The joint venture of Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company in association with 34 Group has been selected by the Buffalo Bills to provide construction management of the team’s planned new NFL stadium in Orchard Park. The project team also includes the project management firm Legends Project Development and Populous as the designer.

Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company have worked together for over 25 years, building over 5.5 million square feet together. The two companies have both built extraordinary sports venues around the country and together the companies have built or renovated 16 NFL stadiums.

“We continue to partner with a first-class team of experts and professionals to bring our stadium to life,” said Bills Executive Vice President/Chief Operation Officer Ron Raccuia. “Gilbane | Turner has a tremendous wealth of experience in stadium construction, and we look forward to partnering with them.”

“We are tremendously excited to build the new home for the Buffalo Bills,” said John LaRow, Senior Vice President, Gilbane Building Company. “This new NFL stadium will be a proud representation of the energy, passion, and dedication of the Bills organization, the team, its fans, and the City of Buffalo. Our joint-venture team is committed to driving opportunities for diverse and local businesses and working with our partners to deliver this transformational project for Western New York.”

“We are excited and honored to be a part of the team building the new NFL stadium for the Buffalo Bills,” said Turner Vice President and General Manager Carlton E. Stewart. “The stadium will elevate the fan experience for this incredible team, and we will create opportunities and engagement for members of our community during construction. This project is monumental to us as New Yorkers and Bills fans. We look forward to attending many games in this great new stadium. Go Bills!”

“34 Group is incredibly honored to be part of building a vibrant new NFL stadium for the Buffalo Bills and our community,” said Thurman Thomas, founder of 34 Group. “We are dedicated to delivering a stadium that fulfills the vision for this new venue.”

The team’s lease at Highmark Stadium expires in 2023 and all parties are set to begin negotiations on extending this ahead of the stadium move.

Highmark Stadium opened in 1973. Following the opening of the new facility, the Bills’ current home is expected to be demolished and redeveloped as a large parking lot.

By Hilarie Carpenter

The Grand Rapids-Kent County (MI) Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) announced the appointment of Michael B. Verhulst by Experience Grand Rapids to the seven-member board that oversees DeVos Place, DeVos Performance Hall and Van Andel Arena. Verhulst was officially sworn in at the CAA board meeting on Friday, October 7, for a term expiring December 31, 2024.

Verhulst is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Growth for Acrisure Benefits Group. Prior to starting this position in April 2022, he served as Vice President of Rockford Construction for over four years, Vice President of Business Development and Community Relations for Wolverine Building Group for over three years and President and Owner of Summit Landscape Management, Inc. for nearly 16 years. Verhulst serves on the boards of Grand Valley Metro Council, Priority Health, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Symphony, Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Experience Grand Rapids. He was recently appointed to the Foundation Board of the Grand Rapids Chamber and is an advisory committee member of ArtPrize Leadership On Canvas.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Mike to the CAA,” said CAA Chairman Rick Winn. “His extensive professional and volunteer experience focused on a number of aspects of community development will be a tremendous asset to our venues. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to look toward future opportunities.”

“It is an honor to join the CAA and to work alongside the other board members who have had such an impact in the community,” Verhulst said. “I’m excited to contribute to these venues that have proven to be such assets to West Michigan and will work hard to ensure their continued success.”

By Celebrity Access

Venue management giant ASM Global announced the expansion of its ASM Global College Collective partnership initiative with the addition of key sports and entertainment facilities at the University of Colorado.

Through the partnership, ASM Global will provide consulting, event booking, and venue services for the operations and programming for the university’s Folsom Field and the Event Center.

The addition of the University of Colorado to the initiative brings ASM Global’s portfolio of higher education partners to 18 universities representing 25 total venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Recent additions to that list include Texas A&M University (Kyle Field and Reed Arena), Rutgers University (Jersey Mike’s Arena; SHI Stadium), Wake Forest University (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum; Truist Field; David F. Couch) and Wright State University (Nutter Center).

“These collaborations are truly an honor for us. Our expansion has been explosive in this category over the past six months. We have a long history of sterling partnerships with many of the top universities across the U.S. With our unparalleled worldwide experience in this category and the amazing locations and amazing venues we’ve recently begun working with it’s definitely a transformational moment to dramatically expand all of these iconic venues’ entertainment offerings beyond athletics,” said ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension.

Photo by University of Colorado Athletics

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in October 2022. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

Hakeem Allonce, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Damon Anderson, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX
Sarah Andrews, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Rial Baird, Portland Expo Center, Portland, OR
Ethan Balmer, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Jonathan Benedek, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Noel Bilbro, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Bob Blair, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Olivier Brunache, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Kelly Bua, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Deb Campbell, Alliant Energy PowerHouse, Cedar Rapids, IA
Diane Cassimire, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Lisa Clark, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pamela Cluff, Covey Center for the Arts, Provo, UT
Hannah Conlisk, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Amber Diallo, Events DC, Washington, DC
A.J. Dinkel, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Mario Espindola, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Spencer Farnsworth, ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID
Sara Felice, FedExField, Landover, MD
Morgan Finney, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Rich Gagnon, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Christopher Gardner, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Paige Grasby, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada
Simone Green, Duke Energy Convention Center, Cincinnati, OH
Keith Haines, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Andra Haynes, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Robert Helmy, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
David Hernandez, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Hannah Holbrook, Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg, VA
Jonathan Humphrey, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
John Impelido, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Cambria Jones, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Sean Kearns, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Mark Kerney, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Julie Krilich, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Ashlyn Kyte, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Ben Liang, Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
Jake Lopez, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Trey Lyon, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Jorge Madrid, Bradenton Area Convention Center, Palmetto, FL
Derek Mayfield, Trail Drive Management Corp./Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Cathy McDonald, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Kasey McFadden, Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA), Lansing, MI
Liz McFadden, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Molly McGraw, Cincinnati Music Hall | Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati, OH
Timothy Mendolia, Florence Events Center, Florence, OR
Julia Miller, Bristol Event Center, Bristol, CT
Taylor Money, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Henry Mosley, Events DC, Washington, DC
Meredith Mulcahy, Broadway in Boston, Boston, MA
Mia O’Leary, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Amanda Overby, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Dan Parker, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Jacqueline Parriott, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Kristin Perrone, Qwick, Phoenix, AZ
Scott Pocius, Trail Drive Management Corp./Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Geovana Ponce, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Nathaniel Reid, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Kristen Retzlaff, Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
Laura Reynolds, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
Scott Sanger, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
David Sawler, Patriot One Technologies Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
Brandon Schenk, Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Callie Schuette, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Angela Sees, Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA), Lansing, MI
Sheree Selby, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Tyler Shadle, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Sarah Shaffer, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Eden Shimon, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Susynn Snyder, Williwaw Social, Anchorage, AK
Linley Stockman, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Sawyer Stolz, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Robbie Stone, Town of Cary, Cary, NC
Kami Testa, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Kristi Thomson, Portland Expo Center, Portland, OR
Nancy Trevino, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX
Will Trimble, Boise Centre, Boise, ID
Travis Van Ells, Credit Union of Texas Event Center, Allen, TX
Marie Vargas, Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin, TX
Deira Vicencio, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Alex Walsh, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Claire Wiens, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Brett Williams, Orpheum Theatre Group, Memphis, TN
Holly Zimmerman, New York University, New York, NY

UPDATED INFORMATION SHARED BY MORGAN BREWSTER, NEPHEW OF DAN CONCEPCION

Thank you so much for your note. Uncle Dan was tremendously proud of the impact he was able to have on his industry and took a lot of pride in being a mentor to those earlier in their careers. We have not finalized a date yet but are planning to have the memorial in mid-January so that his sister from Italy can attend. We would love to have as many of his friends attend as possible. He passed away suddenly of natural causes between the 26th and 28th of October. We believe he passed away from suddenly losing consciousness following a GI episode, an outcome which is exceedingly rare. As such, we can all take solace in the fact that he was not in pain.

By R.V. Baugus

It is with extreme sadness that we share the recent passing of our dear industry friend and colleague, Dan Concepcion, CVE. Dan most recently served as a general manager for Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services at the San Jose Convention Center and was preparing to retire on December 4 and move to Nashville.

Dan’s niece, Ashley Brewster, shared that her uncle’s passing was “quite sudden and unexpected – unfortunately the cause was an undiagnosed health issue. My family is in the process of organizing a memorial service, likely in January so his sister’s family who live in Italy will be able to attend.”

There is no gentler smile and warmer laugh than what Dan possessed. He was a fast friend to anyone who knew him, including yours truly. Dan was also very involved through the years in various IAVM volunteer roles, including the Certification Board (pictured, second from left) and the Mentor Connector Program. He believed in “paying it forward” to help equip the next generation of venue managers.

“Dan and I would ‘sneak off’ after many of our board meetings to walk the cities of our VenueConnect locations,” said Jody Lake, CVE, Retired. “How much fun we had exploring. He spread so much joy and light.”

“Dan was an extraordinary individual who always had a smile, a warm welcome, and a real zest for life,” shared Frank Bradshaw, Retired. “I know my life was enriched by knowing and working with Dan. He will be missed by all who knew him.”

We will share details on the memorial service and any of Dan’s charities once they become known.