By Cara Vanderhook
President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE and arena industry veteran Lee Zeidman has been selected by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors (ALSD) to receive their ALSD Bill Dorsey Visionary Award. This prestigious venue industry award is presented annually to a respected executive for his innovation, vision, character and loyalty and whose lifetime of leadership and achievement merits the sports and entertainment industry Association’s highest individual honor.
Although the ALSD postponed their 2020 [in-person] conference, Zeidman received his award as part of a special on-line virtual event on October 28.
“Lee has long been just about the busiest and most respected people in the facility business,” said Bill Dorsey, Chairman of ALSD. “He manages not one but multiple tenants as well as major concert venue. Literally, if it is Sunday it must be the GRAMMY Awards and that Tuesday night a sold-out Lakers game. It goes on and on and Lee handles it all line water rolling off a duck’s back.”
Earlier in the week, Zeidman was surprised with a congratulatory video with messages from colleagues past and present, journalists and several famous friends who wanted to pass along the best wishes. To view the video, click here.
“I am incredibly grateful to the leadership of the ALSD for the honor of being named the 2020 Bill Dorsey Visionary Award 
recipient,” Zeidman said. “It is humbling to join such an impressive list of industry leaders who have previously received this award. I have had an amazing career and have been fortunate to worked with and learned from so many visionaries who have helped me get to where I am today.”
There are few events that take place in arenas, theatres or other venues that Zeidman has not been involved with during his career that has spanned four decades. As President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE the sports, residential and entertainment district, Zeidman oversees the venues event operations, production, including guest services, booking, box office, event security, event staffing, guest relations, facility presentation, marketing, communications, hospitality and food and beverage services. Along with his hard-working team, Zeidman also supervises STAPLES Center’s overall day-to-day support for its tenants, sponsors, clients and partners including the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Sparks franchises hosting seven NBA Finals, two Stanley Cup Finals and five WNBA Finals.
Zeidman was a crucial member of a team that oversaw the overall development of L.A. LIVE, the 4 million square foot / $3 billion sports, residential & entertainment district featuring Microsoft Theater (7,100-seat live theater) and Club Nokia (2,300 capacity live music venue), a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – The Residences at The Ritz Carlton – all in a single tower), a 14-screen Regal Cineplex, “broadcast” facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant and office space. Microsoft Theater has been named Pollstar’s national “Theatre of the Year” in 2008, 2009 and 2010 with Zeidman having been nominated nine times for “Facility Executive of the Year” and honored in both 2008 and 2016. In June 2018, Zeidman was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award” by the Stadium Business Awards in Manchester, England, which recognizes an individual that has shown exceptional commitment service and leadership to the stadium industry over a sustained period of time.
During his time with AEG, Zeidman has also played a substantial role in the development, construction, and operation of Dignity Sports Health Park in Carson, California which includes a 27,000-seat soccer stadium, 8,000-seat multi-sport stadium and other major facilities for tennis, boxing, track & field, cycling, beach volleyball and other sports which has been designated as an Official U.S. Olympic Training site. Zeidman was also a part of a team that developed and opened The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a 4,000-seat theatre which was the home of Celine Dion’s A New Day as well as assisting in the opening of such iconic AEG venues such as the O2 in London and the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin.
Prior to joining AEG and STAPLES Center, Zeidman was the Great Western Forum’s Vice-President, Operations, overseeing all areas of that facility’s management. During his 10-year tenure, he coordinated operations for all Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Lakers games, concerts and special events. Previously, he directed operations for the 6,000-seat special event center at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
The ALSD was established more than 30 years ago as the industry leading advocate and source for premium seating in the sports and entertainment venue space. They are the clearinghouse of information on premium sports business and a platform for teams, venues, leagues, and product- and service-partners to come together and elevate the industry’s operation and service. Their mission is to cover the venue landscape, in recent years creating the Design & Build Forum to do so more comprehensively from a design, architectural, and innovation standpoint.
Previous ALSD Bill Dorsey Visionary Award Winners:
Tom Wilson, current President, Chief Executive Officer, Olympia Entertainment
Bernie Mullin, current Chairman and Founder, The Aspire Group
Tod Leiweke, current Chief Executive Officer, Seattle Kraken
Richard Krezwick, current Chief Commercial Officer, ASM Global
Tom Glick, current President, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Derrick Hall, current President & CEO, Arizona Diamondbacks
Brad Mayne, current President & CEO, IAVM
Jon Spoelstra, current American author, sports marketer
Andy Dolich, current Founder, Dolich & Associates
Cara Vanderhook is Vice President Marketing & Communications for STAPLES Center and Microsoft Theater for AEG Worldwide.
Photo from ALSD website.
