2015 Facilities & Event Management SuperBook

152 Madison Avenue, Room 802 New York, NY 10016

2015 Prime Site Awards 27

2015

Facilities &Event Management TM

SuperBook

For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners & Venue Managers

Ford Center Diversifying Evansville's live music industry 22

Scott Schoenike,

Executive Director, Ford Center & Victory Theatre

VenuWorks' President & New CEO Discuss the Company's Future 20 Casino Entertainment for a Younger Crowd 96 Spotlight: The Carolinas 82

Viewpoint

STAYING ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

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hile 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.”

CONTENTS Viewpoint......................................................... 1 Caffin’s Corner.................................................. 2 Prime Site Awards........................................... 27 Prime Site Award Ballot.................................. 89 Luminary Award Ballot...................................... 2 Photoview: EAMC 2015.................................... 4 UpFront............................................................ 8 Leading Edge: Darren Davis, Orleans Arena........10 State of the Industry Q&A: VenuWorks.......... 20 Revisiting the Ford Center.............................. 22 Regional Spotlight: The Carolinas................... 82 Q&A with James Grafstrom, Crown Complex......85

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.

– George Seli Editorial Director, Facilities Media Group gseli@facilitiesonline.com

Hot List: Small-Market Arenas........................ 92 Venue Management: Sally Williams................ 94 Talent Buyer’s Take: Kell Houston................... 96 FACILITIES DIRECTORY................................... 37 IAVM Baltimore Products & Services Buyer’s Guide.............................................................. 18 Facilities A-Z Index.......................................... 36 Advertiser Index............................................. 91 Cover Photograph by Rhonda Trail

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

ON THE COVER Scott 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.

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Caffin’s o RECOGNIZING r LEADERS n s this issue goes to press, F&EM staff look forward to e attending IAVM’s VenueConnect in Baltimore, MD, where r we’ll catch up with Steve Peters, Founder and President of FOB 1-16

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SuperBook

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For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners & Venue Managers

Volume 23 No.1

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VenuWorks. Peters, whom we recently interviewed (page 20), will be honored with the ACILITIES SSENTIAL OOL Charles A. McElravy Award at the show, and his legacy of leadership at IAVM and in the venue management industry certainly acknowledgement.

FOR deserves ORKING MARTER IN Also deserving praise are the industry-leading venues that won 2015 F&EM Prime Site to other industries, the live voting entertainment and“best event of business was robust in 2008 and, Awards (page 27). Weompared encourage you to continue for the the best” arenas, according to most industry observers, ticket sales and audience attendance showed little-to-no theaters and PACs viadecline the ballot forprevious the 2016 89).a qualification that many of from the year. Prime However,Site this Awards assessment(page came with the tickets had been purchased thelike events had been held made before the moremark dire economic Lastly, let’s not forget to recognize leadersand who, Peters, have their on the news live came to the forefront in the 4th quarter of 2008. events industry. The F&EM Luminary Awards will be presented to individuals in the categories Even after this relatively strong year, the live entertainment and event industry will not be able to rest on listed in the its ballot below. Winners will be announced featured the 2015-2016 F&EM past achievements.

Our industry doesn’t operate in and a vacuum.

Rising in unemployment, decreasing disposable income lackas ofon consumer confidence have the potential to negatively Booking Guide, asand well Facilitiesonline.com.

Cast your votes impact today!ticket sales and the size of the audience. Filling seats with effective entertainment during a time of economic uncertainty is causing anxiety – Michael Caffin among venue managers and bookers. Two things are for sure: (1) Without question, 2009 will be challenging; Associate Group and (2) in order to meet this challenge, everyone in Publisher, the industry, fromFacilities venue managersMedia and their staff to the Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers and Special Event Planners, will have to work smarter—which mcaffin@facilitiesonline.com

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Facilities &Event Management

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basically 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 centerpiece of this issue is the Annual 2008 Prime Site Awards (listed on page 16). Every year, the Facilities Media Group 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 that includes the structural dynamics of a building, the level of technology of its sound, lighting, staging—and the Arena Executive ofstaff. the Year quality of the venue All these components are integral to the success of the performance and audience experience. The Prime Site Awards acknowledge those venues that have work smarter.

Name:_________________________________________________________ The other content in this issue—a regionalized directory of North American venues, a Product & Services Directory, a spotlight interview with Greg Diekroeger, former Chair of the Board of the National Association for Campus Activities, and Industry Perspective columns on customer service and event service—are all focused Company:_____________________________________________________ on enabling industry members to work smarter.

In addition to print, facilitiesonline is the fastest growing website in Theater Executive of the Year the industry. Facilitiesonline features news, industry links, a fun-to-readblog, and the industry’s most extensive online database of Arenas, Name:_________________________________________________________ Theaters, Coliseums, Theaters, Civic Centers, PACs, Amphitheatres, University Venues, Fairgrounds, Convention Centers and Special Company:_____________________________________________________ Event Venues. Thousands of Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Booking Agent of the Year Buyers and Special Event Planners use Facilitiesonline every week to stay informed about industry issue and specific events The way to meet the challenges of 2009? Work Smarter! The 2009 Name:_________________________________________________________ Facilities SuperBook (and Facilitiesonline) has been designed to be your first essential tool in achieving that goal.

Chief Operating Officer David Korn

Facilities

®

Associate Publisher 2009 Michael Caffin Volume 18 No.1 Editorial EditorialDirector Director Timothy Herrick George Seli Associate Publisher

Creative Direction & Design Michael Caffin Scott-Goodman Associates Account Executives Andrew Reeves Circulation Manager Harry Mark Winny Cheung Creative Direction & Design

Lester Goodman Business Operations Nadia Derelieva Circulation Manager Therese Langer

© Copyright 2015 by Bedrock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Operations Opinions expressed in by-lined Business articles and advertising copy are not necessarily those Leo Oh of the publisher. Advertisers are responsible for all costs, damages and claims regarding advertising insertions.

Research Manager

Facilities & Event Management is published twice a year Amber Tavarez Inc., 152 Madison Avenue,

by Bedrock Communications, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Telephone: (212) 532© Copyright 2009 by Bedrock Communications, Inc. All rights 4150.

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Company:_____________________________________________________ Promoter of the Year Timothy Herrick

Name:_________________________________________________________ Editorial Director Therrick@facilitiesonline.com

Company:_____________________________________________________ Talent Buyer of the Year

ON THE COVER

Name:_________________________________________________________ (Clockwise) A) Charleston Civic Center;

Company:_____________________________________________________ B) Giant Center (interior); C) Coliseo de Puerto Rico; D) Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza; Please Fill Out Form & Mail Your Vote To: E) River Center/Adler Theatre (interior);Awards Facilities & Event Management LUMINARY F) and Toyota Center.

152 Madison Avenue, Suite #802, New York, NY 10016 or Fax to: (212) 213-6382 or email ballots@facilitiesonline.com

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Facilities & event Management 2015 SuperBook Facilities SuperBook 2009

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR

10 ARENAS AWA R D E D T H E

2015 F&EM PRIME SITE AWARD

giving the world reason to cheer

Photoview

EAMC 2015

Snapshots of the Event & Arena Marketing Conference, June 10-13, Los Angeles, CA

Bill Plaschke (left), Los Angeles Times, moderates the Opening Panel with Lee Zeidman (right), President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE.

Lee Zeidman, President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE, displays the 2014-2015 F&EM Booking Guide, whose cover he graces.

Eric Bresler, AEG Facilities, and Cara Vanderhook, STAPLES Center/ Microsoft Theater L.A. LIVE

Phil Thompson (left), Marketing Manager, Kansas Expocentre, and McQ Olsen, Marketing Manager, Taco Bell Arena

Tim Linville (left), Director of Sales & Marketing, Chesapeake Energy Arena, and Raziel Cano, Marketing Director, State Farm Arena

Richard Mastroberte, SMG/Osceola Heritage Park, and Mitzi Evans, SMG/ Save Mart Center at Fresno State

Jason Perry, Dir. of Sales & Marketing, Verizon Wireless Arena, and Cheryl Cohen, Dir. of Marketing, PR & Booking, Dunkin’ Donuts Center

(L-r): Terry Charles, PMI Entertainment Group/Resch Center, Paula Testin, PMI Entertainment Group/Resch Center, and Terry Dederich, Ford Center

Shani Tate, VP, Marketing, Communications & Ticketing, Sprint Center

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Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

Photoview

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

Liz Roca (left), Director of Arena Marketing, and Jennifer Strum, Director of Business Development, The HEAT Group/AmericanAirlines Arena

Capitol Theatre 2015 Two classic rock acts sell out historic Port Chester, NY venue

Anthony Apuzzi (2)

(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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

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Congratulations To Our 2015 Prime Site Winners American Bank Center (Corpus Christi, TX)

Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (Wilkes Barre, PA)

Blue Cross Arena (Rochester, NY)

North Charleston Coliseum (North Charleston, SC)

BOK Center (Tulsa, OK)

Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, NE)

Cabarrus Arena and Events Center (Concord, NC)

Royal Farms Arena (Baltimore, MD)

CenturyLink Center (Bossier City, LA)

Santander Arena (Reading, PA)

Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, OK)

Stockton Arena (Stockton, CA)

Coliseo de Puerto Rico (Hato Rey, PR)

Times Union Center (Albany, NY)

DCU Center Arena (Worcester, MA)

Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, MI)

Dunkin’ Donuts Center (Providence, RI)

Verizon Wireless Arena (Manchester, NH)

Florence Civic Center (Florence, SC)

Arie Crown Theater (Chicago, IL)

Ford Idaho Center (Nampa, ID)

Bellco Theatre (Denver, CO)

John Paul Jones Arena (Charlottesville, VA)

James L. Knight Center (Miami, FL)

Laredo Energy Arena (Laredo, TX)

Saenger Theater (Pensacola, FL)

Macon Centreplex Coliseum (Macon, GA)

To inquire about SMG managed facilities call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com

American Bank Center

Blue Cross Arena

BOK Center

CenturyLink Center

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Coliseo de Puerto Rico

Dunkin’ Donuts Center

Florence Civic Center

Ford Idaho Center

Laredo Energy Arena

Macon Centreplex Coliseum

Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

North Charleston Coliseum

Pinnacle Bank Arena

Royal Farms Arena

Santander Arena

Stockton Arena

Times Union Center

Van Andel Arena

Verizon Wireless Arena

Arie Crown Theater

Bellco Theatre

James L. Knight Center

Cabarrus Arena and Events Center

DCU Center Arena

John Paul Jones Arena

Saenger Theater

UpFront

Venue Watch

On May 27, representatives from owner/developers AEG and MGM Resorts International hosted a traditional “topping 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 President, Arenas, MGM Resorts International, 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 approximately 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. month, SMG Canada and • Last 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.

a 10-year partnership • Per agreement between IMS Arena

Last month, L.A. LIVE’s 7,100-seat concert 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, Microsoft, 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 8

expertise to AEG's renovation of Microsoft 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 entertainment 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,

& Hockey Corps. and Flint, MI-based Dort Federal Credit Union, the Perani Arena & Event Center has been renamed Dort Federal Credit Union Events Center.

30, LP Field, Nashville, • AsTNofwasJunerenamed Nissan Stadium, per a new 20-year naming rights agreement between the NFL Tennessee Titans and Nissan North America.

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.”

Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

UpFront

Venue Watch

On July 8, the City of Davenport, IA City Council approved a new agreement 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 RiverCenter in the coming years. See page 20 for an interview with VenuWorks’ President and new CEO.

River Center (above), Adler Theatre (left).

Leading Edge: Darren Davis, CFE Executive Director Orleans Arena

Both 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 Goldcertified 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.

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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.

Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

UpFront

The StadiumBusiness Awards 2015 Winners

Industry Watch

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 stadiums as an entertainment destination.”

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).

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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 include 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.”

VENUE OF THE YEAR Levi’s Stadium, USA SPORTS EVENT OF THE YEAR MLB at Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia GUEST EVENT OF THE YEAR Monster Jam at ANZ Stadium, Australia EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR Thomas Perslund, CEO, Friends Arena, Sweden UNSUNG HERO Keith Gallis, Seagulls Travel & Matchday Travel, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, UK FAN EXPERIENCE AWARD FC Union Berlin’s “Bring your Sofa,” Germany SAFETY & SECURITY Croke Park Stadium’s “Certified Safety Management,” Ireland PRODUCT INNOVATION Avaya Stadium’s “First Cloud-Enabled MLS Sports Venue” by Avaya, USA SUSTAINABILITY Hampden Park: Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games “Avoiding the Impact of a New Stadium,” UK INDUSTRY SUPPLIER Green 4 Solutions, UK RISING STAR AWARD Tom Gorringe, Marketing Manager, Brighton & Hove Albion, UK PROJECT OF THE YEAR Sydney Cricket Ground’s “New MA Noble, Don Bradman, Dally Messenger Stands,” Australia OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT Denise Barrett Baxendale, CEO Everton in the Community and Deputy CEO, Everton FC, UK NEW VENUE AWARD Groupama Arena, Hungary VENUE TECHNOLOGY AWARD Levi’s Stadium, USA PREMIUM SEAT AWARD EverBank Field Poolside Cabanas, USA

The second partnership is with Comcast to distribute and host selected multimedia non-game content 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-onDemand platform in Michigan.

Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

A Perfect Circle Anne Murray Amy Grant Ani DiFranco B.B. King Ben Harper Blue Man Group Blues Traveler Bob Dylan Carlos Mencia Chicago Chris Tomlin Daniel Tosh Dave Chappelle Dave Matthews Emerson Lake & Palmer Experience Hendrix Fitz & the Tantrums Gabriel Iglesias George Carlin George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars Glen Campbell Government Mule Harry Connick, Jr. Indigo Girls Jackson Browne Jars of Clay Jason Mraz Joe Bonamassa John Prine Jonny Lang Kathy Griffin Lorie Line Lyle Lovett Mannheim Steamroller Matchbox 20 Melissa Etheridge Mercy Me Michael W. Smith moe. Moody Blues Motley Crue Natalie Merchant O.A.R. Pearl Jam Prairie Home Companion Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Green Rick Springfield Rockapella Rodney Carrington Ron White Ryan Adams Santana Sarah McLachlan Second City Touring Co. Sheryl Crow Smashing Pumpkins Steven Curtis Chapman Third Day Tori Amos Tracy Chapman Weird Al Yankovic Widespread Panic Willie Nelson

AMES, IOWA

For booking information on 2,700-seat Stephens Auditorium, contact Tammy Koolbeck at 515-294-3347 or tkoolbeck@venuworks.com

*Awarded by the American Institute of Architects, Iowa Chapter in 2004

PROUDLY MANAGED BY

UpFront

Ticketing & Food Service

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 Southerninfluenced 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.

Sports & Entertainment recently part• Palace 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.

May, Ticketmaster entered into a multiyear • Inagreement 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.

AXS, founded in 2011 by partners AEG, • Outbox 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 partnership is about more than ticketing,” said Bryan Perez, President & CEO, Outbox AXS. “It’s about combining 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.”

On June 1, Scotiabank Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, announced Centerplate as the new concessions services partner. Centerplate will introduce new options, including local food and healthy alternatives while continuing to provide traditional favorites. The transition will take place throughout the summer.

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Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS Share the Excitement at MTS Centre

BOOKING INFO:

KEVIN DONNELLY 204-926-5503 KDONNELLY@TRUENORTH.MB.CA

MTSCENTRE.CA • BURTONCUMMINGSTHEATRE.CA WINNIPEG, CANADA

Now booking for the historic Burton Cummings Theatre

UpFront HEARD ON THE STREET Greensboro, NC

Kenny Chesney in concert at the Greensboro Coliseum, April 16. For updates on the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, see the Carolinas Spotlight, page 82.

Joey Kirkman

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 Atlantic 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.

Indianapolis, IN

Evansville, 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 Productions. Back row (l-r): Rich Kapp, VP, Pacers Sports & Entertainment; Paul Hendrix, Tour Manager; Roy Morgan, Owner, Premier Productions; Ashley Morgan, Assistant Tour Manager; Laurie Cleveland, Assistant Tour Accountant; Deanna Carswell, JamNation Coordinator; Jake Carswell, Tour Producer; and Mike Deckard, Tour Accountant.

Aerosmith played to a sold-out crowd at the Ford Center on June 24 and were awarded a Sold Out Plaque by Ford Center management. (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.

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Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

Facilities &Event Management TM

SUPERBOOK

IAVM BALTIMORE

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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.

MTS Seating... artistically inspired and focused on collaboration.

Learn more at mtsseating.com or call 734-847-3875.

#TheArtOfSeating www.mtsseating.com MTS Seating 7100 Industrial Drive Temperance, MI 48182 734-847-3875 FAX: 800-329-0687 mtsseating.com | theartofseating.com

Guerin Pavilion Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA ©2015 MTS Seating

18 MTSM493 F&EM Buyers Guide-Omega.indd 1

Photo credit: Courtesy of Skirball Cultural Center Photo by Elon Schoenholz

Facilities & event management 2015 superBook

MTSM493 F&EM Buyers Guide.indd 1

6/26/15 4:09 PM

5/22/15 11:06 AM

for world class, unique venues worcester, ma has it all!

DCU CENTER - 14,800 seat arena 50,000 sq. ft of continous exhibit space

Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts - 2,300 seats For booking contact: Carissa Adezio 508.753.1550 x300 cadezio@destinationworcester.org

www.destinationworcester.org

State of the Industry

In Conversation With . . .

Steve Peters

Founder and President, VenuWorks

George Wood CEO, VenuWorks

VenuWorks: Staying Vital

Growth-minded company heads into its 20th year with a new CEO

By George Seli

V

enuWorks 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, IAbased 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.

20

“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

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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

Is the company entering any new areas of the live events industry?

George Wood position in the past. Why now?

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

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.

VenuWorks Appoints Seasoned Agent and Talent Buyer John 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.

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.

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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

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.

21

Revisiting the

Ford Center Evansville’s state-of-the-art arena proves its value proposition

By George Seli

T

he 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 underserved entertainment markets where “maybe the profit margins aren’t sufficient for a promoter to get involved,” he says.

“So we ask our VenuWorks Diversity Council what kinds of

Editor’s note: This story is a follow up to our coverage of the Ford Center in the 2012-2013 F&EM Booking Guide.

22

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

Aerosmith play to a soldout Ford Center on June 24.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

23

“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 Schoenike Executive Director, Ford Center & Victory Theatre

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, 11,000seat 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 consideration 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-person 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 convenience of ordering concessions via smartphone with the Bypass Lane System, and can enjoy a full bar and gourmet deli sandwiches 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

Kenny Chesney’s The Big Revival Tour, June 4, 2015 a good building to play in.” In addition, Ticketmaster has used the Ford Center as a beta data site several times. “Ticketmaster 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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

WWE Smack Down, May 12, 2015

“Basically I’ve lost four people, and three of them transferred 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 operations minded, but the next couple years you’re becoming more of a political figure,” he observes. His team is currently assisting with several city projects, such as improving the concessions service at Mesker Park Zoo and consulting with the convention and visitors bureau on a recently opened ballpark complex and its operational efficiency. The neighborhood around the Ford Center continues to develop with a new Indiana University, University of Evansville and Ivy Tech Community College medical Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

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 increasingly gentrified and even trendy, as the Ford Center itself remains an example of the “next generation” of secondarymarket arenas. In the words of VenuWorks Founder and President Steve Peters, who oversees more than 50 facilities: “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.”

25

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.

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

For Booking information contact:

Scott Schoenike 812.436.7151 SSchoenike@thefordcenter.com www.thefordcenter.com fordcenterevansville @thefordcenter

C

2015 Prime Site Awards

ompetition can be a good thing, and there is plenty of it among today’s live entertainment 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 increasingly need to distinguish themselves in the eyes of agents and promoters.

Invariably, they will up the ante with facility improvements 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 professionals enough to garner their vote. Such recognition from clients and peers is truly meaningful, and will be a valuable distinction in this competitive industry.

F&EM congratulates this year’s winners.

@AIRCANADACENTRE

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Prime Site Award-winning Barclays Center

Northeast Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA DCU Center Arena, Worcester, MA Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence, RI Madison Square Garden, New York, NY MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes Barre, PA Mullins Center, University of MA Amherst Prudential Center, Newark, NJ Ryan Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston Santander Arena, Reading, PA Times Union Center, Albany, NY Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA 28

Mid-Atlantic John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore, MD Ted Constant Convocation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA Verizon Center, Washington, DC Prime Site Award-winning Royal Farms Arena (SuperBook Directory: p. 42)

Southeast AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL Amway Center, Orlando, FL Bancorpsouth Center, Tupelo, MS BankUnited Center at the University of Miami, Miami FL BJCC Arena, Birmingham, AL Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN Facilities & Event Management 2015 superbook

When stars take the stage, our fans come out to play.

Verizon Wireless Arena continues to be the place that fans choose to play. Our audiences find the Verizon Wireless Arena to be the perfect venue to let loose and have some fun at concerts, sporting events and shows. As a result, they’ve helped us shine with a top 5 ranking in the Americas from a leading industry magazine, for arenas of 15,000 or less seats. They also ranked us within the top 10 in the world. Verizon Wireless Arena, 555 Elm Street Manchester, NH 03101 603-644-5000 verizonwirelessarena.com

New Hampshire’s premier sports and entertainment facility is conveniently located in Manchester, halfway between Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. Before your next concert season, plan on spending time with the fans at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners

Prime Site Award-winning Macon Centreplex Coliseum

Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, Concord, NC CenturyLink Center, Bossier City, LA Colonial Life Arena, University of South Carolina, Columbia Crown Complex, Fayetteville, NC Florence Civic Center, Florence, SC Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Greensboro, NC James L. Knight Center, Miami, FL KFC YUM! Center, Louisville, KY The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, FL

Prime Site Award-winning Straz Center for the Performing Arts (SuperBook Directory: p. 44)

30

Macon Centreplex Coliseum, Macon, GA North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA Saenger Theater, Pensacola, FL The Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, GA The Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, FL Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC Midwest Prime Site Award-winning Morris Performing Arts Center (SuperBook Directory: p. 54)

Adler Theatre, Davenport, IA Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN Ames Center, Burnsville, MN Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN Facilities & Event Management 2015 superbook

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners U.S. Cellular Arena, Milwaukee, WI Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA

Prime Site Award-winning U.S. Cellular Arena

Bridge View Center, Ottumwa, IA Ford Center, Evansville, IN Hartman Arena, Park City, KS Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, IA i Wireless Center, Moline, IL Morris Performing Arts Center, South Bend, IN Nutter Center at Wright State University, Dayton, OH Paramount Theater, Cedar Rapids, IA Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE Rushmore Civic Center Plaza Arena, Rapid City, SD Sanford Center, Bemidji, MN Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO Sears Centre Arena, Hoffman Estates, IL Show Me Center, Cape Girardeau, MO Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO Swiftel Center, Brookings, SD United Wireless Arena, Dodge City, KS 32

West American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, TX ASU Gammage, Tempe, AZ AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX Bellco Theatre, Denver, CO BOK Center, Tulsa, OK Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, CO Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK Cullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX Prime Site Award-winning Fair Park

Fair Park, Dallas, TX Ford Idaho Center, Nampa, ID Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX Grand Canyon University Arena, Phoenix, AZ Facilities & Event Management 2015 superbook

• 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

Play Central North Carolina CSA: Greensboro | Winston-Salem | High Point The Piedmont Triad of Central North Carolina CSA Population: 1,611,243 Ranking: 33rd largest CSA Metro in the USA 20 Colleges & Universities in 12 Counties

Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum • Full Seating Capacity: 14,800 • End-stage Seating Capacity: 10,900 • Theatre Seating Capacity: 5,600

For booking information on the Greensboro Colieum and Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, please contact: Scott Johnson • Phone: 336.373.7449 • E-mail: Scott.Johnson@greensboro-nc.gov, or Gerry Duncan • Phone: 336.373.7459 • E-mail: Philip.Duncan@greensboro-nc.gov Web: www.GreensboroColiseum.com & www.WakeForestSports.com/ljvm

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Prime Site Award Winners

Prime Site Award-winning Orleans Arena (SuperBook Directory: p. 67)

Laredo Energy Arena, Laredo, TX Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV Peery’s Egyptian Theater, Ogden, UT Rabobank Arena, Bakersfield, CA Santa Ana Star Center, Rio Rancho, NM SAP Center, San Jose, CA STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, TX Stockton Arena, Stockton, CA Taco Bell Arena at Boise State University, Boise, ID Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA Toyota Center, Kennewick, WA United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, TX 34

US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ World Arena, Colorado Springs, CO XFINITY Arena, Everett, WA Canada Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario BC Place, Vancouver, BC Budweiser Gardens, London, Ontario Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata, Ontario FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton, Ontario General Motors Centre, Oshawa, Ontario Prime Site Award-winning Air Canada Centre (SuperBook Directory: p. 78)

MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba Puerto Rico Coliseo de Puerto Rico, Hato Rey, PR

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SSE 2015-0541

O T T A W A

•

C A N A D A

F OR B OOKI NG I NF ORM ATI ON: TOM CO NROY • 6 1 3-59 9 -01 40 • TCO NROY@ OTTAWA SEN ATO R S.CO M

Sites & Cities Directory A-Z by Region Northeast

Iowa State Center................................... 54

Blue Cross Arena.................................... 37

i Wireless Center..................................... 54

DCU Center............................................. 37

McGrath Amphiteater............................ 54

Dunkin’ Donuts Center.......................... 37

Morris Performing Arts Center.............. 54

Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza..... 37

Paramount Theatre................................. 54

Times Union Center............................... 37

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center................. 54

Verizon Wireless Arena........................... 37

Sanford Center........................................ 54 Swiftel Center.......................................... 58

Mid-Atlantic

United Wireless Arena............................ 58

Royal Farms Arena.................................. 42

U.S. Cellular Center................................ 58

Southeast

West

Cabarrus Arena....................................... 44

ASU Gammage....................................... 67

Florence Civic Center............................. 44

Chesapeake Energy Arena.................... 67

Greensboro Coliseum Complex............ 44

Lloyd Noble Center ............................... 67

The Lakeland Center.............................. 44

Orleans Arena......................................... 67

Saenger Theatre..................................... 44

State Farm Arena.................................... 67

Straz Center for the Performing Arts..................................... 44

Stockton Arena....................................... 67

Time Warner Cable Arena..................... 44

Toyota Center......................................... 67 United Supermarkets Arena.................. 70 UH Sports and Entertainment............... 70

Midwest

Talking Stick Resort Arena..................... 70

Adler Theatre.......................................... 50 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum....................... 50

Canada/Caribbean

Ames Center........................................... 50

Air Canada Centre.................................. 78

Arie Crown Theater................................ 50

Canadian Tire Centre............................. 78

Bridge View Center ............................... 50

Coliseo de Puerto Rico.......................... 78

Ford Center/Victory Theatre.................. 50

The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre ....................... 78

Hartman Arena........................................ 50 Hoyt Sherman Place............................... 54

36

Hershey Centre....................................... 78 MTS Centre............................................. 78

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

New York

Blue Cross Arena

The Northeast MassachuseTts

1 War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY 14614 (585) 758-5300; Fax: (585) 758-5327 bluecrossarena.com SMG 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 PAGE overlooking the Genesee River.

11 rhode island

DCU Center

50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608 (508) 755-6800; Fax: (508) 929-0111 www.dcucenter.com General Manager (Arena Bookings): Sandra Dunn New England’s Premier Arena & Convention Complex For 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 PAGE city, located 40 miles west of Boston.

19

Dunkin’ Donuts Center

1 LaSalle Square, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 331-0700; Fax: (401) 621-5987 dunkindonutscenter.com Executive Assistant/Booking: Debra Polselli 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 PAGE radius of downtown.

40 NEW YORK

pennsylvania

Times Union Center

Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

51 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207 (518) 487-2000 timesunioncenter-albany.com General Manager: Bob Belber Upstate New York’s Premier Sports and Entertainment Facility Home to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, Owned by Albany County and managed by SMG, Times Union Center opened in 1990 and is the SMG-managed Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza has played host to some Northeast v1 Cher, 1/13/09 7:52 AM home Pageto 20 the Albany Devils of AHL hockey and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena of the biggest names in entertainment, including Elton John, Neil Diamond, Saints. The arena has hosted such prestigious artists as Rolling Stones, U2, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel. End stage 360° – 8,930-9,100; center stage Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith. Curtaining system allows capacity to be adjusted between – 9,809-9,985; half house end stage – 4,227-4,575; one third house end stage 6,000 and 17,000. New seats, ribbon boards and a brand new center hung video score– 3,421-3,481. 200 ft.-by-85 ft. hockey rink. StageRight decks and legs, 80 ft. by board equipped with led boards. Backstage areas include three team-size locker rooms and 48 ft. max. Four locker rooms, three dressing rooms, four additional multipurpose seven star dressing rooms. The arena draws patrons from all over New York as well rooms. Thirty luxury suites, 624 club seats.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PENNSYLVANIA PAGE as Massachusetts, Vermont, 5,400; Theatrical Stage – 3,000.New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Exhibition 41 255 Highland Park Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (570) 970-7600; Fax: (570) 970-7601 mohegansunarenapa.com General Manager: Rebecca Bonnevier

Exhibition Space: 25,348 sq. ft.; 277 10’x8’ booths in typical trade show configuration.

Backstage Areas: main #1 dressing room,&3 Information Source The News auxiliary locker rooms, team lockerAgents, Promoters, forvisiting Booking room, 2 officials locker rooms, press office, Talent Buyers & Special Event Planners 3 production rooms, lounge, catering room.

new Hampshire

Verizon Wireless Arena

555 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101 (603) 644-5000 verizonwirelessarena.com The City of Manchester, NH opened the SMG operated Verizon Wireless Arena in 2001. The arena can accommodate a centerVERIZON WIRELESS stage concert of more than 11,000 attendees as well as a theater-style performance ARENA Elm Street for 2,500. The venue has featured such prestigious555artists as Bruno Mars, Dave Manchester, 03101a few. Six Mathews, Elton John, Cher, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, toNHname (603) 644-5000; Fax: (603) 644-1575 dressing rooms/team locker rooms and five production rooms round out backstage Regional General Manager: Tim Bechert with the ability to configure to most staging needs.www.verizonwirelessarena.com Take the versatile design of the arena, a successful hockey franchise in the Manchester Monarchs and a stateSports that & New Hampshire’ s Premier loves entertainment and you have the perfect stopEntertainment for any tour. Facility PAGE Snapshot: New Hampshire’s premier29

sports and entertainment facility, the Verizon Wireless Arena, managed by 5 superbook has attracted more than 4.4 million Facilities & event management 201SMG, people, hosted more than 830 sports and entertainment events, including more than

Staging: Stageright equipment, setup is 48 ft. deep X 60 ft. wide X 4 ft. tall, 8 ft. wide X 24 ft. deep sound wings SL & SR, and a front of house mixer riser 12 ft. deep X 16 ft. wide X 1 ft. tall, 100 ft. from the down stage edge.

Food & Beverage: 4 permanent concession stands; 12 portable concession stands; VIP Lounge; 2 specialty bars located on upper level; Full catering services offered backstage and to suites.

Amenities: 34 luxury suites, 5 party suites, Exclusive Club Lounge, 542 Club Seats, Wireless connection, Flat Screen TV’s throughout the concourse.

Marketing: Group Sales; Email Marketing; Grassroots Marketing; Media Buying; Media Promotions/Trade; Public

GIANT CENTER

550 West Hersheypark Drive Hershey, PA 17033 (717) 534-3911; Fax: (717) 534-8996 www.giantcenter.net Complex Managing Director, Event Bookings, Ticketing, and Marketing: Vikki Hultquist

A Sweet Place to Play!

Snapshot: The GIANT Center, a state-of-the-art arena, opened its doors in October of 2002, with a performance

by Cher. From that moment, GIANT37 Center has been the area’s leading sports and entertainment venue.

GIANT Center is also home to the

Backstage duction ro star dressin Staging: 1 variable co Stage/Gray 80’ x 40’, a 72” in 2” in Front of ho 24” Wenge hung score Company; boards; Mi Leader boa

Broadcast full edit/st throughou throughou tions all pa interconne camera po Food & B Stands, 7 P Lounge.

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Northeast / New York

Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial

B

lue Cross Arena at the War Memorial opened as the Roch-

is 60 feet. One drive-in truck ramp with 15-foot clearance leads

ester Community War Memorial in 1955, and underwent a

straight to the Arena floor. Backstage areas include three locker

$41 million renovation and expansion in the late ‘90s. Managed by

rooms, four dressing rooms (including a 30 ft.-by-12 ft. Star’s

SMG-managed, the Arena has hosted acts such as Barry Manilow,

Dressing Room), an officials room, green room and nine ft.-by-25

Harlem Globetrotters and Monster Jam. Upcoming events include

ft. promoters office.

Gala of the Royal Horses on Aug. 22, WWE Live on Sept. 26, Nancy Kerrigan’s Halloween on Ice, Oct. 16, Ringling Bros. & Barnum &

The area is known for the War Memorial and Veteran’s Memo-

Bailey Circus, followed by the Festival of Praise Tour on Nov. 7

rial Plaza. Accessible to the public, the shrine is designed to be a lasting tribute to all those from the Rochester area who gave

The 12,428-seat arena accommodates 6,052 in its upper bowl,

their lives for our nation’s liberties. Veteran’s Memorial Plaza

4,696 in its lower bowl and 1,680 on the floor. An 80 ft.-by-80

overlooks the Genesee River. Nearby points of interest include

ft. StageRight concert stage is available; heights from 4 ft. to 6

the George Eastman House, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester

ft. can be built in any 4 ft. by 8 ft. dimension as well as tiered in

Museum & Science Center and National Museum of Play. Hotel

different heights. The Arena utilizes four covered loading docks

options include the Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside, Roches-

off Court Street. Approximate distance to the upstage center

ter Plaza Hotel and Hyatt Regency Rochester.

1 War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY 14614 • (585) 758-5300 • bluecrossarena.com 38

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Northeast / Massachusetts

DCU Center

O

wned 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 entertainment, 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 architectural 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 improvement 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 construction. 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 England’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, Manchester 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 attractive place for fans to travel to and from.

50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608 • (508) 755-6800 • www.dcucenter.com Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

39

Northeast / RHODE ISLAND

Dunkin’ Donuts Center

P

rovidence 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 scoreboard, 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 fullservice in-house agency. This in-house agency affords complete professional coordination of event marketing 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.

One LaSalle Square, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 331-0700; (401) 621-5987 dunkindonutscenter.com

Contacts: Cheryl Cohen, Director of Booking (p) 401.331.0700 ext.7123 (e) ccohen@dunkindonutscenter.com 40

Debra Polselli, Booking Assistant (p) 401.331.0700 ext.7112 (e) dpolselli@dunkindonutscenter.com Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Northeast / New York

Times Union Center O wned 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.

The state-of-the-art curtaining system allows capacities to be adjusted between 6,000 and 17,000. In 2016, the Center will undergo 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-controlled 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 attached 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, Massachusetts, 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.

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 advertising 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.

51 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207 • (518) 487-2000 • timesunioncenter-albany.com

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

41

es Media Group

s Guide Services Resource

Available on

The Mid-Atlantic UrbanRide

Search Keyword: Facilitiesonline

421 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 (800) 525-5750; Fax: (212) 202-9638 www.urbanride.net

Chief Executive Officer: Jeremy Milikow Senior 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. maryland

Facilities & Destinations

TM

Royal Farms Arena

201 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 347-2020; Fax: (410) 347-2042 royalfarmsarena.com General Manager: Frank Remesch, Jr. Continuing To Make History ...

Keppler Speakers

FREE

4350 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203 Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore’s largest indoor sports and entertainment facility, features (703) 516-4000; Fax: (703) 516-4819 www.kepplerspeakers.com 11,014 seats on three levels, as well as two suites seating 12 guests each and a Sky Senior VP for Sales and Marketing: John Truran

Read all of our publications online NOW

Box seating 30 guests. Backstage areas include seven connecting meeting rooms, two large team rooms, 10 small dressing rooms, promoter/production a catering With Keppler Speakers, creating memorable meetings never felt offices so easy.and With over 25 room.

Catering is provided by you Crown Foods, Inc., including 12 making concession stands and 10 years of experience, we provide solid, seasoned expertise, speaker selection stress-free managing the details.

Speakers saves you time by portableby bars.

There isallanof850-car garageKeppler attached to the building, andprecious 2,000 spaces are matching youwithin with speakers who walk; are right performers available a five-minute lighton railtarget. systemFrom stopproven in proximity.

Royal to dynamic PAGE rising stars, our speakers bring fascinating, real stories and a gift for inspiring audiences.

43 Farms Arena offers promoters a full-service marketing and PR department.

GO TO M.ISSUU.COM ON YOUR I-PAD OR MOBILE DEVICE TO GET STARTED

Facilities &Destinations

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ht ul

Meetings/Tradeshows/Exhibitions/ Convention Centers/CVBs/Hotels/ Resorts/Conference Centers

e

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Don’t Get Stuck in a Fishbowl!

Don’t Get Stuck The Facilities Media Group in a Fishbowl!

Facilities & Destinations The Media GroupGuide Facilities •Facilities Conference • Planner Facilities Facilities LIVE&•Destinations Booking Guide Facilities & &Event Management Facilities Event Management www.Facilitiesonline.com Facilitiesonline.com

42

THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUP Essential Planning Tools 93

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

MID-Atlantic / MaryLAND

Royal Farms Arena

R

oyal Farms Arena (formerly Baltimore Arena) is Baltimore’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; catering 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 equipment. System components include: Main Cluster – 12 Meyer MSL3 Cabinets; Delay Cluster – 12 Meyer UPA-1A Cabinets; Front Fill – four Meyer UPA-1A Cabinets.

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 Washington, DC (8.1 million potential guests).

201 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 • (410) 347-2020• www.royalfarmsarena.com 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

BE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY

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

THANKS FOR HELPING US RULE!

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

43

north Carolina

Cabarrus Arena & Events Center 4751 Hwy 49 North, Concord, NC 28025 (704) 920-3976; Fax: (704) 920-3999 cabarrusarena.com Sales & Marketing Manager: Pam Sossamon

The SOUTHEAST

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.

PAGE 45

south carolina

north carolina

Florence Civic Center

3300 West Radio Drive, Florence, SC 29501 (843) 679-9417; Fax: (843) 679-9429 florenceciviccenter.com General Manager: Kendall Wall Celebrating 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 ballroom (1,400 theater, 800 banquet). Fiber optics and Wi-Fi throughout. New HVAC systems, LED lighting upgrade, added arena reduction curtain system. Generous PAGE supplemental marketing efforts. 17,000+ Facebook fans; 22,000+ email club.

31 florida

1921 West Lee Street, Greensboro, NC 27403 (336) 373-7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com Deputy 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, hosting 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 PAGE and a new, larger, higher-resolution video scoreboard.

33 Florida

The Lakeland Center

Saenger Theatre

701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, FL 33815 (863) 834-8100 thelakelandcenter.com Assistant 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.

PAGE 48

Florida

Straz Center for the Performing Arts

1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 222-1000; (800) 955-1045 strazcenter.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 PAGE Chrissy.Hall@strazcenter.org.

49 44

Greensboro Coliseum Complex

118 South Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502 (850) 595-3882; Fax: 850-595-3886 pensacolasaenger.com General Manager: Douglas Lee The 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.

PAGE Mobile/Pensacola DMA is home to 450,000.

48 north carolina

Time Warner Cable Arena

333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 688-9000; (800) 745-3000 timewarnercablearena.com The premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas Opened 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 PAGE VIP entrance. In-house marketing and promotions staff available.

C3 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Southeast / NORTH CAROLINA

Cabarrus Arena & Events Center

T

he 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.

4751 Highway 49 North Concord, NC 28025 (704) 920-3976 cabarrusarena.com

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.

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

45

Southeast / South Carolina

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

T

here are always new concepts, a reinvention 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 impressing 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 doing. Over the past several months the SMGmanaged 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 marketing team has been hard at work updating the visual effects for visitors. Through subtle changes such as event flyers printed edge-toedge (no white border), custom stand-up banners, large wall posters 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 updates 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 visuals, 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 parking lot directionals, custom event welcome boards and window

displays. Furthermore, the venue impresses with interior changes including new concession panels, sponsorship wall graphics, concourse directional boards, floor decals and more. These details enhance 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 demanding 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 billboards 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.

3300 West Radio Drive, Florence, SC 29501 • (843) 679-9417 • florenceciviccenter.com 46

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Southeast / North Carolina

Greensboro Coliseum Complex

T

he Greensboro Coliseum Complex is a multi-building facility designed to serve the citizens of Greensboro and the surrounding area through a broad range of activities, including athletic 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 4,500seat 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 planners and patrons.

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-theart facility with three bodies of water and a seating capacity of 2,500. This GAC brings together all major aquatic sports — competitive 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.

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.

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, 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.

ACC Hall of Champions, an 8,100-sq.-ft. museum that showcases ACC history through interactive displays, unique institutional exhibits and multipurpose program space. Highlights include a four-foot, 360-degree, state-of-the-art video globe with a unique,

These changes are critical as the Coliseum Complex, with its incredible versatility, continues to pursue bringing the most prestigious sporting events and biggest names in live entertainment to Greensboro, NC.

1921 West Lee Street, Greensboro, NC 27403 • (336) 373-7400 • www.greensborocoliseum.com Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

47

With flexible options, numerous seating configurations and a variety of capacities The Lakeland Center can accommodate events from 10-10,000!

When SIZE MATTERS, experience genuine service, affordable rates and one amazing Central Florida location!

Pensacola, FL Great routing with New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, Jacksonville and Panama City 1,641 seats / 3,000 square feet of meeting space Full-time, in-house marketing department 15,000 Facebook followers 23,000 eNews subscribers

For booking information:

Douglas Lee, General Manager 850-595-3882 dlee@cityofpensacola.com www.pensacolasaenger.com

A R E N A • T H E AT R E CONVENTION CENTER BOOK THE LAKELAND CENTER FOR YOUR NEXT TOUR, REHEARSAL OR EVENT!

SCOTT SLOMAN

scott.sloman@lakelandgov.net 863-834-8144

THE LAKELAND CENTER

701 W. Lime St. • Lakeland, FL 33815 863-834-8100 • F 863-834-8101

Make Our World Your World!

The Facilities Media Group Facilities & Destinations Facilities & Event Management Facilitiesonline.com 48

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

southeast / FLORIDA

The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts

T

he 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 Broadway 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; Ferguson 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.

Janet Jackson Wicked Daniel tosh counting crows Mary J. Blige Jerry seinfelD The Book of MorMon Mike epps itzhak perlMan iDina Menzel sting Jon stewart The PhanToM of The oPera leonarD cohen Jeff DunhaM Black star harry connick, Jr. alicia keys

Bon iver Bill clinton chris cornell John leguizaMo Matisyahu Disney’s The Lion king renée fleMing Juanes Blue Man group J. cole John fogerty the piano guys wilco Jersey Boys Josh groBan cesar Millan the weeknD MoToWn The MusicaL

STATE-OF-THE-ART 5-THEATER ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA

Morsani Hall has been ranked in the Top 5 in the world by Billboard, Pollstar and Venues Today.

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 sectional 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 ticketbuyers, as well as a communications staff.

1010 N. W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 222-1000 • www.strazcenter.org Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Contact for avails: 813.222.1272 or Chrissy.Hall@strazcenter.org STRAZCENTER.ORG 49

iowa

The midwest indiana

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 482-9502; Fax: (260) 484-1637 memorialcoliseum.com General 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 PAGE events, with telescopic seating and floor chairs.

17 illinois

Adler Theatre/RiverCenter

136 East Third Street, Davenport, IA 52801 (563) 326-8500; Fax: (563) 326-8505 adlertheatre.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 entertainment 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 PAGE 75-100 mile radius on both sides of the Mississippi River.

51 Minnesota

Ames Center

12600 Nicollet Avenue, Burnsville, MN 55337 (952) 895-4680 ames-center.com Executive Director: Brian Luther 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 PAGE age of 35.9 and median household income of $60,000.

53 iowa

Arie Crown Theater

Bridge View Center

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-protected 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 PAGE Crown Theater offers convenient underground parking for all performances.

55

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), adjoining 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, accommodatPAGE ing up to 100 persons. Regional MSA 150,000 (75-mile radius).

56

2301 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 791-6196 ariecrown.com Director: Dulcie Gilmore

indiana

102 Church Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501 (641) 684-7000; Fax: (641) 684-6305 bridgeviewcenter.com Where Great Events Create Lifetime Experiences

kansas

Ford Center & Victory Theatre

Hartman Arena

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 PAGE with upper and lower displays and ribbon board.

26

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 concerts; 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 promoter and production offices; locker rooms. Onsite parking, livestock friendly, easy highway access. Twenty loge boxes with in-seat service, two premium lounges/bars. Full PAGE in-house marketing agency; can promote in-house or co-promote.

57

1 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47708 (812) 422-8000; Fax: (812) 436-7001 thefordcenter.com Ford Center Executive Director: Scott Schoenike

50

8151 Hartman Arena Drive, Wichita/Park City, KS 67147 (316) 744-8880; Fax: (316) 683-2805 hartmanarena.com Executive Director: Aran Rush

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Facilities &Event Management TM

Booking Guide

For Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers, Special Event Planners & Venue Managers

What the industry is 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 issues Call or email Michael Caffin, Associate Publisher (212) 532-4150 mcaffin@facilitiesonline.com

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

51

MIDwest / indiana

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

T

he 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 restrooms in the Arena, will complete a two-year renovation project.

4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (260) 482-9502 memorialcoliseum.com

52

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 Center The 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.

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

IOWA

IOWA

Capacities: 1,251 seats Stage Dimensions: Back wall to iowa iowa Proscenium 24’ ; SR Wall to SL Wall 52’; Proscenium to Front of Pit Cover Iowa State Center Hoyt Sherman Place 8’; Proscenium Height 22’6”; Scheman Building,Width Suite 102, Ames, IA 50011 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309 Proscenium 34’4”.

(515) 294-3347; (877) 843-2368 (515) 244-0507; Fax: (515) 237-3582 Dressing Rooms: large chorus w/bathwww.center.iastate.edu hoytsherman.org room attached; medium sized chorus Executive (incoming): Tammy Koolbeck Executive Director: Carol Pollock room; Director 3 star dressing rooms.

Great Events Happen Here Originally a grand manor home circa 1877, Hoyt Sherman Place opened as a theater Sound: 2 Stacks of McCauly n-line SR andState SL; Center, 12 top which boxes comprises and 4 bottoms; in 1923. A beautiful and acoustically sound performing center, it is 8:26 Central AM Page Iowa Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and the Scheman Midwest v1 arts 1/13/09 62 HOYT SHERMAN PLACE RIVERCENTER & All QSC Powerlite amplifiers; 1-Alan Iowa’s only mid-sized live event facility. Recent 1501 $5.5 Woodland million renovation Building, regularly features quality entertainment programming. Upcoming acts include Avenue included ADLER THEATRE and Heath 2200 FOH desk; 2 sm 58; 2 updated sound, lighting and technical capabilities. venue hosts 280+ Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Bill Maher and Moscow 136 Festival Presents Sleeping DesYear-round Moines, IA 50266 East Ballet Third Street beta sm 57; 4 boom stands; 1 cd player; (515) 244-0507; Fax: (515) 237-3582 events annually. Theater – 1,250 fixed seats (38 box seats); art galleries accommoBeauty. Stephens Auditorium seats 1,584, Orchestra; 467,Davenport, First Balcony w/Loge; 354, IA 52801 1 3rd octive EQ on the stacks. www.hoytsherman.org 326-8500; (563) 326-8505 date up to 250 for receptions, meetings, etc. Large chorus with bathroom attached; Second Balcony w/Loge; 204, Third Balcony; 2,609, Total(563) Capacity; 112,Fax: Additional Pit Executive Director: Carol Pollock Lighting: 288 channels medium-sized chorus room; three star dressing rooms. Full-service marketing depart- Seating.

Proscenium openingofisetc 70 sensor ft. by 30 ft. Stage floorwww.adlertheatre.com is 80 ft. wide by 50 ft. deep. www.riverctr.com dimming; 1 obsession 2 w/2 monitorsat stage level and A grand manor home built ment. The capital of Iowa, Des Moines is visitedSnapshot: by 2.9 million+ each Backstage areas include five 1-4 capacity two chorus rooms.

Executive Director: Rick Palmer, CFE PAGE NORTH DAKOTA and keyboards; 16-19 degree S4 Lekos OHIO in 1877 by prominent businessman Hoyt ranging from seats 1’ to 3’. year – 562,000+ within 40-mile radius.

Fisher Theater 450 and is supported by a loading dock, freight elevator, truck PAGE 59 13 (on stage); 12-26 degree S4 Lekos (on Sherman; the structure, managed by “The Center With It All” parking, floor two dressing Areas: 8and locker rooms;(onrooms. stage);dance 11-36 degree S4 Lekos VenuWorks, is a world-class performing Backstage private and(on start Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorks, stage);offices, 11-19 meeting degree S4rooms Barrels arts center, located at the cornerstone of illinois iowa rooms par are available. the classic, 2,411-seat Adler Theatre is a stage); 48-S4 64 (on stage); 8-S4 12 Des Moines’ historic Sherman Hill. The dressing historic, art-deco yet also state-of-the-art circuitSystem: mutiparcustom strips (on stage); 24-15 Hoyt Sherman Place Theater opened in Sound Bose system, iWireless Center McGrath Amphitheatre PAC originally built in 1931 and most to 30 degree S4 zooms (FOH); 12-19 1923 and is Central Iowa’s only midpowered by Crown amplification, and 1201 River S4 Drive, Moline, IL 61265 475 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 recently renovated in 2006. The Adler is Degree Lekos (box boomswireless HR and sized (1,251) performing arts venue and includes corded microphones, (309) 764-2001; Fax:and (309)cassette 764-2192 (319) 398-5211; Fax: (319) 362-2102 part of the RiverCenter Complex, HL); 2- Lycian Starklite II. the last remaining historical theater in microphones, CD1272 players, iwirelesscenter.com www.mcgrathamphitheatre.com which features more than 100,000 Des Moines.CENTER Since reopening in mixing boards, and a variety of other ALERUS Audience Amenities: 28 Box Seats. square feet of meeting, exhibit and event Executive Director: Scott Mullen Assistant Executive Director: Mike Silva November, 2003 after a $5.5-million, 1200 South 42nd Street audio-visual equipment.

Marketing: in-house marking services; space. The RiverCenter includes the Forks,renovation, ND 58201 including updated six-month The iWireless Center has hosted the top artists and touring actsHall, in thefeaturing country including The McGrath Amphitheatre sits in the heart of Grand downtown Cedar Rapids along a Lighting: mix of metal halide and co-promotions.

Great a seating capacity (701) 792-1200; Fax: (701) 746-6511 sound, lighting and technical capabiliERVIN J. NUTTER quartz fixtures with a Douglas proThe Eagles, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke and gentle bend of the Cedar River. This unique outdoor venue has been home to many www.aleruscenter.com of 3,200 for general admissions Managed by Venuworks. ties, this year-round venue has welcomed grammable CENTER full black-out Bryan, Cirquecontroller; du Soleil, Disney On Ice and more. The arena hasreserved a 12,000-seat center stage concerts, festivals and special events since its Director opening in Administration: the patrons. summerNewly of 2013.

The of 2,500 seats and the Mississippi over 200,000 renovated, See ad on page 44 at Wright State University capabilities via end-stage, an extensive half-house Jordheim (11,500 multiple lower-bowl and theater capacities that range from amphitheater is one of the area’s best outdoor Vione facilities and boasts permanent River Hall, which can host 1,400 for adjacent galleries cana be transformed for capacity Suite 430 curtaining system. general admission and 1,100 reserved.

3,000-6,000; 10,700 for basketball; and 9,500 for hockey andColonel indoor football).

Seven dresscovered stage and beautiful grassy seating for Snapshot: upa unique to 5,000sit (reserved 4,000).a 3640 Glenn Highway down dining experience, Managed byseating, VenuWorks, Food & Beverage: fixedrooms, concession OHroom, 45435-0001 ing rooms include four8team one training room,Dayton, one small threefrom production Nestled in the highly populated corridor of Eastern Iowa, the U.S. Center social cocktail partyCellular a theater-style Alerus Center, built inor2001, is the Staging: 40’ deep the plaster line 775-3498; Fax: 80’ (937) 775-2060 stands,and 7 various portableoffice. stands, place. full service entertainoffices a VIP promoter Food service by Levy(937) Restaurants. marketing draws event attendees from a population baseregion’s ofmeeting morepremier, than 1,500,000 people.

The to the back Full-service wall, wide, 38’ stage left www.nuttercenter.com 20 beer domes andCentrally 6 portable liquor mentradius, and event and and PR department. located between Chicago, St. Louis, center of this population group is within a 60-mile or a center quick 45-minExecutive Director: John Siehl,PAGE CFE PAGE stands; the Alerus Center also provides features both an arena and a convention Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Omaha. ute drive from downtown Cedar Rapids.

14 66 Facilities SuperBook exclusive on-site catering service. The Midwest center. The Alerus Center Arena 2009 was “Ohio’s premier spot for sports, designed to serve as a multi-purpose, Parking: 3,388 on-site spaces. concerts, and family events.” versatile facility capable of quick indiana iowa full in-house marketing Marketing: Snapshot: This multipurpose entertainconversions while maintaining the department. ment and sports complex features integrity of the “entertainment experiMorris Performing Arts Center Paramount Theatre 1,000 – 12,000 seats. The venue opened Demographics: more than one million ence”. Seating Capacities: Total – 211 N. Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601 123 Thirdwithin Avenue2-hour NW, Cedar Rapids,radius.

IA 52401 in 1990 and has been renovated to people driving 21,389; Arena Set End Stage: 11,029; (574) 235-9190; (800) 537-6415; Fax: (574) 235-5604 (319) 398-5226 allow hockey to be played and added See ad on page 40 Round: 12, 914; Half-House: 8,245; morriscenter.org paramounttheatrecr.com reinforced steel rigging along with new Standard Theater: 2,619. motorized lower level seating, motorExecutive Director: Dennis J. Andres General Manager: Jason Anderson Staging: The stage right portable stage ized center arena scoreboard, renovated The Magnificent Morris Has The Hottest Tickets in Town! allows a maximum stage of 64’W x Located downtown in the heart of Cedar Rapids’ entertainment district, this comluxury suites and new-look concession 52’D x 4’ to 6’ H. Accessories include State-of-the-art PAC ($24.3 million renovation in 2000) originally opened as The pletely restored and renovated historic 1928 movie/vaudeville palace reopened in stands. an accessible ramp, stairs, guardrails, Palace Theater in 1921 with a design that replicated Italian Renaissance, Spanish November 2012 after a $35 million renovation thatCapacities: included new dressing10,400; rooms, Basketball: andBackstage skirting. The standard mix stage is Revival and Baroque architecture. Seats 2,560. areas: eight dressing state-of-the-art rigging systems, lighting, video, EVHockey: X-Array 9,900; speakerEnd-Stage system, plus Seating: a 12’W x 24’D platform with heights rooms, two chorus rooms in Lower Level Hair/Wardrobe Room (30 ft.-by-18 ft.); expanded stage and reception spaces. The Theatre11,500; housesProfessional 1,699 seatsWrestling/ with the pit, In “The catering room. Brand-new stage, 45 ft. deep by 103 ft. wide, with a 72-ft. fly Round” Seating: 11,500; Extreme 1,673 without; seven dressing rooms all with private showers and restrooms; three

height and 70 fly lines. Expanded orchestra pit; full Wenger symphonic shell; fully updated utilities and HVAC system. One million within 40-minute drive; PAGE venue hosts 125+ events per year, attracting 156,000+.

60

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota

444 Mount Rushmore Road North, Rapid City, SD 57701 (605) 394-4115/(800) GOT-MINE; Fax: (605) 394-4119 GOTMINE.COM Executive Director: Craig Baltzer Truly 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 disRUSHMORE PLAZA covered that the Civic Center can meet their needsCIVIC with professional service and competiCENTER Mt.1,741-seat Rushmore Rd. tive pricing. The Complex features a 10,000+-seat 444 arena, FineN.Arts Theatre, and City, SD 57701 two large Convention Halls with 12 variously sizedRapid meeting rooms.

New (2008) Ice Arena (605) 394-4115 or (800)-GOTMINE – 28,000 sq. ft. convention space; 5,127 seats – hockey; 7,450 seats – concerts. Arena has Fax: (605) 394-4119 two star dressing rooms, five locker/dressing rooms; theater has two chorus rooms, www.gotmine.com Sales and Marketing Manager: PAGE four dressing rooms.

C2 Steve Montgomery

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The Center of It All Snapshot: Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is South Dakota’s premier fullservice performance, exhibition, con-

See

chorus rooms; and up to five portable concession stands. High-tech features include Tessitura ticketing software, a leading enterprise-wide, fully integrated PAGE 61 software system.

SOUTH DAKOTA

minnesota

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

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Exhibition Space: 180,000 sq. ft.

The Sanford Center and other Capacities: Arena—concerts 1111 Event Center10,000; Drive NE,Sports Bemidji,events MN 56601 entertainment: (218) 441-4000; Fax: (218) 441-4099setting seating: 5,700-8,500; half-house thesanfordcenter.net with seating up to 5,700 (Arena features 34,500 sq. Roger ft. of Swanson uninterrupted Executive Director: SWIFTEL CENTER space); The Rushmore Plaza Civic 824 32ndThe Avenue Located on beautiful Lake Bemidji, managed by VenuWorks, Sanford Center is Center’s Fine Arts Theatre seats Brookings, SD 57006 northern Minnesota’s premier venue for sporting events, concerts and family shows, and up to 1,752.

(605) 692-7539: Fax: (605) 697-6393 offers high-tech meeting and ballroom space for conventions and conferences.

Seating: www.swiftelcenter.com Backstage Areas: Arena has 2 star 4,000 hockey, 5,500 for end-stage concerts. space: 10,000-sq.-ft. ballroom Director: Tom Richter dressing rooms on the 2nd level and 5 ExhibitionExecutive (divisible three ways), floor; fourHospitality breakout meeting locker/dressing rooms24,000-sq.-ft. on the mainarena/tradeshowMidwest at its Best! rooms, pre/post area.2 Industry floor; Fine Artsreception Theatre has chorus standard portable arena concert staging with Snapshot: Managed by VenuWorks, risers. dressing rooms, room, meetingthe room, four locker rooms, producroomsTwo and star 4 individual dressinggreen rooms.

Swiftel Center is one of South tion office.

Twenty-five9 concession suites, 200+stands, club seats, state-of-the-art press box; in-house Food & Beverage: Dakota’s premier event centersPAGE for marketing department; 200,000+ radius of entertainment.

Bemidji.

63 a club restaurant, and Food Court,residents multi- within 75-mile meetings and With ple portable stands.

30,000-square-foot Arena, state of the art Daktronics Banquet Rooms, Audience Amenities: Club Seating, Facilities & event management 2015 superbook Concourse, County Rooms, Conference Suites, Large Daktronics Video Screens Rooms and In-House Catering service; Parking: 4,000 Free Spaces. the Swiftel Center can plan any event

4’x8 dec (15) 8’x4 78” sup Sou ered Lig Me Bac (2) ing Foo cess onMa dep Dem serv

The Arie Crown Theater Classic Features, Modern Amenities

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!

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A

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Check us out at www.hartmanarena.com

CALL Ben Bolander

Easy Routing !

Rental & Co-Promotion Opportunities 27,000 sq. ft. floor Seating Configurations from 2,400-6,500

Park City, KS

or email bbolander@hartmanarena.com

Connect with us.

south dakota

Kansas

Swiftel Center

824 32nd Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006 (605) 692-7539; Fax: (605) 697-6393 swiftelcenter.com Executive Director: Tom Richter Treat yourself to Midwest Hospitality at its best A 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 PAGE the tri-state region – South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa.

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United Wireless Arena

4100 Comanche Street, P.O. Box 1516 Dodge City, KS 67801 (620) 371-7390; Fax: (620) 371-7393 unitedwirelessarena.com Executive 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 PAGE from Oklahoma and Colorado markets. In-house marketing staff.

65

IOWA

The #1 News & Information Source for Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers & Special Event Planners

U.S. Cellular Center Arena

370 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 (319) 398-5211; Fax: (319) 362-2102 www.uscellularcenter.com Assistant 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 backstage 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 downtown Cedar Rapids, which is easily accessible to St. Louis, Chicago, PAGE Minneapolis, Kansas City, Omaha and Milwaukee.

66

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58

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Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

MIDWEST / Indiana

THE MORRIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Designed to combine many different eras in architectural history: Italian Renaissance, Spanish Revival and Baroque.

T

he 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 PERFORMING 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 combination of opulent decor and rich history with upgraded technical equipment 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 lowcost 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.

211 North Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601 (574) 235-9190; (800) 537-6415; Fax: (574) 235-5604 morriscenter.org 60

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Midwest / South Dakota

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

R

ushmore Plaza Civic Center opened in 1977 with a concert

8-, 12-, 16 and 20-person Party Suites with panoramic views of the

by none other than Elvis Presley on June 21. Today the Cen-

arena floor.

ter continues to draw top acts in a variety of genres. Upcoming shows include Waka Flocka Flame on Aug. 13, Miranda Lambert

Last October, the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center welcomed Craig

on Sept. 26, Elton John on Oct. 6 and the Fanovation Broadway

Baltzer as its new Executive Director, replacing former General

play series. The Center hosts the Black Hills Stock Show and

Manager Brian Maliske following his resignation in June. Baltzer

Rodeo, as well as basketball and indoor football games, circus

brings more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment man-

events, car shows, conventions, monster truck shows and more.

agement business (18 of those years working in the management of sports and entertainment facilities, 13 years as General Manager).

The Center’s Don Barnett Arena covers 34,500 sq. ft. and can

The Sioux Falls native has served as company manager and Director

accommodate up to 9,173 spectators for a stage event in the

of Operations for Sesame Street Live, touring with the company

round, or 3,574-5,644 individuals in a half house concert or

throughout the United States, and was also named General Man-

theatre setup. The Ice Arena seats 5,127 for hockey and 7,450

ager of Sesame Street Live in the United Kingdom. Baltzer has been

for a concert, and the Fine Arts Theatre seats 1,741-seat. There is

the Operations Manager and Director of Events for the Ice Palace

also 28,000 sq. ft. of convention space. The Arena has two star

in Tampa, FL; the General Manager of the Laredo Entertainment

dressing rooms and five locker/dressing rooms. The Theater has

Center in Laredo, TX; and most recently the General Manager of

two chorus rooms and four dressing rooms. In addition, there are

the Ford Idaho Center of Nampa/Boise, ID for the past nine years.

444 N. Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD 57701 • (605) 394-4115 • gotmine.com 62

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Northern Minnesota’s Preferred Venue For Sports, Family Shows, Concerts & Entertainment!

www.TheSanfordCenter.net FOR BOOKING INFO

Curtis Webb, Executive Director 281.441.4001 CWebb@TheSanfordCenter.net

Flexible Configurations & Easy Routing Seating Capacities from 2,000 to 5,800 Full-Service Marketing & Advertising Department Wide Range of Rental & Co-Promotional Opportunities

1111 Event Center Dr. NE, Bemidji, MN 56601

arizona

ASU Gammage Wells Fargo Arena

The west

600 East Veterans Way, Tempe, AZ 85281 (480) 965-5062 asu.edu/tour/tempe/wfa.html Director 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.

PAGE 69

oklahoma

oklahoma

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Lloyd Noble Center

Chesapeake Energy Arena attracts more than one million guests per year, conveniently 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; basketball – 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. FullPAGE service, award-winning marketing staff.

71

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 operated by OU concessions. State-of-the-art retractable center-hung scoreboard and PAGE sound system features four high-definition video boards and four video boards.

95

100 West Reno, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 602-8700; Fax: (405) 602-8505 chesapeakearena.com General Manager: Gary Desjardins

Nevada

2900 South Jenkins Avenue, Norman, OK 73019 (405) 325-4666; Fax: (405) 325-4583 lloydnoblecenter.com Director of Events: Loida Haffener-Salmond

texas

Orleans Arena

State Farm Arena

The Orleans Arena hosts more than 200 events each year, with a variety of entertainment 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, PAGE public relations initiatives street marketing efforts and much more.

00

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.

PAGE The MSA has grown by 40 percent in the last 10 years.

27

4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89103 (702) 365-7111; Fax: (702) 284-7778 www.orleansarena.com Executive Director: Darren Davis, CFE

california

2600 North 10th Street, Hidalgo, TX 78557 (956) 843-6688; Fax: (956) 843-5547 statefarmarena.com General Manager/Director of Booking: Marc Solis

washington

Stockton Arena

Toyota Center

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 PAGE support, as well as annual discounts with media partners on top of agency rate.

73

Formerly known as the Tri-Cities Coliseum, this 7,500-seat multi-purpose facility annually 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 largest 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 PAGE marquee; third-party advertising opportunities.

74

248 West Fremont Street, Stockton, CA 95203 (209) 373-1400 stocktonlive.com Director of Booking: Jim Johnson

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

7016 West Grandridge Boulevard, Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 737-3700; Fax: (509) 735-9431 yourtoyotacenter.com Executive Director: Corey Pearson

67

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For events big and small, ASU Gammage has a venue that’s just right for your needs!

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texas

TEXAS

United Supermarkets Arena

1701 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79409-2200 (806) 742-7362; Fax: (806) 742-7557 unitedsupermarketsarena.com Associate Director: Cindy Harper The Entertainment Showcase of West Texas State-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 PAGE Texas, Eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.

70

Cullen Performance Hall

154 Cullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX 77204 (832) 842-3100; Fax: (713) 743-9495 entertainhouston.com Director of Booking & Sales: Beckye Levin Where Entertainment Lives on the University of Houston Campus Cullen 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 PAGE up to 80 people. Houston has an ethnically diverse population of 5.9 million.

75

arizona

Talking Stick Resort Arena

201 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 379-2000; Fax: (602) 379-2002 talkingstickresortarena.com Director, 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 PAGE C2 garage and 1,500-space garage next door.

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70

GO TO M.ISSUU.COM ON YOUR I-PAD OR MOBILE DEVICE TO GET STARTED Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

West / nevada

Orleans Arena

T

he Orleans Arena hosts more than 200 events each year, with a variety of entertainment options for a local and national audience. 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 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.

The Orleans Arena is constantly in the headlines with local, national and international news stories. Recently, the venue set an alltime attendance record with its Continental Cup of Curling beating 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.

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.

Capacities: End stage concert, 8,921; 360° concert, 9,500; threefourths 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 marketing team is available to promote events through unique arena and casino marketing opportunities. In addition, 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.

4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89103 • (702) 365-7111 • www.orleansarena.com 72

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

WEST / washington

Toyota Center & Three Rivers Convention Center

T

hree 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.

Seating Capacity: 7,200 Exhibit space: 27,000 sq ft Banquet space: 3,000 sq ft Dressing rooms: 5 VIP suites: 11 Ice rink Xenon Supertrouper spotlights: 4 Rigging & staging Full Broadway Rigging Grid Windermere Theatre: 2,100 guests Banquet room

Total space: 75,000 sq ft Great Hall: 21,600 sq ft Foyer: 14,000 sq ft Meeting rooms: 13 Latest A/V Technology Programmable lighting In-House caterer Onsite managers and staff Flexible restrooms by group Wi-Fi Internet Attached Hotel 2015

Toyota Center Comfortably 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 separate banquet room accommodates groups up to 250 and features a private entrance and full-service bar.

Three Rivers Convention Center The 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 CafĂŠ. 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.

Making everyday events Springhill SuiteS by Marriott opening 2014

|

7016 W. Grandridge Boulevard Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 737-3700; Fax: (509) 735-9431 yourtoyotacenter.com threeriversconventioncenter.com

unforgettable

Tri-CiTies, WAshingTon

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for the events.

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7016 W. Grandridge Blvd, Kennewick, WA 99336 phone 509.737.3700 email sales@3riverscampus.com 74

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Where

ENTERTAINMENT

LIVES

UNIVERSITY of

HOUSTON CAMPUS

TDECU STADIUM

COUGAR FIELD

HOFHEINZ PAVILION

CULLEN PERFORMANCE HALL

CAPACITY: 40,000

CAPACITY: 8,500

FESTIVAL CAPACITY: 14,000

CAPACITY: 1,600

CONTACT ROBERT GUILLEN | 832-842-3120 | ROBERT.GUILLEN@ENTERTAINHOUSTON.COM

West / arizona

Talking Stick Resort Arena

F

rom 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 operation 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 Greenhouse, 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 fieldlength canopy. The Coors Light Cold Zone features state-of-theart 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, serving 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 scoreboard 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, AZ 85004 • (602) 379-2000 • talkingstickresortarena.com 76

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

FOR BOOKING INFORMATION CONTACT RALPH MARCHETTA rmarchetta@phxses.com 602.379.2049

NICK VAEREWYCK nvaerewyck@phxses.com 602.379.2003

201 EAST JEFFERSON STREET | PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85004 WWW.TALKINGSTICKRESORTARENA.COM

Ontario

Air Canada Centre

Canada

40 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (416) 815-5500 theaircanadacentre.com Vice 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 population live within a 100-mile radius of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which features PAGE a broad ethnic diversity.

27 ontario

Canadian Tire Centre

Caribbean Puerto Rico

Coliseo De Puerto Rico

500 Arterial B Street, Hato Rey, PR 00918 (787) 777-0800; (877) coliseo (265-4736) Fax: (787) 777-0809 coliseodepuertorico.com General 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 PAGE and five bar concessions.

81 Ontario

1000 Palladium Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2V 1A5 (613) 599-0140; Fax: (613) 599-9283 canadiantirecentre.com Vice 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 PAGE and Upstate New York population of 1.6 million.

35 Ontario

Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Centre

189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 1M4 (416) 325-4144; Fax: (416) 314-3583 heritagetrust.on.ca/ewg Manager of Bookings and Events: Kevin Harris Originally built in 1913 for Vaudeville and silent films, this multi-use complex contains two distinct and separate theaters, one sitting atop the other, 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 PAGE in Canada – 2.5 million+, Greater Toronto Area – five million+.

79 Manitoba

Hershey Centre

MTS Centre

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 regular size dressing rooms (15 ft. by 30 ft.), one larger OHL dressing room and four small dressing 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.

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 PAGE six Xenon 2K supertroopers. Catering by Centerplate, onsite restaurant.

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5500 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (905) 502-9100; Fax: (905) 615-3299 hersheycentre.com General Manager: Mike Hamilton

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300 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3C 5S4 (204) 987-7825; Fax: (204) 926-5555 mtscentre.ca Senior Vice President Venues & Entertainment: Kevin Donnelly

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Canada / ontario

THE ELGIN AND WINTER GARDEN THEATrE CENTRE 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 vaudevilleera 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 Winter 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.

189 Yonge Street Toronto, ON (416) 325-4144 heritagetrust.on.ca/ewg

Musicals | Dramas Concerts | Film Premières Town Halls | Product Launches

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

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CaribBean / Puerto Rico

You

checked us out…

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.

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.

10 The Coliseo Team is proud of creating great moments and experiences for all our guests.

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Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

The Coliseo keeps rocking!

Ten years in the Top 20.

Muchas gracias for the support!

Connect with us!

Call Wesley Cullen at 787.777.0800 www.coliseodepuertorico.com

The Carolinas

C

ountry, bluegrass, folk and gospel are among the musical genres traditionally 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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were added for 2016: LJVM Coliseum in WinstonSalem, NC on March 4 and Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC on March 6.

Classic rock royalty has also recently made a showing 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.”

Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

A vibrant market for touring acts, and this year is no exception

By George Seli Further testament to the stature and diversity of musicians 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 entertainment 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 performers, the variety of music and the tremendous entertainers that will be playing in Charlotte this summer.”

Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

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 adventurous, 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.

Elton John at the Crown Coliseum, March 11

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NORTH CAROLINA

The Cabarrus Arena & Events Center

Cabarrus Arena & Events Center Concord, NC Cabarrusarena.com

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 Carolinas, 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.

CAPACITIES: Concerts, 5,000; boxing and wrestling, 4,390; arena football, 3,800; half-house, 1,500-3,000.

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Two dressing rooms.

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 Complex

Fayetteville, NC crowncomplexnc.com

The Crown Complex is Southeastern North Carolina’s entertainment hub, consisting of five facilities: the Coliseum, Arena, Theatre, Expo Center and ballroom. Upcoming 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 location). 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 lessor 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 distribution 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.

The Crown Complex

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General Manager Crown Complex

James Grafstrom has served as General Manager of the Crown Complex since November 2013, previously serving as General Manager of the Kovalchick Convention 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 cooperation 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 entertainment 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 entertainment 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.

Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC www.dpacnc.com

Since opening in 2008, DPAC has become one of North Carolina’s renowned live entertainment hubs. The 2,700seat DPAC features intimate sightlines and state-of-the art sound and video. More than 200 performances a year take place at the venue, including touring Broadway productions, high-profile concert and comedy events, family shows and the American Dance Festival. Acts performing this year include the American Harry Connick Jr. (top), Feb. 4, Idol Live Tour, Bill Ma- and Vince Gill, May 9, at the her, Lyle Lovett, The Durham Performing Arts Center Temptations and the Four Tops and Jerry Seinfeld. Overseen by Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management, DPAC has been listed for four consecutive years as the No. 1 performing arts organization in the region by the Triangle Business Journal.

Andy Martin

James Grafstrom

STAGING: 49 ft. deep by 114 ft. wide; 30.5 ft. high proscenium. 40,000 lb. rigging capacity.

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four star dressing rooms, three principal 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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NORTH CAROLINA

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; catering by Ovations Food Services. Venue includes Luxury Suites, Club seats with admission to the Schiffman’s Diamond 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.

Greensboro Coliseum Complex

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.

Joey Kirkman

Greensboro, NC www.greensborocoliseum.com

Greensboro Coliseum Complex hosts more than 1,100 event days annually among its 10 facilities situated on a 75-acre site. The facility presents theatrical and symphonic events, concerts, family shows, sporting events and more. The Coliseum 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 ChampionAshley Wagner at the ships and 2015 USA Gymnastics 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. University of Championships at North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Coliseum 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 bathrooms, 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 Basketball, 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.

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Halton Arena

Charlotte, NC www.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.

Country artist Brantley Gilbert Halton Arena also performs at Halton Arena. hosts live concerts and musical entertainment, 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.

CAPACITIES: Concerts: end-stage, 6,567; full-house 180°, 4,715; half-house 180°, 1,400. Basketball and other sporting events: full-house 360°, 8,993; half-house 360° (lower bowl), 2,363.

Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

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.

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: 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.

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Three star dressing rooms, two officials rooms, four locker rooms, production office, media workroom, media lounge, green room.

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-promotion 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.

AMENITIES: VAB Catering is the exclusive food and beverage 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 marketing, 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 Census 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 Arena

Greg Forwerck

Charlotte, NC www.timewarnercablearena.com

PNC Arena

Raleigh, NC www.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 basketball 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 Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

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 Mötley 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 smokefree 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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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 images, the scoreboard’s full-screen LED technology allows an unlimited configuration of live and recorded video, scores, animation and graphics.

AUDIOVISUAL: House sound, 360 ribbon board, centerhung scoreboard with four videoboards.

AMENITIES: Frontcourt Club, Backcourt Club, Hardwood Club and Royal Box.

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, assistance with onsite promotions day of show, in-house digital assets located on the concourse and in the Arena bowl, two building marquees.

EVENT PROMOTION: In-house marketing staff available.

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.

SOUTH CAROLINA

AMENITIES: F&B by Centerplate. Twelve concession stands onsite. Concourse Club upgrade available at select shows. Club Seats available with contract.

LOCAL MARKET: Serving 28 counties in the GreenvilleSpartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market.

Colonial Life Arena

Columbia, SC www.coloniallifearena.com

Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC bonsecoursarena.com

Opened in 1998, Bon Secours Wellness Arena has hosted award-winning artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, George Strait, The Eagles, Carrie Underwood and Usher. The diverse entertainment includes Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, TransSiberian Orchestra, WWE, Disney On Ice and Winter Jam. Recently, Bon Secours welcomed Elton John, Christian rock band Needtobreathe and Kenny Chesney. Several develBeth Paul, Bon Secours opments took place at the Arena this March: the opening of the new GSP Wellness Arena’s new Box Office, a result of a five-year General Manager partnership with the GSP Airport District; the signing of a new fiveyear lease with the Greenville Road Warriors; and the appointment of Beth Paul as the Arena’s new General Manager.

Journey performing at the Colonial Life Arena on March 11.

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, commencements 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 Ringling 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.

CAPACITIES: Multiple setups from 360° center stage concert at 15,538 capacity to 3,577-capacity theater setup.

STAGING: StageRight staging, as large as 60 ft. by 40 ft.

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four star dressing rooms, five locker rooms, production room, green room, promoter office.

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Four locker rooms; four star rooms, production office, production workroom, green room (contains an airwall that can split the room in half), loading dock with five

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Facilities & event Management 2015 Superbook

bays, recruiting lounge (athletics), men’s and women’s locker rooms (athletics), training room (athletics), weight room.

AMENITIES: Centerplate runs the concessions and catering. 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, local partnerships and many other services to push ticket sales.

LOCAL MARKET: Located 13 miles northwest of South Carolina’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 highereducation institutions.

region since 1993. It is northeastern South Carolina’s largest convention and entertainment venue, featuring 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 intersection 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.

CAPACITIES: 10,000-seat arena (backdrop scaling 2,500-7,500 capacity), 15,000-sq.-ft. grand ballroom (1,400 theater, 800 banquet).

BACKSTAGE AREAS: Five dressing rooms.

The Harlem Globetrotters at the Florence Civic Center, Jan. 9.

Florence Civic Center

Florence, SC www.florenceciviccenter.com

OTHER FEATURES: Facility-wide wireless Internet, fiber-optic network system, exterior illuminated marquee, interior LCD display units, eight corporate suites, catering

by Savor Florence.

The Florence Civic Center has been the hub for entertainment events in South Carolina’s northeastern (“Pee Dee”)

EVENT PROMOTION: Generous supplemental marketing efforts. 15,000-plus Facebook fans; 18,000-plus email club.

Name of Prime Site Award Nominee(s): Please consider the __________________________________________________________________________ following Criteria when voting: __________________________________________________________________________

● Location/Market

● Flexibility __________________________________________________________________________

Booking agents, ● Seating promoters, Configurations Name, Title:_______________________________________________________________ talent buyers ● Ticketing Organization:______________________________________________________________ and special ● Lighting, Sound, Staging event planners:

VOTE

for the top Entertainment Venues (Arenas, Theaters, Stadiums; facilities you have booked in the last three years)

Phone:____________________________________________________________________ ● Food & Beverage ● Interaction with

Email:_____________________________________________________________________ venue staff Describe the Event

● Dressing Rooms, Backstage ● Access/Egress

__________________________________________________________________________ ● Promotion/ Marketing

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Facilities

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VENUE SPOTLIGHT

Time Warner Cable Arena

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pened 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), college 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’ welcome 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; endstage 360° – 18,249; theater – 4,0007,000. 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 scoreboard 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 scoreboard 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. Audience 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.

333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 • (704) 688-9000 • www.timewarnercablearena.com 90

Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

advertiser index Northeast Blue Cross Arena..............................................11 DCU Center......................................................19 Dunkin’ Donuts Center................................ 40 Times Union Center.......................................41 Verizon Wireless Arena................................29 Mid-Atlantic Royal Farms Arena.........................................43 Southeast Cabarrus Arena...............................................45 Florence Civic Center...................................31 Greensboro Coliseum Complex..............33 The Lakeland Center....................................48 Saenger Theatre..............................................48 Straz Center for the Performing Arts...............................................49 Time Warner Cable Arena.........................C3 Midwest Adler Theatre....................................................51 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum............................... 17 Ames Center....................................................53 Arie Crown Theater.......................................55 Bridge View Center.......................................56 Ford Center/Victory Theatre....................26 Hartman Arena................................................ 57 Hoyt Sherman Place......................................59 Iowa State Center...........................................13 i Wireless Center.............................................14 Morris Performing Arts Center............... 60 Paramount Theatre.........................................61 Facilities & event management 2015 superbook

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center...................C2 Sanford Center................................................63 Swiftel Center..................................................64 United Wireless Arena.................................65 U.S. Cellular Center.......................................66 West ASU Gammage.................................................69 Chesapeake Energy Arena..........................71 Lloyd Noble Center.......................................95 Orleans Arena.................................................C4 State Farm Arena........................................... 27 Stockton Arena................................................ 73 Toyota Center.................................................. 74 United Supermarkets Arena.......................70 UH Sports and Entertainment.................................................. 75 Talking Stick Resort Arena.......................... 77 Canada Air Canada Centre......................................... 27 Canadian Tire Centre...................................35 The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre...............................79 MTS Centre.......................................................15 Caribbean Coliseo de Puerto Rico.................................81 Other AEG........................................................................ 3 SMG....................................................................6-7 VenuWorks.......................................................... 9 MTS Seating.......................................................18 91

3B

Beaumont, TX

F& E M

Hot L ist

5

Boise, ID

Status: Hot category: SMALL-MARKET ARENAS FYI: 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.

1] BancorpSouth Arena Tupelo, MS

bcsarena.com

BancorpSouth 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, onehalf house; 7,117, three-fourths house; 7,519, hockey; 7,787, basketball; and 9,357, full house. A 72 ft.-by-48 ft. roll-andset 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 Arena Rochester, NY

bluecrossarena.com

The 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.

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2

Rochester, NY

3A&B] Ford Park fordpark.com

Beaumont, TX

Ford Park draws from a population of 300,000 in its fivecounty 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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Superbook

1

4

Allentown, PA

3A

4]

Tupelo, MS

PPL Center Allentown, PA

pplcenter.com

PPL 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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 Superbook

Beaumont, TX

5] Taco Bell Arena Boise, ID

tacobellarena.com

Taco 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.

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Venue Management

Perfecting the Fan Experience The key is to focus on patrons’ needs across multiple touchpoints

By Sally Williams

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.

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.

ON-SALE AND IN ADVANCE OF THE SHOW

It 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 94

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 any venues make the expect these mistake of announcing a show emails from us prior to via social media and then attending a concert. It’s leaving it be. Our team uses another great Twitter and other social media way to build a sense of platforms during on-sales to community be the frontline of customer between you and your service needs online.” patrons.

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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 Facilities & Event management 2015 SuperBook

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.

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE TEAM

In the live entertainment business, where your career is your lifestyle, you and our audience can feel your staff need to have the same level of passion about music (or more!) to put the vibe of your employees on great shows. Excitement and buzz from that first experience about your shows starts internally when ARRIVAL AND PRE-SHOW a show is confirmed and grows from the with your box office all the At the Ryman we’re constantly striving to day it is announced to the on-sale date improve our guests’ onsite experiences. As until finally, the night fans start to arrive way to the usher who thanks a historic building in a downtown metro enjoy the concert. Your audience can them and tells them to travel to area, we lacked sufficient parking space. feel the vibe of your employees from that To alleviate this problem, we hired a valet first experience with your box office all safely after the show.” company who offers rates that are competitive the way to the usher who thanks them and with self-parking lots in the area. To add value tells them to travel safely after the show. to our partnership with Nissan, we came up If your employees aren’t passionate about with a branded valet offering. Fans who drive their jobs and serving your patrons, it will distract from the overall Nissans can park for free. experience. Many of our employees have been here over a decade and they know fans by first name. That camaraderie and mutual passion Once your guests arrive, they should be greeted by enthusiastic, for the building helps to achieve our goal of delivering a flawless well-trained and welcoming staff. It should be easy for guests experience to everyone who comes through the doors. 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 Sally Williams is the General Manager of the Ryman Auditorium, confused and not know where to turn? Ask them what they are a National Historic Landmark. She also serves as VP, Concerts looking for — and then look at that with fresh eyes. Are your & Entertainment for the Opry Entertainment Group. Under her restroom signs too small? Something like that is simple to fix, and tenure the Ryman has garnered multiple awards including the goes a long way with your customers.

SRO Venue of the Year Presented by Country Music Association in 2014, 2013 and 2012; the Academy of Country Music’s 2012, 2010 More and more there are artists that have specific information that and 2008 Venue of the Year; and the International Entertainment needs to be relayed to fans (usually a photo or filming policy). This Buyers Association’s 2014 and 2009 Venue of the Year. Williams should be included in your pre-show email, but should also be clear on was chosen IEBA’s 2012 Venue Executive of the Year and ACM’s any signage in your lobby. Maybe you have digital screens that can 2010 Promoter of the Year. She is President-Elect of the CMA, the be used, or you can put large signs on easels. Whatever the solution Past-President of Leadership Music, and the Chairperson for the may be, clear communication can minimize confusion and surprises, Hospitality Committee of the Music City Music Council. thereby improving the guest experience.

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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 SHOW

Send 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!

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

95

Talent Buyer’s Take

The Changing Landscape of Casino Entertainment Catering to the younger generations makes good business sense

By Kell Houston

I

n 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 OPTIONS

Today, casinos are bringing in current stars, when affordable.

These include celebrity DJs and the weekly procession of highend 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 96

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 acts. Many he current TV lineup marginal bands discovered that if they did a tribute show of American Idol, The they could make more Voice, America’s Got money, and so the rush on. But a tribute Talent and similar shows was act’s popularity does is breaking new stars not always equate to a great show for one’s every day. These are customers; so again, research is key. great opportunities for

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casinos to explore.”

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 youngergeneration 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.

Facilities & Event Management 2015 SuperBook

2014 IAVM Venue Excellence Award

WINNER An OSHA OSHA Cooperative Cooperative An

VENUE EXCELLENCE EXCELLENCE VENUE

ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE EXCELLENCE ENVIRONMENTAL

SAFETY EXCELLENCE EXCELLENCE SAFETY

The Orleans Orleans Arena Arena won won the the 2014 2014 IAVM IAVM Venue Venue Excellence Excellence Award Award by by demonstrating demonstrating excellence excellence in in the the The management and operation of public assembly venues above all other arenas represented worldwide. management and operation of public assembly venues above all other arenas represented worldwide.

Consistently ranked ranked in in the the Top Top 10 10 in in Venues Venues Today’s Today’s Top Top Stops Stops for for arena arena capacities capacities of of 5,001-10,000.

5,001-10,000.

Consistently The 1st 1st and and only only arena arena in in Nevada Nevada to to achieve achieve LEED LEED Gold Gold Certification.

Certification.

The The Orleans Orleans Arena Arena and and The The Orleans Orleans Hotel Hotel & & The Achievement Recognition Program sanctioned Achievement Recognition Program sanctioned Nevada to to achieve achieve this this status. status.

Nevada

Casino are are SHARP SHARP Certified, Certified, a a Safety Safety and and Health Health Casino by OSHA. Our property is the largest employer in

by OSHA. Our property is the largest employer in

An OSHA OSHA Cooperative Cooperative An

4500 W. W. Tropicana Tropicana Avenue Avenue Las Las Vegas, Vegas, NV NV 89103 89103 OrleansArena.com OrleansArena.com 4500