Roger A. Dixon, President & CEO, Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA)
Serving 25 years as President and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) in Omaha, Neb., has been a dream job, but it’s time for Roger Dixon to retire.
He’s targeting December but is open to whatever happens. “I’ve been talking to the Authority board about this for a year,” Dixon said. The board just announced that the search firm, Shelli Herman & Associates, is seeking his replacement.
Timing now depends on that successor and “how much interaction they do or don’t want. My office is not that big,” Dixon said. “I’ll be a resource if they need me to be. I’ll take phone calls, but I don’t want to be on the payroll where I have to get up every morning and check my emails and text messages. There’s an outside chance whoever they bring in won’t want my involvement; I’m fine with that, too.”
Dixon, who joined IAVM in 1978, started in the business in 1976 in Louisville, Ky. He then moved to the Knight Center in Miami, St. Louis Arena, and the Spectrum in Philadelphia, before returning to St. Louis to finish construction and manage what is now the Enterprise Center. After some consulting work with Carl Hirsch, Stafford Sports, on the Riverfront Coliseum project in Cincinnati, he got the call from Omaha.
In his two-and-a-half decades at the helm of MECA, Dixon has overseen the design and completion of three major projects totaling $747 million: the CHI Health Center Omaha, Charles Schwab Field Omaha, and, most recently, The RiverFront, a multi-faceted downtown park. Under Dixon’s leadership, the three MECA-run properties have not only welcomed more than 32 million people through their doors, but they have also generated over $2 billion in economic impact for the Omaha community.
“On behalf of the MECA Board of Directors, I would like to thank Roger for his years of dedication to the construction, activation, and success of three incredible properties in Omaha that have come to define the north downtown area,” said MECA Chairwoman Diane Duren. “His leadership, diligence, and vision have helped stimulate remarkable economic growth and activity in the community over the last two-plus decades.”
The latest project Dixon has shepherded at MECA is a $200-million, 90,000-square-foot expansion of the CHI Health Center’s convention center, which is expected to be completed in summer 2027. MECA facilities regularly host top concerts and coveted sporting events, such as the Men’s College World Series, volleyball and basketball NCAA Championships, and four consecutive Olympic team trials for USA Swimming.
He never envisioned this career trajectory when he started out in the business at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, working as usher supervisor for industry legend Dean Justice and his right-hand man, Jim Abel.
“When I was at SIU, I was in charge of group sales for a mid-week Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus stand. We had the record for most group sales for a mid-week play for Ringling. That’s what sold me,” Dixon said.
He has always enjoyed IAVM for the camaraderie, the education, and the shopping. He’s furnished all his arenas and convention centers through contacts at the IAVM trade show.
His advice to future CEOs now working their way up at IAVM? Patience number one; nothing happens overnight. “Get involved in the community—understand the power brokers and politics in the community. You can’t necessarily be a voice, but you can be an advocate. And support your team. You have to let people do their jobs.”
Age is a huge factor in his decision to retire, he affirmed, noting he is turning 75 this month. “I want to travel, hang out and not worry about emails, texts, and phone calls. I want to enjoy life. We’ll stay in Omaha, at least in the warmer months.”
