cast and crew areas can be found backstage, with ten principle dressing rooms two large chorus dressing rooms, tech rooms, special storage areas and a generously proportioned "Green Room" for VIP and performers' use. In addition, the Theater has two large, strategically located rehearsal rooms that are equipped with mirrored walls, wood flooring, and dance barres.
For Booking Information, please visit us at www.ariecrown.com, or call Dulcie Gilmore at (312) 791-6196.
Mention this advertisement for a free email blast to over 20,000 active ticket buyers to promote your first Arie Crown Theatre booking!
Classic Features, Modern AmenitiesThe Arie Crown Theater
Easy Routing !Rental & Co-Promotion Opportunities 27,000 sq. ft. floor Seating Configurations from 2,400-6,500
Hartman Arena Ad For Facilities MAg.indd 1 7/13/15 12:35 PM
58 FacILItIes & eVeNt MaNaGeMeNt 2015 suPerBook
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Which of the following categories (I, II, or III) best describes your business classification? Please check the one box that applies.I. Facilities❑ 1AR Arena/Stadium❑ 1CC Convention/Expo Center❑ 1CI Civic Center❑ 1HO Hotel/Conference Center❑ 1PA Performing Arts Center❑ 1FG Fairground❑ 1AM Amphitheatre❑ 1EH Exhibit Hall❑ 1TH Theatre❑ 1MP Multi-Purpose❑ 1OT Other (please specify) ____________________
II. Entertainment Management❑ 2A Concert Tour Promoter❑ 2B Booking Agent❑ 2C Business/Personal Manager❑ 2D Talent Buyer❑ 2E Special Event Planner❑ 2F Sports Agent❑ 2G Other (please specify) ____________________
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Facilities&event Management
Swiftel Center824 32nd Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006(605) 692-7539; Fax: (605) 697-6393swiftelcenter.comExecutive Director: Tom RichterTreat yourself to Midwest Hospitality at its bestA multi-purpose facility: configurations range from 4,300 basketball, 5,600 end-stage concert (reserved), 7,000 end-stage concert (festival). 15,000 sq. ft. of banquet space, divisible into four rooms. Six dressing rooms. Full-service in-house catering and concessions. StageRight stage – 40 ft.-by-60 ft., adjustable height from 4 ft. to 6 ft. House sound system is a BOSE Quality System, center-hung powered by Crown Amplification throughout the facility. Full rigging grid and Daktronics Galaxy Message Center. In-house marketing department is full-service agency, specializing in creating customized marketing campaigns for events. The Center serves the tri-state region – South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa.
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United Wireless Arena4100 Comanche Street, P.O. Box 1516Dodge City, KS 67801(620) 371-7390; Fax: (620) 371-7393unitedwirelessarena.comExecutive Director: Ralph Nall
State-of-the-art, $40.3 million arena opened in 2011 featuring a U-shaped seating bowl, 4,000 fixed seats, 5,200+ for concerts and other events (half-house: 1,800 with curtaining system). 12 suites plus 12 Club Seating sections; in-suite catering available; VIP level includes a walk-out balcony, tables and seating, large plasma TVs, lounge furniture and fully stocked and serviced bar. Backstage areas: four team locker rooms, two green rooms. Arena floor: 20,000-sq.-ft. exhibition/conference space; 6,700 sq. ft. in attached Conference Center. Kansas has a population of three million; venue also draws from Oklahoma and Colorado markets. In-house marketing staff.
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U.S. Cellular Center Arena 370 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401(319) 398-5211; Fax: (319) 362-2102www.uscellularcenter.comAssistant Executive Director: Mike Silva
Managed by VenuWorks, the U.S. Cellular Center re-opened in spring of 2013 after undergoing extensive renovations including additional seating capacity, a new back-stage area and rigging grid. General admission festival capacity, 9,000; reserved seating for 7,700. Attached to the DoubleTree Convention Complex. Over 57 LCD and LED signs throughout the venue. The U.S. Cellular Center draws event attendees from a population base of more than 1,500,000 in Eastern Iowa. The center of this population group is within a 60-mile radius, or a quick 45-minute drive from down-town Cedar Rapids, which is easily accessible to St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Omaha and Milwaukee.
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the #1 news & information Source for booking Agents, Promoters,
talent buyers & Special event Planners
60 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
miDWest / inDiana
211 North Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601 (574) 235-9190; (800) 537-6415; Fax: (574) 235-5604 morriscenter.org
The MORRIS originally opened as The Palace Theater in November, 1921. The building was designed to combine many different eras in
architectural history: Italian Renaissance, Spanish Revival and Baroque. Architect J.S. Aroner of Chicago hoped that a trip through the theater would make patrons feel like they had just made a trip through Europe. The opulent interior décor was designed by Marshall Fields of Chicago. Patrons of the Palace enjoyed a magnificent ballroom and a theater that boasted the largest stage in the state and luxuries of the time such as a supervised nursery, a sitting room for women complete with an attendant, and a smoking room for men.
In August of 1959, with the advent of television causing low attendance records, the theater was almost demolished. Mrs. Morris purchased the theater for an undisclosed sum and sold it for $1 to the city, which then renamed it the Morris Civic Auditorium in her honor.
The MORRIS in February 2000 completed an extensive $24.3 million renovation (soft and hard dollars) and was renamed THE MORRIS PER-FORMING ARTS CENTER. The MORRIS reopened boasting upgraded technical equipment, enlarged performance and backstage spaces, as well as a completely restored interior.
The MORRIS CENTER offers the best of the old and new, a combina-tion of opulent decor and rich history with upgraded technical equip-ment and expanded space. The MORRIS CENTER now hosts over 125 events per year including pop concerts, national Broadway tours, dance, symphony, comedians, rock concerts and ballroom events. The MORRIS CENTER welcomes over 156,000 guests yearly and has an economic impact of $5.9 million on the City of South Bend.
The MORRIS is the best-kept “touring” secret in the Midwest: a low-cost showcase for rehearsals and early performances of a tour.
In 2003, the MORRIS Bistro Restaurant opened on the lower level as “The place to go before the show.” Seats up 100, available for private parties.
THE MORRIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
DESIGNED TO COMBINE MANy DIFFERENT ERAS IN ARCHITECTuRAl HISTORy: ITAlIAN RENAISSANCE, SPANISH REvIvAl AND BAROquE.
62 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
MIDwest / south Dakota
rushmore Plaza Civic Center
444 N. Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD 57701 • (605) 394-4115 • gotmine.com
rushmore Plaza Civic Center opened in 1977 with a concert
by none other than Elvis Presley on June 21. Today the Cen-
ter continues to draw top acts in a variety of genres. Upcoming
shows include Waka Flocka Flame on Aug. 13, Miranda Lambert
on Sept. 26, Elton John on Oct. 6 and the Fanovation Broadway
play series. The Center hosts the Black Hills Stock Show and
Rodeo, as well as basketball and indoor football games, circus
events, car shows, conventions, monster truck shows and more.
The Center’s Don Barnett Arena covers 34,500 sq. ft. and can
accommodate up to 9,173 spectators for a stage event in the
round, or 3,574-5,644 individuals in a half house concert or
theatre setup. The Ice Arena seats 5,127 for hockey and 7,450
for a concert, and the Fine Arts Theatre seats 1,741-seat. There is
also 28,000 sq. ft. of convention space. The Arena has two star
dressing rooms and five locker/dressing rooms. The Theater has
two chorus rooms and four dressing rooms. In addition, there are
8-, 12-, 16 and 20-person Party Suites with panoramic views of the
arena floor.
Last October, the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center welcomed Craig
Baltzer as its new Executive Director, replacing former General
Manager Brian Maliske following his resignation in June. Baltzer
brings more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment man-
agement business (18 of those years working in the management of
sports and entertainment facilities, 13 years as General Manager).
The Sioux Falls native has served as company manager and Director
of Operations for Sesame Street Live, touring with the company
throughout the United States, and was also named General Man-
ager of Sesame Street Live in the United Kingdom. Baltzer has been
the Operations Manager and Director of Events for the Ice Palace
in Tampa, FL; the General Manager of the Laredo Entertainment
Center in Laredo, TX; and most recently the General Manager of
the Ford Idaho Center of Nampa/Boise, ID for the past nine years.
Northern Minnesota’s Preferred Venue For Sports, Family Shows, Concerts & Entertainment!
Flexible Confi gurations & Easy RoutingSeating Capacities from 2,000 to 5,800Full-Service Marketing & Advertising DepartmentWide Range of Rental & Co-Promotional Opportunities
67FacILItIes & eVeNt MaNaGeMeNt 2015 suPerBook
the west
ASU Gammage Wells Fargo Arena600 East Veterans Way, Tempe, AZ 85281(480) 965-5062asu.edu/tour/tempe/wfa.htmlDirector of Operations: Terri Cranmer
Located on Arizona State University’s Tempe Campus, Wells Fargo Arena is home to a variety of Sun Devil sporting events as well as concerts and shows, and is one of the nation’s top collegiate arenas. The 14,000-seat basketball arena serves the Phoenix Valley, with a population of three million. It offers more than 8,000 parking spaces and is located two blocks from two light rail stations, and two blocks from a bus transportation center. Wells Fargo Arena recently added a multimillion-dollar center-court hung video scoreboard, along with four 8 ft.-by-12 ft. video screens. The venue also features an in-house marketing department.
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Chesapeake Energy Arena100 West Reno, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 602-8700; Fax: (405) 602-8505chesapeakearena.comGeneral Manager: Gary Desjardins
Chesapeake Energy Arena attracts more than one million guests per year, conve-niently located near the junction of I-40 and I-35 in downtown Oklahoma City, a metro area with a 1.2 million+ population. Seating capacities: 4,000-18,000. Concert (center stage) – 17,932; concert (endstage) – 16,698; concert (theater) – 3,736; bas-ketball – 17,404. Arena floor – 34,074 sq. ft. Backstage – four dressing rooms, three locker rooms, two production offices, press lounge and green room with 906-sq.-ft. lobby and a 1,576-sq.-ft. pub. Recently renovated main concourse; 36 suites, two lounge areas, seven bunker suites, two VIP dining areas. Full- service, award-winning marketing staff.
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Lloyd Noble Center 2900 South Jenkins Avenue, Norman, OK 73019 (405) 325-4666; Fax: (405) 325-4583 lloydnoblecenter.comDirector of Events: Loida Haffener-Salmond
Multipurpose facility serving University of Oklahoma and surrounding community, Lloyd Noble Center is 20 minutes from downtown Oklahoma City, with one million+ within an 80-mile radius. Capacities (including floor seating): in-the-round – 11,205; full arena – 8,519; expanded theater – 4,516; theater – 2,848. Six locker rooms; 850-sq.-ft. catering/media room; 1,140-sq.-ft. Media Work Room. House stage – 40 ft.-by-60 ft.-by-40 in. Stage area ranges from 48 sq. ft. to 2,400 sq. ft., made up of 8 ft.-by-4 ft. sections whose configuration can be customized for each performance. 12 fixed concession stands oper-ated by OU concessions. State-of-the-art retractable center-hung scoreboard and sound system features four high-definition video boards and four video boards.
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Orleans Arena4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89103(702) 365-7111; Fax: (702) 284-7778www.orleansarena.comExecutive Director: Darren Davis, CFE
The Orleans Arena hosts more than 200 events each year, with a variety of enter-tainment options for a local and national audience. In 2014, the Orleans Arena received the prestigious Venue Excellence Award from the IAVM. Capacities: End stage concert, 8,921; 360° concert, 9,500; general admission floor, end stage, 7536; three-fourths house, 6,849; half-house concert, 5,519; one-fourth house, 4,193. In-house mobile deck stage system, 60 ft. by 48 ft. Three parking lots. Backstage areas include six arena meeting rooms, one press room, five locker rooms, three star rooms and one green room. Marketing team assists with local media buys, public relations initiatives street marketing efforts and much more.
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State Farm Arena2600 North 10th Street, Hidalgo, TX 78557(956) 843-6688; Fax: (956) 843-5547statefarmarena.comGeneral Manager/Director of Booking: Marc Solis
Opened in 2003, the $20 million multipurpose State Farm Arena has hosted Alan Jackson, WWE, IFC, boxing, Harlem Globetrotters, Monster Jam and more. Upcoming acts include Ricky Martin and Motley Crue. The 6,800-seat arena configures up to 5,500 seats for ice hockey, football and soccer, and a center stage concert capacity of 6,800. Audience amenities include 25 suites and 500 club seats. The property also includes 2,200 surface parking spaces onsite, a 2,000-sq.-ft. lounge with access from outside of the arena, as well as a bar and pro shop. The McAllen-Harlingen-Brownsville MSA is the fourth-fastest market in the United States and is the 10th ranked Hispanic market. The MSA has grown by 40 percent in the last 10 years.
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Stockton Arena248 West Fremont Street, Stockton, CA 95203 (209) 373-1400stocktonlive.com Director of Booking: Jim Johnson
Built in 2005, the Stockton Arena, located in the California Central Valley between Sacramento and Fresno, defined the city’s downtown waterfront redevelopment program. Hosting concerts, family shows and ECHL hockey, the arena offers 8,600–12,000 seats, based on configuration; 24 Luxury Suites; the Record Press Club Level with 344 Club Seats; and four dressing rooms and four locker rooms. Features include full rigging and stage equipment, four-sided Daktronics video display and scoreboard, a distributed house sound system, easy load-in and load-out, and an NHL regulation ice sheet (85 ft. by 200 ft.). Supported by a computerized ticketing system. Provides email and social media support, as well as annual discounts with media partners on top of agency rate.
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Toyota Center7016 West Grandridge Boulevard, Kennewick, WA 99336(509) 737-3700; Fax: (509) 735-9431yourtoyotacenter.com Executive Director: Corey Pearson
Formerly known as the Tri-Cities Coliseum, this 7,500-seat multi-purpose facility annu-ally hosts 180+ concert, sporting and other events. Seating features: three full sections with padded Broadway seating. 11 Executive Suites; full lounge facility upstairs. Eight concession stands. Complex includes The Three Rivers Convention Center with 75,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibit space, 13 spacious meeting rooms, 21,600-sq.-ft. Great Hall (accommodates 2,100), 14,000-sq.-ft. pre-function space. Tri-Cities MSA is fourth larg-est in the state with a population of 248,400. Marketing personnel assist with local media; Insider Data Base (15,000+) for event announcements; busy highway marquee; third-party advertising opportunities.
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ASU Gammage outdoor and Wells Fargo Arena photos: Tim Trumble
For events big and small, ASU Gammage has a venue that’s just right for your needs!
For rental information call 480.965.1749 or [email protected] Box 870205 Tempe, AZ, 85287-0205 Fax: 480.965.7663
ASU GAMMAGE - 2,800 SEATS
SUN DEVIL STADIUM - 65,000 SEATS
WELLS FARGO ARENA - 10,000 SEATS
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Three convenient Tempe venues with easy access for the Phoenix Metro and ASU student populations.Phoenix Metro Area: 4.33 million ASU student enrollment: 73,378
70 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
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United Supermarkets Arena1701 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79409-2200(806) 742-7362; Fax: (806) 742-7557unitedsupermarketsarena.comAssociate Director: Cindy Harper The Entertainment Showcase of West TexasState-of-the-art, 15,000-seat multipurpose facility was designed to both showcase Texas Tech University basketball and volleyball and also help meet the growing entertainment and event needs of the South Plains region. 81,017-sq.-ft. concourse space/ 31,916-sq.-ft. arena floor; StageRight staging; four concourse-level meeting rooms; concourse level club area, six dressing rooms, practice gym, media work room, press conference room, 10 fixed concession stands, and 24 luxury suites. Lubbock, with a population of 230,000 and a campus of 29,000+ students, draws from a 1,000,000+ market including West Texas, Eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.
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Talking Stick Resort Arena201 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004(602) 379-2000; Fax: (602) 379-2002talkingstickresortarena.comDirector, Event Booking: Nick Vaerewyck
From 30 guests to 18,000, Talking Stick Resort Arena sets the stage for impressive events. This remarkable facility plays home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the AFL’s Arizona Rattlers. Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, our venue offers state-of-the-art audio/visual, innovative dining, and front door access to the Valley’s METRO light rail. Features a 900-ft. LED ribbon, a center-hung scoreboard with HDTV screens, and new sound system. Thirteen separate dressing rooms, catering lounge, two event-level club spaces, 87 luxury suites and six party suites, 16 concessions stands operated by Levy Restaurants and 18 specialty stands. Offers a 900-space attached garage and 1,500-space garage next door.
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Cullen Performance Hall154 Cullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX 77204(832) 842-3100; Fax: (713) 743-9495entertainhouston.comDirector of Booking & Sales: Beckye Levin Where Entertainment Lives on the University of Houston CampusCullen Performance Hall is a 1,612-seat theater located in the center of the University of Houston campus, just two miles from downtown Houston. Cullen opened in 1950 and renovations were made in the late 1980s. Since its opening, Cullen has held major touring concerts, symphonies and dance performances and competitions. The proscenium opening is 36 ft. wide by 27 ft. high. Total stage depth: 45 ft. 9 in. Stage lighting is controlled by an ETC Ion 2000 console. Four dressing rooms (each accommodating six to eight people), two dressing rooms with accommodations for 25-30 people, green room accommodating up to 80 people. Houston has an ethnically diverse population of 5.9 million.
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72 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook
west / NeVaDa
orleans Arena
4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89103 • (702) 365-7111 • www.orleansarena.com
the Orleans Arena hosts more than 200 events each year, with a variety of entertainment options for a local and national audi-
ence. In 2014, the Orleans Arena received the prestigious Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the arena is the largest employer in the State of Nevada to have received the SHARPS safety rating from OSHA.
The Orleans Arena is constantly in the headlines with local, nation-al and international news stories. Recently, the venue set an all-time attendance record with its Continental Cup of Curling beat-ing out prior U.S. attendance figures for a curling event, including the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Additionally, the venue has been home to a number of firsts: the first casino-owned venue to host an NCAA basketball game, the first venue in America to host the EnduroCross motorsports event, the first venue in Nevada to achieve LEED Gold Certification and the first Nevada arena to fly an indoor drone during a publically ticketed event.
Capacities: End stage concert, 8,921; 360° concert, 9,500; three-fourths house concert, 6,849; one-half house concert, 5,519; one-fourth house concert, 4,193; boxing/wrestling, 3,500-9,500; hockey/soccer/football, 6,500-7,000; rodeo/equestrian, 5,736; basketball, 7,500-8,500; general admission floor – end stage, 7,536. In-house mobile deck stage system measures 60 ft. by 48 ft. (varied). The audio system is a custom-build EAW system. Stadium lights have a shutter system for instant on/off capabilities.
The Orleans Arena offers 28,800 sq. ft. of exhibition space. Backstage areas include six arena meeting rooms and one press room totaling over 11,600 sq. ft. of space, five locker rooms, three star rooms with showers, restroom and vanity mirrors, and one green room.
Audience amenities include nine convenient food outlets, a full service Catering Department and in house kitchen facility. There are more than 100 LED TVs throughout the concourse and the club/suite level. Premium areas include 248 Club Seats and 22 Luxury Suites. Three parking lots include the Harmon Lot, which is 240,000 sq. ft. and fully fenced and lighted for outdoor event use; East Parking Lot with over 500,000 sq. ft.; and the West Parking Lot, which is over 200,000 sq. ft. — all adjacent to the venue. Additional public parking for arena events can be found in the 2,500-space parking garage next to the facility.
The Orleans Arena marketing team is available to promote events through unique arena and casino marketing opportunities. In ad-dition, the team can assist with local media buys, public relations initiatives, street marketing efforts and much more. Drawing from both a local and tourist database, the Orleans Arena has a vast database to market shows. With an adjoining full-service casino/hotel, the daily patron traffic on the property is another source of constant marketing for events.
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7016 W. Grandridge Boulevard Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 737-3700; Fax: (509) 735-9431yourtoyotacenter.com threeriversconventioncenter.com
three Rivers is the confluence of everything that makes for great events, from the versatility of the Toyota Center to the distinctive Three Rivers Convention Center
with our dedicated staff serving you all along the way. Centrally located between Seattle, Portland, Spokane and Boise in the Tri-Cities community of 250,000, Three Rivers is surrounded by world-class wine regions, top-rated golf, miles of riverfront parks and trails, and abundant dining, shopping and accommodation options.
toyota centerComfortably seating 2,100 to 7,200 in multiple configurations ideal for concerts, comedy, Broadway, sports, tradeshows and meetings. The facilities concourse provides access to concessions and amenities, with private suites providing exclusive viewing for VIP guests. A sepa-rate banquet room accommodates groups up to 250 and features a private entrance and full-service bar.
three rivers convention centerThe 75,000-sq. ft. convention center is ideal for meetings, tradeshows, and conventions. The great hall provides 21,600 sq. ft. and is easily transformed into a ballroom accommodating 2,000 or subdivided into smaller spaces. The convention center also features additional meeting rooms, a soaring glass foyer, private boardroom and Cyber Café. A new attached SpringHill Suites by Marriott opened February 2015.
The Three Rivers Campus is managed by VenuWorks. VenuWorks provides full management services for arenas, theaters and convention centers to more than 30 venues across the country.
201 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 • (602) 379-2000 • talkingstickresortarena.com
From 30 guests to 18,000, Talking Stick Resort Arena sets the stage for impressive events. This remarkable facility is home
to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, the AFL’s Arizona Rattlers, and is one of the city’s most dramatic multi-use spaces.
Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, Talking Stick Resort Arena offers state-of-the-art audio/visual, innovative dining, and front door access to the Valley’s METRO light rail.
The arena opened in 1992, and in its first full year of oper-ation received every award a new venue of its kind was afforded, including Best New Concert Venue by Performance Magazine and Best NBA Facility by those who know best, the players themselves. Talking Stick Resort Arena completed a major $70 million expansion and improvement project in 2004. Gone is the block exterior, replaced with soaring glass walls. The outdoor ticket office is now enclosed inside the new 14,000-sq.-ft. Casino Arizona Pavilion, serving as a grand entrance highlighted by a 12 ft.-by-20 ft. video wall. The facility features a Courtside Club, Blue Moon Club, Verve Energy Lounge, and the Green-house, a 7,000-sq.-ft. family-friendly active home to the Phoenix Suns Gorilla. At street level Talking Stick Resort Arena offers
a Carl’s Jr., an expanded Team Shop and the Blue Moon Club. On the east side of the building is the Coors Light Cold Zone, a flexible outdoor entertainment venue covered by a football field-length canopy. The Coors Light Cold Zone features state-of-the-art sound and video projection systems as well as the stylish bar area and facilities that double as a television studio for Phoenix Suns telecasts and a performance stage for music events. There are 16 concessions stands, operated by Levy Restaurants, serv-ing the lower and upper concourse, in addition to 18 specialty stands. Guests in the suite levels can choose from a variety of menu items for in-suite catering.
Tech features include a 900-ft. LED ribbon, a center-hung score-board with HDTV screens and a new sound system. Backstage, performers have at their disposal 13 separate dressing rooms/offices, 12 of which include private shower/restroom facilities. In addition, a separate catering lounge and two event-level club spaces are available. There are 87 luxury suites and six party suites on two mid-level concourses.
A Ticketmaster building, Talking Stick Resort Arena offers patrons a 900-space attached garage, and a 1,500-space garage next door. Promoters can partner with a full service, in-house marketing staff.
201 EAST JEFFERSON STREET | PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85004WWW.TALKINGSTICKRESORTARENA.COM
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
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Canada
Air Canada Centre40 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada(416) 815-5500theaircanadacentre.comVice President, Live Entertainment: Wayne Zronik
Since its introduction in 1999, Air Canada Centre has hosted over 36 million fans at 2,500 events, and is consistently ranked among the top sport and music venue in the North America and the world. The venue is home to the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club (NHL), Toronto Raptors basketball club (NBA) and the Toronto Rock Lacrosse team (NLL). Capacities: basketball: 18,639; hockey/lacrosse: 17,372; theater: 5,996; concert bowl: 8,607; 180° mode: 13,412; center stage: 18,959. Five restaurants and bars; 13,000 parking spaces within walking distance; e-mail list of 35,000 Live Insiders. One quarter of Canada’s popula-tion live within a 100-mile radius of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which features a broad ethnic diversity.
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Hershey Centre5500 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada(905) 502-9100; Fax: (905) 615-3299hersheycentre.comGeneral Manager: Mike Hamilton
The Hershey Complex was built in 1998 with three community ice rinks, a main event arena, and a full recreational facility. It has since served over 3.5 million guests. Capacities: 6,260 (boxing); 3,832 (end stage concert); 6,493 (360° concert); 5,557 (ice event). StageRight Stage up to 40 ft. by 60 ft. between 4 in. and 6 in. high. Backstage areas include five regu-lar size dressing rooms (15 ft. by 30 ft.), one larger OHL dressing room and four small dress-ing rooms. Special features include a Daktronics Videoboard, premium club seats and 2,000 free, non-metered parking spaces. Mississauga has over 700,000 residents (sixth-largest city in Canada) and is an ethnic melting pot. A 200,000-sq.-ft. sports complex expansion was completed in 2007.
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Canadian Tire Centre1000 Palladium Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2V 1A5(613) 599-0140; Fax: (613) 599-9283canadiantirecentre.comVice President | Executive Director: Tom Conroy
Canadian Tire Centre is Ottawa’s premier sports and entertainment venue. Located 15 minutes west of downtown Ottawa, the 19,153-seat venue is home to the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators and has played host to some of the world’s most popular performers including Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Fleetwood Mac, Cirque du Soleil and the best in family entertainment. Capacities: Hockey – 19,153; 360° concert – 17,855; 270° concert – 13,226; 180° concert – 12,000; theater setup – 2,500 to 7,140. State-of-the-art audio-video and full-service hospitality packages available. 6,500 parking spaces onsite. Serves an Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and Upstate New York population of 1.6 million.
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Coliseo De Puerto Rico500 Arterial B Street, Hato Rey, PR 00918(787) 777-0800; (877) coliseo (265-4736)Fax: (787) 777-0809coliseodepuertorico.comGeneral Manager: Wesley Elizabeth Cullen
Opened in 2005, the Coliseo is the premier stage in the Caribbean. Capacities: concerts end-stage 240° – 15,694; end-stage 180° – 14,730; boxing or wrestling – 18,163; basketball – 17,024; hockey ice rink, size 200 ft. by 85 ft. – 15,635; half-house – 10,959; theater style – 3,093; 26 Corporate Suites, 1,000 club seats, two party suites, VIP Lounge with private elevator. StageRight 88 ft. by 48 ft. max, adjustable from 4 ft. to 6 ft. in 2-in. increments; four stairs units; 80 ft. StageRight barricade; 16 food concessions stands plus six onsite concessions restaurants and five bar concessions.
puerTo rico
Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Centre 189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 1M4(416) 325-4144; Fax: (416) 314-3583heritagetrust.on.ca/ewgManager of Bookings and Events: Kevin Harris
Originally built in 1913 for Vaudeville and silent films, this multi-usecomplex contains two distinct and separate theaters, one sitting atop theother, and hosts musicals, dramas, comedies, dance, operas, family shows, concerts and other events. Capacities: Elgin Theatre – 1,561; Winter Garden Theatre – 992. Cascading reception lobbies range from small intimate gatherings to 900. “Dinner on Stage” events – 80. Plentiful dressing rooms, stage management offices, crew rooms, wardrobe room, rehearsal studios, kitchen. Toronto is the largest city in Canada – 2.5 million+, Greater Toronto Area – five million+.
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MTS Centre300 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3C 5S4(204) 987-7825; Fax: (204) 926-5555mtscentre.ca Senior Vice President Venues & Entertainment: Kevin Donnelly
The geographic center of North America, Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba, a province of 1.1 million+. The MTS Centre is home to the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, and can accommodate a variety of configurations for 3,500 to 15,000 fans. Hosting events ranging from hockey and other sports to the music industry’s biggest-name concerts, the venue offers excellent sightlines and superb acoustics. Amenities include four premier artist rooms, five team rooms, venue and tour catering areas, offices, Valhoffer stage (up to 72’ X 48’ X 6’ with additional stage pieces and railings available upon request), standard arena house lighting as well as six Xenon 2K supertroopers. Catering by Centerplate, onsite restaurant.
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189 Yonge Street Toronto, ON (416) 325-4144heritagetrust.on.ca/ewg
hIstorY: Toronto’s historic Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, is a Canadian national historic site and the last operating double-decker vaudeville-era theater in the world. Originally built in 1913 by Marcus Loew, it contains two distinct and unique theaters, one sitting atop the other. Both theaters operated together for 14 years, but, with the coming of “talkies,” the Winter Garden closed its doors in 1928 and remained boarded up for more than 60 years. restoratIoN: The ensuing years brought many changes to the building, but it gradually fell into disrepair. It was purchased by the Ontario Heritage Trust in 1981 and underwent a major restoration between 1987 and 1989 at a cost of $29 million (Cdn). A total of 65,000 sq. ft. of new space was added, including ample lobbies, lounges and an eight-story backstage addition housing spacious dressing rooms, crew rooms, a loading dock, freight elevator and two enormous rehearsal studios. The Elgin now sparkles with its gilded plaster details, rich damask wall coverings and domed ceiling. The Win-ter Garden Theatre, with its canopy of 5,000 branches of real beech leaves, painted sky and lit moon, is a dream fantasy come to life. The 1,561-seat Elgin and the 992-seat Winter Garden can operate simultaneously with services to patrons in the six separate bars and adjoining lounges.
reNtaL oPPortuNItIes: A multi-use complex, the center is able to accommodate a diverse range of presentations and events. The building can host live performances including everything from musicals, dramas, comedies, dance and opera to concerts, lectures, book signings and television broadcasts. The center also hosts film premieres complete with red carpet ceremonies as well as corporate and special events, one-night presentations and long-running engagements. Thanks to its meticulous restoration, combined with modern technologies and patron amenities, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre is a perfect venue for any presentation and ensures an enjoyable experience for patrons and performers alike.
tHe eLgin AnD Winter gArDen tHeAtre Centre
Musicals | DramasConcerts | Film Premières
Town Halls | Product Launches
caNaDa / oNtarIo
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Ten years have passed since you first checked us out and liked what you saw. Now, the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot is the most acclaimed arena in the Caribbean. We offer world-class facilities and a team that cares about every detail of each event.
Youchecked us out…
We are your Tropical venue of choice for a variety of concerts, major sporting events and acclaimed theatrical presentations; all because we have one goal: to provide an amazing experience on each and every event keeping our clients adrenaline always raising.
As we celebrate our tenth anniversary we are proud of our passion and the enthusiasm we provoke in all of our visitors.
We thank our staff for 10 years of emotions and our clients and collaborators for making the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot a Prime Site Facility.
10The Coliseo Team is proud of creating great moments and experiences for all our guests.
carIBBeaN / Puerto rIco
The Coliseo keeps rocking!
Ten years inthe Top 20.
Muchas gracias for the support!
www.coliseodepuertorico.com
Connect with us!Call Wesley Cullen at 787.777.0800
were added for 2016: LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC on March 4 and Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC on March 6.
Classic rock royalty has also recently made a show-ing in the Carolinas, with Sir Elton John playing the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville, NC on March 11, 2015, followed by a date at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC on March 13. James Grafstrom, Crown Complex General Manager, noted that Elton John’s All the Hits Tour stop was “the biggest concert we’ve had in the last 10 years. We’re especially proud to be able to get that show done in Fayetteville and provide a truly A list, Hall of Fame act for our region.”
Country, bluegrass, folk and gospel are among the musical genres tradition-ally associated with the Carolinas, but audiences in this pair of states have proven to have more varied tastes over the years. The collegiate population of
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, for example, supported punk rock throughout the 1970s, while the hip-hop scene was strong in the Triangle metropolitan area in the 1990s. Currently, the drawing power of pop in the region is receiving confirmation from the routing of Janet Jackson’s Unbreakable Tour, which will visit Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, NC on Sept. 17, 2015 and PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, NC on Sept. 18. Recently, two further Carolinas tour dates
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The Carolinas
Further testament to the stature and diversity of musi-cians touring through the Carolinas comes from Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. Hornets Sports & Entertainment’s 2015 Summer Concert Series features a lineup that includes New Kids on the Block, Barry Manilow, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Imagine Dragons, Sam Smith, Shania Twain, Ariana Grande and Mötley Crüe. “Our goal is to always provide the people of the Carolinas with the best possible enter-tainment that is available, and we believe that is exactly what we have done with our Summer Concert Series,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield. “We’re excited about the big-name per-formers, the variety of music and the tremendous enter-tainers that will be playing in Charlotte this summer.”
Yet many of the Carolinas’ major arenas also provide venues for smaller acts. A prime example the Florence Civic Center’s new Uptown Ballroom, which debuted in January and welcomes a diversity of acts from rock to blues to gospel. “We’ve long felt the need for an adven-turous, flexible venue in Florence where a wide range of artists could perform in an intimate environment,” said General Manager Kendall Wall. “The Uptown offers this and more. It can be a small listening room for a singer/songwriter, a general admission music hall for rockers like the Drive-By Truckers, or a sit-down evening for jazz and blues acts.” Indeed, opportunities for small-scale “roots” music will always abound in the Carolinas.
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The Carolinas A vibrant market for touring acts, and this year is no exceptionBy George Seli
Elton John at the Crown Coliseum, March 11
The Crown Complex is Southeastern North Carolina’s entertainment hub, consisting of five facilities: the Coli-seum, Arena, Theatre, Expo Center and ballroom. Upcom-ing events include Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales in August, Miranda Lambert and Fayetteville Comic Con in October and Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic in December.
CAPACITIES: 11,552-sq.-ft. arena seats up to 4,500. Theater seats up to 2,446. The Complex also includes a 60,000-sq.-ft. exposition hall and a 10,000-sq.-ft. ballroom that seats 650 theater style, 250 classroom style, and 400 banquet style. Coliseum seats up to 10,880 center stage; 9,564 end-stage concerts/basketball; 10,000 banquet style; 7,000 half-house.
STAGING: Coliseum: Portable 72 ft.-by-40 ft. stage from 3 ft. to 4.5 ft. high. Arena: Portable stage. 37-ft. domed roof (floor seating area) and a 27-ft. trim under bay (stage loca-tion). Theater: Permanent proscenium, 60 ft. by 25 ft.; 36-ft. depth, 24 lines sets, orchestra pit.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Coliseum: Four team dressing rooms, two star rooms, one green room, one production office and one catering area. Arena: Five star rooms, one choral room and six sports locker rooms. Theatre: Five star rooms and two choral dressing rooms.
AMENITIES: Concessions provided by Centerplate. Coliseum features private suites that are leased on a yearly basis or for an individual event; suites feature a 300-sq.-ft. entertainment area. 4,375 lighted parking spaces. Space for nine tractor-trailer vehicles on north side. Power, water and waste disposal available.
EVENT PROMOTION: The Crown Center has a full-service in-house marketing department. Depending on the show, the Crown Center may promote, co-promote, or serve as les-sor only, but marketing services are offered to each event, including placement and/or design of print, online, radio and TV ads; social media campaigns; creation and/or distri-bution of email blasts to 50,000-plus database; and more.
LOCAL MARKET: Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg; the military plays an important role in the city’s culture and economy. The median age is 32 years.
Located near Concord’s historic downtown district, the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center offers a 5,000-seat arena, over 150,000 sq. ft. of event space and a 10-acre lawn. Upcoming events include the Speedway Classic of the Caro-linas, Cabarrus County Fair, Concord Gun and Knife Show, Xtreme Top Box and Cheersport. The facility is conveniently situated just 14 miles north of Charlotte on Highway 49.
AMENITIES: SAVOR, Catering by SMG; six concession stands. Seven VIP suites.
LOCAL MARKET: 313,700 within a 15-mile radius; 1,377,900 within a 30-mile radius. Cabarrus is one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing counties.
Crown ComplexFayetteville, NCcrowncomplexnc.com
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NORTH CAROLINA
The Cabarrus Arena & Events Center
The Crown Complex
Durham Performing Arts CenterDurham, NCwww.dpacnc.com
Since opening in 2008, DPAC has become one of North Carolina’s re-nowned live entertain-ment hubs. The 2,700-seat DPAC features intimate sightlines and state-of-the art sound and video. More than 200 performances a year take place at the venue, including tour-ing Broadway produc-tions, high-profile concert and comedy events, family shows and the American Dance Festival. Acts performing this year include the American Idol Live Tour, Bill Ma-her, Lyle Lovett, The Temptations and the Four Tops and Jerry Seinfeld. Overseen by Nederlander and Professional Facili-ties Management, DPAC has been listed for four consecutive years as the No. 1 performing arts organization in the region by the Triangle Business Journal.
STAGING: 49 ft. deep by 114 ft. wide; 30.5 ft. high prosce-nium. 40,000 lb. rigging capacity.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four star dressing rooms, three prin-cipal rooms, four chorus rooms, green room, wardrobe room (95 ft. by 26 ft.).
LIGHTING: ETC system; 2,400 amps 3 phase service located downstage right.
AUDIO: Meyer system; flown center, left and right array along with two ground stacked subs.
AMENITIES: Johnson Lexus President’s Club VIP Program offers VIP parking, private lounge access and premium seating. More than 3,000 spaces within 1/10 to 1/4 mile walking distance from the theater.
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James Grafstrom has served as General Manager of the Crown Complex since November 2013, previously serving as General Manager of the Kovalchick Con-vention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, PA. Rebranded from the Crown Center, the Crown Complex offers multiple venues for events: a 10,880-capacity Coliseum, 4,500-capacity arena, 2,336-capacity theater, 60,000-sq.-ft. exposition hall and 10,000-sq.-ft. ballroom.
Comcast Spectacor recently brought its three divisions — Global Spectrum, Ovations Food Services and Paciolan — under the brand name of Spectra. What does this mean for your operation? Instead of a family of brands, we’re now a branded family. Ultimately that’s going to lead to more cohesive coopera-tion between the three companies at each one of the venues, so hopefully we can provide a little better service across the board.
Has the Crown Complex made any recent advances in its catering service? Our catering is still done by Centerplate, and we have made a lot of changes in the last two years. We’ve rebranded our concession stands, putting in some new concepts in that we felt were more localized and fit our market a little better. We’ve partnered with local food providers and we’re providing our burgers and our barbecue fresh the day of the event, which is fantastic. As Spectra, we have a commitment to the county to make a revenue-enhancing improvement to the venue, and what we’ve elected to do is put in a full-service bar on the hospitality level of the Coliseum. It’s got oversight of the main Coliseum floor, so people will be able to hang out at the bar area during a hockey game or concert and watch from a new vantage point.
What is your current approach to developing the entertain-ment content? Country does well here, but we’re experimenting right now with all sorts of different genres to try to figure out what does work best. We’re not afraid to take a risk on an event and trust our market that it’s going to be successful. It’s a calculated risk, but nonetheless if we’re going to grow our event base and grow the overall business that we’re doing in Cumberland County, we need to take some risks occasionally, and we’re not limiting the genre to do that. We’d certainly be open to doing a little bit more rock shows, for example. We’ve also had much success with different urban shows in our theater, and we’ve tried to expand some of those into the Coliseum in the last year to varying degrees of success. But in providing the content we feel like it will grow.
How is the Complex currently performing economically? We are going to have the best financial year at the facility since 2007. The building had been increasing its loss year over year, and we’ve been able to reverse that course. We’ve driven gross revenue higher than it’s ever been, providing new entertain-ment options. We’ve put in our Spectra Venue Management and are very conscious of how we spend money and why, making sure we’re getting a return on our investment.
James GrafstromGeneral ManagerCrown Complex
Harry Connick Jr. (top), Feb. 4, and Vince Gill, May 9, at the Durham Performing Arts Center
And
y M
artin
SCOREBOARD: Greensboro Coliseum maintains new state-of-the-art LED infinity video scoreboards and ribbon boards by Daktronics.
AMENITIES: 37 concession stands in the Coliseum; cater-ing by Ovations Food Services. Venue includes Luxury Suites, Club seats with admission to the Schiffman’s Dia-mond Club, the Vu Lounge, Natty Greene’s Brewpub and the Ovations Lounge. Onsite parking spaces: 6,500.
EVENT PROMOTION: Greensboro Coliseum provides a full-service in-house advertising agency with two ad buyers, a public relations manager and group sales manager. The agency creates in-house static LED, poster and newspaper graphics to service shows.
LOCAL MARKET: Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem DMA has an estimated market population of 1,611,000, ranking it the 33rd largest CSA in the United States.
Halton ArenaCharlotte, NCwww.haltonarena.com
The 9,000-seat Dale F. Halton Arena is located inside the UNC Barnhardt Student Activity Center. The arena is the home to the Charlotte 49ers men’s and women’s basketball games. Halton Arena also hosts live concerts and musical enter-tainment, student productions such as Greek Week’s annual Step Show and Airband, and community festivals such as I-Fest, UNC Charlotte’s annual International Festival.
Greensboro Coliseum Complex hosts more than 1,100 event days annually among its 10 facilities situated on a 75-acre site. The facility presents the-atrical and symphonic events, concerts, family shows, sporting events and more. The Coli-seum regularly hosts the ACC women’s and men’s basketball tournaments and hosted a 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional. The Coliseum also welcomed the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating National Champion-ships and 2015 USA Gymnastics Championships. University of North Carolina at Greensboro plays its home men’s basketball
season in Greensboro Coliseum. Having multiple facilities to complement one another on the same campus allows the facility to pursue major national championships and take advantage of economies of scale in managing services. Greensboro Complex recently completed $24 million in renovations that include new seats, new scoreboards, new concession stands and renovated concourses and bath-rooms, along with upgrades to the Greensboro Aquatic Center and the ACC Hall of Champions.
CAPACITIES: Greensboro Coliseum Concert, 14,230 FOH; Greensboro Coliseum Concert Under Curtain, 7,509 FOH; Greensboro Coliseum ACC Basketball, 21,021; Special Events Center Concert, 5,110; Special Events Center Basket-ball, 3,322; White Oak Amphitheatre, 2,035 fixed plus 5,000 lawn; Greensboro Aquatic Center, 2,500.
STAGING: 48 ft.-by-68 ft. Stage Right stage.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Seven locker rooms, four VIP promoter suites, hospitality room (accommodates 200 for reception), training room and promoter offices.86 Facilities & event ManageMent 2015 superbook
Ashley Wagner at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Greensboro Coliseum
Country artist Brantley Gilbert performs at Halton Arena.
Joey
Kirk
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NORTH CAROLINA
STAGING: SICO Fold & Set Entertainment Stage 60 ft.-by-40 ft. with 16 ft.-by-16 ft. Soundwings at 4, 5 or 6 ft.; two full-height stairways; carpeted or black tuff deck.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: 3,026-sq.-ft. hospitality/catering room; two star dressing rooms; three regular dressing rooms; 6,000-sq.-ft. of meeting space; press room/green room; and more.
AUDIO: Acoustically engineered fully digital sound system.
AMENITIES: Catering services available, and provided under contract by Chartwells; VIP Hospitality Area on third floor; moveable curtaining system; wireless Internet; three parking decks adjacent to facility.
EVENT PROMOTION: In-house marketing and co-promo-tion available.
LOCAL MARKET: Charlotte, the second-largest city in the Southeast, has a metropolitan population of 1,850,000 and a university enrollment of 25,000-30,000.
PNC ArenaRaleigh, NCwww.thepncarena.com
Home to the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and NC State University Men’s Basketball, PNC Arena welcomes more than 1.5 million guests and hosts more than 150 events per year, including major concert tours and family shows. Since opening in 1999, PNC Arena has held more than 2,200 events for audiences of all ages, including NCAA basket-ball tournaments, NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Disney On Ice, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Harlem Globetrotters, USHRA Monster Jam, NHL Entry Draft and Jeopardy College Championship. In September 2014, PNC Arena unveiled new, cutting-edge LED lighting system as Musco installed its innovative Show-Light Green™ LED system.
CAPACITIES: End stage 360°, 18,805; center stage 360° (with no kills), 19,447; end stage 270°, 13,746; end stage 180°, 12,920; half house-theater, 10,011. Figures are based upon a standard 60 ft.-by-40 ft. stage size and used as an estimate only. Two 4 ft.-by-16 ft. wings may be added. PNC Arena
also features a full upper-level curtaining system, providing the ability to adjust the seating capacity to fit specific needs for any event.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Three star dressing rooms, two officials rooms, four locker rooms, production office, media workroom, media lounge, green room.
AMENITIES: VAB Catering is the exclusive food and bever-age provider for PNC Arena, and is an in-house operation. Twenty permanent concessions stands, 48 food and snack carts, 63 suites, five loge boxes, Lenovo Champions Club, full-service 300-seat restaurant, premium bar. PNC Arena has approximately 8,000 parking spaces on the grounds.
EVENT PROMOTION: An in-house marketing department is available to assist with promotion and advertising needs. Numerous complimentary assets are available to support events at PNC Arena, including website features, email mar-keting, social media activation, interior and exterior signage, in-game promotional support (when available) and more.
LOCAL MARKET: Wake County has been ranked as the Highest Growth County in North Carolina by the US Cen-sus Bureau since 2010, and the City of Raleigh was ranked Fourth Fastest Growing City in the United States by Forbes Magazine in 2015. Greater Raleigh is part of the Triangle region that is comprised of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and delivers over two million ticket purchasers in a 30-mile radius, including more than 100,000 college students.
Time Warner Cable ArenaCharlotte, NCwww.timewarnercablearena.com
The Rolling Stones were Time Warner Cable Arena’s first event when it opened in 2005. Today the arena hosts nearly 200 events annually, and welcomes numerous major acts this year, including Shania Twain and Möt-ley Crüe this summer, and Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic, Women of Faith and Billy Joel in the fall. Currently the arena is hosting the Charlotte Hornets’ first season back since they left in 2002. Other major sporting events include the Jordan Classic all-star game, CIAA Basketball Tournament and the NASCAR all-star pit crew challenge. The city-owned arena became smoke-free in March.
CAPACITIES: Basketball, 20,200; hockey, 14,100; concerts, 14,000+ (180° end stage, 13,376; 270° end stage, 15,236; 360° end stage, 18,249; theater, 4,000-7,000 capacity).
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four star dressing rooms, six production offices.
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AUDIOVISUAL: House sound, 360 ribbon board, center-hung scoreboard with four videoboards.
AMENITIES: F&B by Centerplate. Twelve concession stands onsite. Concourse Club upgrade available at select shows. Club Seats available with contract.
EVENT PROMOTION: Full marketing services included in rental: Assistance with implementation of marketing plan, website promotion, email marketing to a database of over 207,000, social media promotion to over 30,000 fans, assis-tance with onsite promotions day of show, in-house digital assets located on the concourse and in the Arena bowl, two building marquees.
LOCAL MARKET: Serving 28 counties in the Greenville- Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market.
Colonial Life ArenaColumbia, SCwww.coloniallifearena.com
Colonial Life Arena is the largest arena in the state of South Carolina with 18,000 seats, and the 10th-largest on-campus basketball facility in the nation. Located on the beautiful University of South Carolina campus, the Colonial Life Arena has been in operation since November 2012. The Arena has hosted a wide array of sporting events, concerts, commence-ments and conferences. Over the years it has welcomed major artists such as Paul McCartney, Prince, Kenny Chesney, Usher and Taylor Swift. Family shows ranging from the Ring-ling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to Monster Jam have become annual staples for the Midlands Community. The Colonial Life Arena is also the home for all South Carolina Gamecocks men’s and women’s basketball games.
CAPACITIES: 180° end stage, 12,290; 270° end stage, 14,794; 360° end stage, 17,316; half-house, 9,696; basketball, 16,824.
STAGING: StageRight staging, as large as 60 ft. by 40 ft.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four locker rooms; four star rooms, pro-duction office, production workroom, green room (contains an airwall that can split the room in half), loading dock with five
SCOREBOARD: Features the largest scoreboard in any indoor entertainment venue in the country and the largest video screen in use in any NBA facility. With no fixed im-ages, the scoreboard’s full-screen LED technology allows an unlimited configuration of live and recorded video, scores, animation and graphics.
AMENITIES: Frontcourt Club, Backcourt Club, Hardwood Club and Royal Box.
LOCAL MARKET: Charlotte, the largest city between D.C. and Atlanta, has been the fastest-growing urban area with a population of a million or more during the past 10 years.
Opened in 1998, Bon Secours Well-ness Arena has hosted award-win-ning artists such as Bruce Springs-teen, Billy Joel, George Strait, The Eagles, Carrie Underwood and Usher. The diverse entertainment includes Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, WWE, Disney On Ice and Winter Jam. Recently, Bon Secours welcomed Elton John, Christian rock band Needtobreathe and Kenny Chesney. Several devel-opments took place at the Arena this March: the opening of the new GSP Box Office, a result of a five-year partnership with the GSP Airport District; the signing of a new five-
year lease with the Greenville Road Warriors; and the appoint-ment of Beth Paul as the Arena’s new General Manager.
CAPACITIES: Multiple setups from 360° center stage con-cert at 15,538 capacity to 3,577-capacity theater setup.
BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four star dressing rooms, five locker rooms, production room, green room, promoter office.
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Beth Paul, Bon Secours Wellness Arena’s new General Manager
Journey performing at the Colonial Life Arena on March 11.
bays, recruiting lounge (athletics), men’s and women’s locker rooms (athletics), training room (athletics), weight room.
AMENITIES: Centerplate runs the concessions and cater-ing. Forty-one suites, four Entertainment Suites and the Frank McGuire Club, a full-service hospitality room that has a capacity of 300.
EVENT PROMOTION: Advertising program available on an event-by-event basis (additional costs often apply), including exclusive email blast to CyberClub members, inclusion of event on Colonial Life Arena social media, inclusion in strip ad that runs in Columbia Visitor’s Guide that goes into all hotel rooms in Columbia, PR services, media placement, lo-cal partnerships and many other services to push ticket sales.
LOCAL MARKET: Located 13 miles northwest of South Car-olina’s geographic center, Columbia is the state capital and largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the total median family income saw a 17 percent increase from the 2000 to 2010 census. The market is home to the University of South Carolina, which enrolls more than 27,500 students, in addition to seven other higher-education institutions.
The Florence Civic Center has been the hub for entertain-ment events in South Carolina’s northeastern (“Pee Dee”)
region since 1993. It is northeastern South Carolina’s largest convention and entertainment venue, featur-ing 50,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose space complemented by new staging and remodeled box offices. Upcoming events this year include Needtobreathe, Rock My Soul and the National Circus & Acrobats of China. The SMG-managed facility is conveniently located at the intersec-tion of I-95 and I-20, just a few miles from the regional airport and next to dozens of national-chain hotels and award-winning restaurants.
Please Fill Out Form & Mail Your Vote To: Facilities152 Madison Avenue, Suite #802, New York, NY 10016 or Fax it to: (212) 213-6382; or email [email protected]
Booking agents, promoters, talent buyers and special event planners:
VOTE for the topEntertainment Venues (Arenas, Theaters, Stadiums; facilities you have booked in the last three years)
Please consider the following criteria when voting:
Opened in 2005, Time Warner Cable Arena is the premier destination
for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas. In 2008, the arena sold its naming rights to Time Warner Cable, and in 2012, the Democratic National Convention was held in the arena. Time Warner Cable Arena is the home of the Charlotte Hornets and is hosting the Hornets’ first season back this 2014-2015 season since they left in 2002. Since switching to the Charlotte Hornets, Time Warner Cable Arena has rebranded with the new Hornet’s logo, and buzz city logo. The Arena also hosts the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), col-lege basketball (NCAA), the Jordan Classic all-star game, CIAA Basketball Tournament, NASCAR all-star pit crew challenge, American Idol and top-rated concerts.
The NBA recently announced that Charlotte has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2017. The 66th annual game will take place at Time Warner Cable Arena on Sunday, Feb. 19. The 2017 game will mark the second NBA All-Star celebration in Charlotte, which hosted the event in 1991. “We are thrilled to be named the host of NBA All-Star 2017,” said Mayor Dan Clodfelter. “This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Charlotte internationally as a city that excels as host to a variety of large-scale sports, entertainment, and arts events. We look forward to working with the Hornets and our other partners to give the ‘Queen City’ wel-come to the many team representatives, visitors, and residents who will participate in the All-Star 2017 festivities.”
The Arena’s NBA capacity is 20,200; AHL capacity (hockey),
14,100; and concerts vary around 14,000+ capacity. End-stage 180° – 13,376; end-stage 270° – 15,236; end-stage 360° – 18,249; theater – 4,000-7,000. Floor size: 85 ft. by 200 ft. Backstage areas include six production
offices; four star dressing rooms.
The Time Warner Cable Arena scoreboard is the largest score-board in any indoor entertainment venue in the country and features the largest video screen in use in any NBA facility. A unique, three-dimensional backlit cityscape above the score-board features the Charlotte skyline and uses a 360° projection system that allows the skyline to change and feature graphics such as airplanes and fireworks and nighttime or daytime skies. The scoreboard is 38-ft.-high by 36-ft.-wide, features four 16-ft.-high by 28-ft.-long LED video screens.
Suite seating includes 16-, 18-, and 22-people suites, and access to VIP entrance. FrontCourt is the arena’s fine-dining restaurant available to Premium seat holder, and BackCourt is an exclusive Event Level club. Loading dock can hold eight trucks and 10 buses. In-house marketing and promotions staff available. Audi-ence amenities also include the exclusive Hardwood Club (52 clients) and Royal Box.
The Time Warner Cable Arena is known for its artwork. The Charlotte Hornets worked with the City of Charlotte and the Arts & Science Council to provide public art in the building as well as commissioned local artist Paul Rousso to help bring the arena to life.
Time Warner Cable Arena
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NortheastBlue Cross Arena .............................................11DCU Center......................................................19Dunkin’ Donuts Center ............................... 40Times Union Center ......................................41Verizon Wireless Arena ...............................29
SoutheastCabarrus Arena ..............................................45Florence Civic Center ..................................31Greensboro Coliseum Complex .............33The Lakeland Center ...................................48Saenger Theatre .............................................48Straz Center for the Performing Arts ..............................................49Time Warner Cable Arena ........................C3
MidwestAdler Theatre ...................................................51Allen County War Memorial Coliseum .............................. 17Ames Center ...................................................53Arie Crown Theater ......................................55Bridge View Center ......................................56Ford Center/Victory Theatre ...................26Hartman Arena ............................................... 57Hoyt Sherman Place .....................................59Iowa State Center ..........................................13i Wireless Center ............................................14Morris Performing Arts Center............... 60Paramount Theatre ........................................61
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center ..................C2Sanford Center ...............................................63Swiftel Center .................................................64United Wireless Arena ................................65U.S. Cellular Center ......................................66
WestASU Gammage ................................................69Chesapeake Energy Arena .........................71Lloyd Noble Center ......................................95Orleans Arena ................................................C4State Farm Arena........................................... 27Stockton Arena ............................................... 73Toyota Center ................................................. 74United Supermarkets Arena ......................70UH Sports and Entertainment ................................................. 75Talking Stick Resort Arena ......................... 77
CanadaAir Canada Centre ........................................ 27Canadian Tire Centre ..................................35The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre ..............................79MTS Centre ......................................................15
CaribbeanColiseo de Puerto Rico ................................81
bcsarena.comBancorpSouth Arena underwent a $1.5 million facelift in fall 2013, and plans are in the works to add 10,000 sq. ft. of prefunction space by 2017. Capacities include 1,900 seats, theater configuration; 3,193, one-third house; 5,393, one-half house; 7,117, three-fourths house; 7,519, hockey; 7,787, basketball; and 9,357, full house. A 72 ft.-by-48 ft. roll-and-set Sico stage is available. Backstage are eight dressing rooms (four team, two chorus, two star) and two production offices. Patron amenities include 12 concession stands, 1,700 parking spaces onsite and free Wifi throughout the venue. In-house event marketing team has established relationships across all local media.
2] Blue croSS arenarocheSter, nY
bluecrossarena.comThe SMG-managed Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial has hosted acts such as Barry Manilow, Harlem Globetrotters and Monster Jam, and continues to welcome a diversity of entertainment, including Nancy Kerrigan’s Halloween On Ice in October and the Festival of Praise Tour in November. The 12,428-seat arena accommodates 6,052 in its upper bowl, 4,696 in its lower bowl and 1,680 on the floor. An 80 ft.-by-80 ft. StageRight concert stage is available, with backstage facilities including three locker rooms, four dressing rooms, green room and promoter’s room. The scenic area is known for the War Memorial Shrine, Veteran’s Memorial Plaza and the adjacent Genesee River.
3A&B] Ford parkBeauMont, tX
fordpark.comFord Park draws from a population of 300,000 in its five-county local market, as well as Southwest Louisiana, East Texas and Houston. The complex includes two venues for live entertainment: Ford Arena (3A) and Ford Pavilion (3B). Ford Arena’s capacity ranges from 2,901 seats for quarter house to 6,349 seats for 360-degree bowl with floor seating. The Arena features an ME3750 rolling StageRight stage with a maximum area of 88 ft. wide by 40 ft. deep. Backstage areas include a production office, three dressing rooms with full baths, and two locker rooms. Patron amenities include five concession stands plus five outside food vendors, and 15 suites with suite parking. Ford Pavilion accommodates 6,200 spectators covered, 8,000 including the lawn. The entire stage area is 72 ft. deep by 108 ft. wide, with a 40 ft. deep-by-56 ft. wide wooden performance area. Artist Compound includes three production offices, four dressing rooms, catering room with kitchen, and meet and greet room. There are two concession plazas, 34 boxes and 6,000 well-lit onsite parking spaces.
StatuS: HOTcategorY: SMALL-MARKET ARENASFYI: Many second- and third-tier cities are home to vibrant arenas that draw from well beyond their local market. Part of what keeps them vibrant is investment in facility improvements and new services. Among the arenas in this sampling, Taco Bell Arena has significant news to share this summer: As of June 1, Ticketmaster assumed all ticketing services for the venue. And in the same month, Boise State was approved to purchase a new videoboard, four new scoreboards and two new closed-captioning displays for the arena.
2 rocheSter, nY
3B BeauMont, tX
5 BoISe, Id
F & E MHOTL I S T
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1 tupelo, MS
3A BeauMont, tX
4 allentown, pa
4] ppl centerallentown, pa
pplcenter.comPPL Center is located in the Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia DMA, which is the No. 4-ranked market in the country. Lehigh Valley has experienced a population increase of 12.8 percent over the last 12 years. PPL Center’s capacities include 5,060 seats, half house; 8,500, hockey; 8,581, concert 180 degree; 9,000, basketball; and 9,813, concert 360 degree. StageRight stage can be as large as 80 ft. wide by 80 ft. deep by 5 ft. high with railings. Eleven backstage rooms include three large locker rooms (each divisible into two), one large green room, two star rooms and two production rooms. Food and beverage services provided by Spectra Food Services & Hospitality, which also operates two of the three onsite restaurants. PPL Center offers a full-service marketing department.
5] taco Bell arenaBoISe, Id
tacobellarena.comTaco Bell Arena was one of the first arenas in Idaho to install a Verizon DAS system. Patrons with Verizon wireless devices now have more access points so they can stay connected to the 4G LTE network. The arena offers flexible seating capacities that range from 2,500 to 13,405, a full curtaining system and a Wenger Showmaster portable stage. Two arena lighting systems, Altec Lansing and Panasonic Ramsa loudspeaker clusters, can be used independently or jointly. Backstage areas include three dressing rooms, a blue room, green room, club room, production offices and six locker rooms. Promotional services include media placement at advantageous venue rates, customized event marketing plans and budgets, and development of nontraditional/grassroots marketing.
your biggest ambassadors in the community. For our box office sales at Ryman Auditorium, we always make sure that signage is clear (especially when more than one show goes on sale at the same day/time), ticket lottery processes are clear and, most importantly, that we’re there to assist in person with any front-line issues. In addition to staff behind the box office windows, we typically have additional staff out in front of the windows answering questions and generally assisting guests.
We take several more steps in advance of a show to help build a great experience. For example, 24-48 hours prior to show time, we send out a pre-show email containing parking info, door and set times, traffic alerts, camera polices and more. Fans
rely on this information and now expect these emails from us prior to attending a concert. It’s another great way to build a sense of community between you and your patrons.
If the event you are hosting that evening is a repeat, take time to review your results from the last time the band played there. Were bars stronger than usual? Staff up with more bartenders and make sure you have enough stock on hand. Were there issues with aggressive audience members? Perhaps you bring in additional security for lobby presence on this evening. During your pre-shift meetings on the night of the show, discuss such issues so your team is prepared to handle them properly.
The day of the show is the final chance to make sure your
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A great fan experience doesn’t start when a fan takes a seat at a concert. It starts even before you announce the show — it starts with your
employees. Armed with proper training and a passion for their job at your venue, they lay the groundwork for a great fan experience. Your box office, usher, food and beverage, and security staffs are a part of your patron’s first impression. They not only represent your brand and venue, but for each show, in their own way, they also are the bridge between the fans and the performers. Let’s discuss the various touchpoints that lead up to and create that great experience for your patrons.
on-sale anD in aDvance oF tHe sHoWIt may sound obvious, but make sure your concert announcements and on-sale information are communicated accurately via channels that will reach the fans of the acts. Is their audience active on Twitter? Are the fans more the type who watches late night television? Your marketing staff should have the resources to identify who the correct audience is for each show and how to communicate with them. Is it an act that plays your venue every year? Use your previous purchase information to create email lists and social media targeting.
The day of the on-sale is one of the most important stages of creating a great fan experience. Three major things to consider: How are your sales handled online, on the phone and onsite?
1. Online: Many venues make the mistake of announcing a show via social media and then leaving it be. Our marketing and communications team uses Twitter and other social media platforms during on-sales to be the frontline of customer service needs online. The extra effort to monitor these sales has paid off in myriad ways: Fans are appreciative of the real-time information, we are able to troubleshoot technical issues, and we’ve grown our social media audiences. Our fans now expect us to be online during on-sales — the feedback has been incredibly positive.
2. On the phone: Is your call center fully informed about all facets of the show? Beyond start times and age restrictions, do they have parking information? Can they recommend hotels nearby? Do they understand your ADA policies? The full burden of these calls will not always fall to just your call center: Is the receptionist at your venue knowledgeable about all these items and more? Having your receptionist go through call center or box office training is a great idea. Again, this member of your staff could be the one who starts your fans’ great experience with that first impression. Make it count.
3. Onsite: Box office sales are usually made by your regulars and fans that live and/or work around your venue. These people can be some of
perFecting tHe Fan experience
V e n u e M a n a g e M e n t
The key is to focus on patrons’ needs across multiple touchpoints
By Sally Williams
“Many venues make the mistake of announcing a show via social media and then leaving it be. Our team uses Twitter and other social media platforms during on-sales to be the frontline of customer service needs online.”
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“Your audience can feel the vibe of your employees from that first experience with your box office all the way to the usher who thanks them and tells them to travel safely after the show.”
building and staffs are prepared for that evening’s events. Are the restrooms clean? Have all your safety checks been completed? Did your box office receive the band’s guest list prior to the box office opening? All the little things add up to a better experience.
arrival anD pre-sHoWAt the Ryman we’re constantly striving to improve our guests’ onsite experiences. As a historic building in a downtown metro area, we lacked sufficient parking space. To alleviate this problem, we hired a valet company who offers rates that are competitive with self-parking lots in the area. To add value to our partnership with Nissan, we came up with a branded valet offering. Fans who drive Nissans can park for free.
Once your guests arrive, they should be greeted by enthusiastic, well-trained and welcoming staff. It should be easy for guests to immediately identify where the restrooms, points of sale and seating are located. Here’s a quick exercise you can do: Stand in your lobby as a show loads in. Do fans enter the lobby, look confused and not know where to turn? Ask them what they are looking for — and then look at that with fresh eyes. Are your restroom signs too small? Something like that is simple to fix, and goes a long way with your customers.
More and more there are artists that have specific information that needs to be relayed to fans (usually a photo or filming policy). This should be included in your pre-show email, but should also be clear on any signage in your lobby. Maybe you have digital screens that can be used, or you can put large signs on easels. Whatever the solution may be, clear communication can minimize confusion and surprises, thereby improving the guest experience.
it’s sHoW time!At this point the connection between the performer and the audience should take over. Your staff should remain present, attentive and readily available to work with guests who might have issues or needs. Your fans should feel like they can approach ushers about an issue without hesitation. A friendly, welcoming usher staff at the start of the evening sets the right tone once guests have taken their seats.
And now that it’s finally concert night, this is when the band gets to shine with the help of your top-notch back-of-house staff. Make sure your technical crew always has all the resources they need for a great show before the show night. Scrambling to get a show started because of technical difficulties does not set the stage (pun intended) for a great fan experience. Of course, everyone knows that one of the most important components of the backstage experience is great food — but try to make the entire backstage experience good, from clear directional signage to clean, comfortable furniture. At the Ryman we have backstage hospitality coordinators who work with artist crews to ensure that the day is smooth. Using the same care to create a great experience for artists and their teams can help them be prepared to give the fans the best performance possible.
aFter tHe sHoWSend a follow-up email to your fans to thank them for coming and include a post-event survey. Ask them what they loved most and least about your venue, and what you can do to improve. It’s usually these candid views that offer the most honest and useful information. Also, don’t hesitate to use your social media platform to thank the fans for coming to the show and say goodnight.
Internally, post-show recaps from each department help us all constantly improve. Do you see a pattern on your reports? It could be something as simple as multiple patrons requesting earplugs night after night. Why not use that information — a demand for earplugs — and turn it into a revenue source? Stock earplugs at your bars and concessions!
it all starts WitH tHe teamIn the live entertainment business, where your career is your lifestyle, you and your staff need to have the same level of passion about music (or more!) to put on great shows. Excitement and buzz about your shows starts internally when a show is confirmed and grows from the day it is announced to the on-sale date until finally, the night fans start to arrive to enjoy the concert. Your audience can feel the vibe of your employees from that first experience with your box office all the way to the usher who thanks them and tells them to travel safely after the show. If your employees aren’t passionate about
their jobs and serving your patrons, it will distract from the overall experience. Many of our employees have been here over a decade and they know fans by first name. That camaraderie and mutual passion for the building helps to achieve our goal of delivering a flawless experience to everyone who comes through the doors..
Sally Williams is the General Manager of the Ryman Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark. She also serves as VP, Concerts & Entertainment for the Opry Entertainment Group. Under her tenure the Ryman has garnered multiple awards including the SRO Venue of the Year Presented by Country Music Association in 2014, 2013 and 2012; the Academy of Country Music’s 2012, 2010 and 2008 Venue of the Year; and the International Entertainment Buyers Association’s 2014 and 2009 Venue of the Year. Williams was chosen IEBA’s 2012 Venue Executive of the Year and ACM’s 2010 Promoter of the Year. She is President-Elect of the CMA, the Past-President of Leadership Music, and the Chairperson for the Hospitality Committee of the Music City Music Council.
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In the casino business we speak about the “ageing out” of our core customer. The slot player has been the main revenue stream
for casinos for years, and the discussion is now focused on how to attract and develop the next generations of customers. Indeed, the youngest boomers turned 50 last year, and so Generation X and the Millennials are becoming very relevant. They are the target audiences for properties today, in order to keep growing and retaining their customer base.
Entertainment plays a big part in this changing landscape. The tried and true entertainers that casinos have been relying on since the 1990s are, like their core customers, ageing out. Wayne Newton, Debbie Reynolds, Don Rickles and other older entertainers, plus all of your favorite bands out of the ’60s and ’70s, are on that list.
What does the ageing of both core customers and traditional entertainers mean for casino owners who wish to remain as profitable as possible?
Market research is the key to answering that question. Entertainment buyers need to stay abreast of the casino entertainment trends being set in Las Vegas, which all point to the development of younger entertainers and younger concepts. No longer are casinos considered the place entertainers go to end their careers. Today’s casinos are jumping in with both feet and bringing in rising stars—artists who are on their way up, not on their way down. Properties are partnering with local radio in the tertiary marketplaces where radio is still relevant in order to bring in new artists. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram all give casinos access to the younger generation, as well as access to the new artists and trends. Most artists today are using these digital channels to connect to their fan base and to the world. Thus, casino marketing and entertainment professionals must be on the cutting edge of both technology and trends.
neW entertainment optionsToday, casinos are bringing in current stars, when affordable. These include celebrity DJs and the weekly procession of high-end club appearances here in Las Vegas. Note the huge success of the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), an electronic dance music festival that last year drew more than 700,000 people to Las Vegas over three days.
Country music today is probably more popular than any other genre when it comes to the live band experience. To make things even better, country knows how to develop new artists, and there are many opportunities to find a “hot” country artist with songs on the
country and pop charts. The current TV lineup of American Idol, The Voice, America’s Got Talent and similar shows is breaking new stars every day. These are great opportunities for casinos to explore.
Casinos are also branching into different kinds of entertainment, such as tribute shows, game shows, magic shows, comedy shows, TV reality stars and more. The power of TV is very real and the variety of stars and programs out there today for talent buyers to consider is tremendous. The challenge is reaching them and knowing which ones are qualified for one’s customer base, and which ones would be a bad choice. For example,
the tribute world is home to millions of marginal acts. Many bands discovered that if they did a tribute show they could make more money, and so the rush was on. But a tribute act’s popularity does not always equate to a great show for one’s customers; so again, research is key.
With comedy acts, it’s especially true that “you get what you pay for.” The best-quality
acts are preferable to the cheapest. An act needs to have some major TV exposure to mean anything to customers, especially if they will have to pay a cover charge. Hypnotist shows and magic shows can also do very well, if they are marketed and advertised properly. And it’s important to check references and see if the acts have played any other casinos.
The bottom line is that the development of the younger-generation customer cannot be overlooked. Casinos need to explore their entertainment options and look outside the box for unique artists and events. These are not as expensive as one may think, but can take some effort and research to be sourced.
Kell Houston is the owner of HOUSTON PRODUCTIONS, a full-service entertainment company with offices in Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Seattle. Since 1982, he has bought talent for the following markets: casinos, fairs, festivals, corporations, colleges and universities, and public and private special events. Houston is the winner of IEBA’s 2014 Casino Buyer of the Year Award.
tHe cHanging lanDscape oF casino entertainment
t a l e n t B u y e r ’ s t a k e
Catering to the younger generations makes good business sense
By Kell Houston
“The current TV lineup of American Idol, The Voice, America’s Got Talent and similar shows is breaking new stars every day. These are great opportunities for casinos to explore.”
An OSHA Cooperative
4500 W. Tropicana Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89103 OrleansArena.com
The Orleans Arena won the 2014 IAVM Venue Excellence Award by demonstrating excellence in the management and operation of public assembly venues above all other arenas represented worldwide.
Consistently ranked in the Top 10 in Venues Today’s Top Stops for arena capacities of 5,001-10,000.
The 1st and only arena in Nevada to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
The Orleans Arena and The Orleans Hotel & Casino are SHARP Certified, a Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program sanctioned by OSHA. Our property is the largest employer in Nevada to achieve this status.
4500 W. Tropicana Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89103 OrleansArena.com
The Orleans Arena won the 2014 IAVM Venue Excellence Award by demonstrating excellence in the management and operation of public assembly venues above all other arenas represented worldwide.
Consistently ranked in the Top 10 in Venues Today’s Top Stops for arena capacities of 5,001-10,000.
The 1st and only arena in Nevada to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
The Orleans Arena and The Orleans Hotel & Casino are SHARP Certified, a Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program sanctioned by OSHA. Our property is the largest employer in Nevada to achieve this status.
