IAVM is thrilled to introduce a new exclusive member benefit through a strategic partnership with Advantage Training, creators of the Leading the Crowd trained crowd manager program. This collaboration brings members practical, scalable training solutions that strengthen event-day readiness and elevate the guest experience across all venue types.

This new benefit underscores IAVM’s commitment to delivering education and resources that directly support members’ operational success—whether preparing seasonal staff, onboarding new hires, or developing supervisors and leadership teams.

Why This New Member Benefit Matters

Members consistently tell us that one of their biggest challenges is ensuring staff are confident, informed, and ready for the unexpected. Leading the Crowd responds to that need with training designed specifically for workers in live event environments.

With this partnership, IAVM members now gain preferred access to training that:

• Enhances event safety and situational awareness
• Strengthens crowd management and guest flow skills
• Builds communication and teamwork during high-pressure moments
• Reinforces guest experience and service excellence
• Supports consistent operational readiness across all departments

This is training that not only prepares teams—it sticks.

Leaders on the Partnership

Kim Bedier, Chief Operations Officer at Advantage Training, shared:

“At Advantage Training our goal is to provide foundational material to everyone who works in a venue, to support the creation and enhancement of great guest experience. Partnering with IAVM provides venues access to content that helps them build a strategic approach and be better prepared to respond when it matters most.”

Trevor Mitchell, IAVM President and CEO, emphasized how this partnership strengthens IAVM’s commitment to its members:

“Training is one of the most meaningful ways we can support our members’ success. This partnership with Advantage Training expands access to education that is practical, scalable, and immediately applicable. Leading the Crowd helps our members build teams that are confident, prepared, and centered on delivering exceptional experiences. We are excited to provide this valuable new benefit to the IAVM community.”

Strengthening the Member Experience Today and the Industry Tomorrow

This new member benefit reflects IAVM’s ongoing mission to inspire, educate, and connect venue professionals with resources that support operational excellence and industry advancement. By partnering with Advantage Training, we are helping venues build stronger teams and more resilient operations, all while keeping the guest experience at the heart of every event.

Want help integrating Leading the Crowd into your training strategy? Stay tuned for upcoming webinars, onboarding guides, and member-exclusive opportunities!

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) is pleased to announce two key additions to the leadership team at the Charlotte Convention Center: Andre Haston as Fire Safety & Life Systems Compliance Manager and Haley Cornell as Senior Event Manager.

Both professionals bring deep expertise in their respective areas and a proven commitment to operational excellence within the live events and venue management industry.

Andre Haston joins the Charlotte Convention Center from Bank of America Stadium, where he served as Manager of Compliance and Standards for Tepper Sports and Entertainment. With more than 15 years of experience in event security, life safety systems, and emergency response, he has coordinated safety operations for major NFL, MLS, and international events. At the Convention Center, Andre will oversee life safety and code compliance across all events, working with clients, contractors, and inspectors to ensure safe, efficient, and seamless event execution.

Haley Cornell has been promoted to Senior Event Manager at the Charlotte Convention Center following more than a decade of experience across venue operations, event services, and client relations. Her background includes leadership roles at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, where she managed complex conventions, trade shows, and corporate events.

“We’re excited to see these two industry professionals, both leaders in their field, move into important roles with the Charlotte Convention Center,” said Alexis Berggren, General Manager. “It’s exciting to be attracting and retaining talent of their caliber—people who strengthen our commitment to safety, service, and the guest experience.”

Together, Haston and Cornell will continue advancing the Center’s mission of providing a safe, efficient, and welcoming environment for all clients and guests, reinforcing Charlotte’s reputation as a premier meetings and events destination.

Ribbon Cutting celebrates $95 million in upgrades, modernization

Photo credit: City of Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth marked a major milestone in the first phase of the Fort Worth Convention Center’s expansion with a VIP ribbon cutting Monday, December 8.

New additions to the center, which remained operational during the past two years of construction, are now fully complete and open to convention clients and to the public.

Elected and tourism officials, business leaders and construction partners gathered at the striking new southeast entrance, which includes a lantern box atrium lobby and retail coffee bar called Beltbuckle Brew.

Speakers at the ceremony were Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck (Dist. 9), Public Events Director Mike Crum, and Visit Fort Worth President & CEO Bob Jameson.

“Fort Worth provides the Texas experience that meeting planners want, and the Phase I convention center expansion and modernization exceeds those expectations,” said Mayor Parker. “This milestone, along with Phase II construction, will increase capacity to host conferences from across the nation, bolstering our already impressive convention and tourism industry.”

Tourism is a $3.5 billion industry for Fort Worth and one of its largest employers with more than 30,000 jobs, according to Visit Fort Worth. In 2024, Fort Worth welcomed 11.5 million visitors, generating $251 million in state and local taxes. The convention center expansion is part of the city’s larger economic development strategy to attract meetings from across the state and nation.

“This is only the first step in a bolder future for Fort Worth as a convention destination,” said Crum.  “We’ve delivered Phase 1 on budget and on time, and design is almost complete for the second phase of expansion and modernization. We will have floor plans and renderings to share within the next few months that will illustrate big horizons ahead for Fort Worth’s meeting business.”

The expansion is taking place in two phases and the facility is remaining operational during both. Totaling 76,794 square feet, the $95 million Phase I includes a grand Southeast entrance and terrace, state-of-the-art food & beverage facilities, a retail coffee bar for casual networking, 11 new loading docks (up from seven), and realignment of Commerce Street to create a site pad for a future convention hotel and additional retail or restaurants.

The project emphasizes pedestrian access and improving the area’s walkability and connection to the surrounding neighborhood, which includes the Water Gardens, Trinity Metro Central Station, the new Texas A&M Fort Worth campus and surrounding hotels.

Phase II construction, estimated at $606 million, is anticipated to begin in late 2026 and run through early 2030.

The Raleigh Convention Center is making substantial progress toward welcoming events back after a fire on the evening of Monday, December 1st. The fire damaged portions of the roof, but thanks to the quick action of the first responders with the Raleigh Fire Department, everyone in the building at the time exited safely, and the interior of the building was unharmed by the fire. Convention center staff, other City of Raleigh departments, and contractors have worked diligently toward resuming operations at this important Raleigh civic asset.

Event spaces were largely unaffected by the incident. Within the week, work crews quickly removed water from the building, applied a temporary seal to the roof, and began restoring the boiler to operation. Affected staff areas are currently undergoing repair.

Staff at the Raleigh Convention Center have worked with the event organizers through the remainder of December to reschedule, move, or cancel their event. Organizations that were unable to host their event at the venue will have their deposit refunded.

“We can’t express enough how grateful we are for the fast action and bravery of our amazing first responders,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “We appreciate Chief Griffin and every one of the more than 60 personnel who responded. And every department in the City of Raleigh has played a vital role in the progress we’ve made toward getting events back in our venue. The support and collaboration from our colleagues and community have been incredible. This challenge was just such a beautiful testament to all the wonderful people who make Raleigh what it is, and we’re so thankful.”

The Raleigh Convention Center team will continue to provide information on progress and future events. For the latest updates, please visit RaleighConvention.com.

VenuWorks is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Thomas as the new Executive Director overseeing its Cedar Rapids facilities. In this role, Thomas will manage operations for the Alliant Energy PowerHouse, the historic Paramount Theatre, McGrath Amphitheatre, and the ImOn Ice Arena Cedar Rapids. He brings nearly two decades of industry experience to the position, with a strong background in multi-unit operations, talent buying, and strategic growth.

“We are excited to welcome Robert to the VenuWorks family and look forward to the fresh perspective he brings to our Cedar Rapids team,” said Steve Peters, VenuWorks Founder and CEO. “Robert’s impressive history of driving revenue growth and his deep experience in talent buying make him an exceptional choice for this leadership role. We are confident that under his direction, our venues will continue to thrive and serve as vibrant hubs for the Cedar Rapids community.”

Robert Thomas joins VenuWorks with over 18 years of experience in the music and venue management industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Programming & Talent Buying and President at TempleLive, where he oversaw operational performance across multiple historic venues. During his tenure, Thomas successfully grew the company to eight-figure revenue, achieving consistent year-over-year growth and facilitating expansion into new markets including Columbus, OH, and Peoria, IL.

His career also includes significant roles with Live Nation Worldwide Inc., where he spearheaded talent buying efforts that resulted in record-breaking profitability. Thomas has a proven track record of revitalizing venues, managing P&L for cost control and revenue enhancement, and developing fan-friendly environments. His booking history includes a diverse array of major acts, ranging from rock and country to comedy, demonstrating his ability to curate programming that appeals to a wide audience. “I’m honored to join VenuWorks as Executive Director in Cedar Rapids,” said Thomas. “I look forward to working with our talented team to serve the community and bring outstanding events to the city and citizens of Cedar Rapids.”

VenuWorks is known for its collaborative approach and commitment to community enrichment. The organization focuses on maximizing venue potential while maintaining the unique character of each facility. With Thomas at the helm, the Cedar Rapids venues are well-positioned to continue offering world-class entertainment that stimulates economic vitality and cultural growth in the region.