By Jude-Anne Spencer-Phillip

The Pennsylvania Convention Center and its trade show labor partners are building upon their already strong working relationship with the launch of a joint initiative – believed to be the only one of its kind in the country – dedicated to expanding and building upon existing training programs in the areas of safety, development of technical skills, customer service, and hospitality.

The new Hospitality Industry Advancement Trust (HIAT) Fund represents a partnership between the management of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the organizations responsible for providing show floor labor to the facility’s customers. The HIAT Fund will support enhanced training opportunities focused in three general categories: “Safety, Skills, and Smiles.”

Safety programs will provide participants with opportunities to obtain general and specialized Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety certifications.

Skills training will be coordinated with contractors in the convention and meeting industry, such as Installation & Dismantle (I&D) and Decorator companies to provide the workforce with the latest technical training so that the workforce can offer the most efficient and economical builds possible.

Hospitality 1.0 and 2.0 programs will focus on providing customers and guests with memory-making experiences that consistently exceed expectations through prioritizing customers, positive attitude and engagement, and a commitment to success.

“The signatory labor unions of the Pennsylvania Convention Center are proud to be participating in the new Hospitality Industry Advancement Trust,” said Michael J. Barnes, 1st International Vice President of the International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees and Chair of the HIAT Fund Board. “This innovative, joint initiative between Convention Center labor and management will improve workplace safety, provide additional skills training to enable the Center to offer customers the most economical build-outs possible, and provide all guests with so many wonderful memories that they’ll want to return, again and again. The signatory unions of the Convention Center thank CEO John McNichol for his spirit of partnership and forward-thinking leadership.”

“We are fortunate to have a team of labor partners that appreciate and understand the importance of delivering the best possible experience to our trade show, event, convention, and meeting customers,” said John McNichol, President & CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “They are making a long-term commitment to ensuring the labor personnel who work in our facility not only have the latest safety and skills training, but also a high-level of hospitality-focused training. The partnership and cooperative relationship between management and our show floor labor workforce is remarkable and it’s having a real, substantive impact on the customer-experience. In fact, customer satisfaction survey scores at the PA Convention Center demonstrate the results with an 87.2% overall rating and an outstanding score of 95.5% for utility services.”

“This program is another illustration of management and labor at the Center working together to deliver meeting planners, exhibitors, and attendees the best possible experience and value,” said Martin J. Sobol, Esquire, a member of the PCCA’s Board of Directors and chair of the board’s Customer Satisfaction Committee. “We are a united team that understands that strong customer service improves our competitiveness, puts us in a position to make every customer a repeat customer, and ensures Philadelphia will remain one of the country’s most desirable convention destinations for many years to come.”

The Pennsylvania Convention Center and its trade show labor partners have established a method of ensuring the trust receives consistent funding – approximately $250,000 to $400,000 per year — to meet the ongoing and evolving training needs of its workforce. The trade show labor unions will make a donation to the fund for every hour worked with a union member, an amount that will then be matched by the Pennsylvania Convention Center’s management. The PCC’s four trade show labor partners include: Laborers’ International Local 332, IATSE Local 8 (Stagehands), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98, and Iron Workers Local 405.

The ongoing cooperative working relationship between management and labor was further solidified last year with the extension of the facility’s labor agreement, known as the Customer Satisfaction Agreement (CSA), an additional five years until 2034. That additional five-year commitment provides customers with an added level of predictability and stability for their long-term event planning.

Jude-Anne Spencer-Phillip is senior communications manager at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

By StadiumBusiness.com

The Toronto Blue Jays have completed the first stage of the major renovation of Rogers Centre with a number of areas having been demolished.

The Major League Baseball team said the first stage of the two-year, C$300m project focused mainly on the 500 Level, which covers the venue’s entire fifth level, and the outfield. All 500 Level seats have been torn up – nearly 17,000 of them – and will be replaced prior to next season, which begins in March 2023.

The team said crews are beginning to build the new infrastructure, which will make up a noticeable portion of the project that will continue at the 49,000-seat Rogers Centre through next offseason. On the lower levels, this offseason will see the addition of new social spaces and bars, raised bullpens, and 100 Level seats brought closer to the action. There will also be some major renovations to player facilities, including a family room, a 5,000-sq. ft weight room and staff locker room.

“We are committed to building a sustainable championship organization for years to come, and this renovation to Rogers Centre will give new and lifelong Blue Jays fans a ballpark where they can proudly cheer on their team,” said Mark Shapiro, the team’s president and chief executive.

“This project would not be possible without the support of Edward Rogers, Tony Staffieri, and our Rogers ownership group, who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Blue Jays, both in fielding the best team to win championships, as well as in the infrastructure needed to create a modern ballpark for our fans and players.”

The team said 2.2 million pounds of materials were recycled during the work, including 1.3 million pounds of concrete and 900,000 pounds of steel. Over the 35-day demolition, the average construction crew size each day was 110 workers inside Rogers Centre, six days a week.

Rogers Centre was previously home to the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts and has hosted major concerts since it opened in 1989.

“From the idea stages through early announcements and now the demolition, the Blue Jays have maintained the same philosophy with this project: turning a stadium into a ballpark,” the team said in a statement.

“While the building has done well and undergone some smaller changes, this is the first large-scale renovation in its history.”

Plans for the major renovation were announced in July 2022.

By Corey Eldridge

Ungerboeck, the global leader in venue and event management software, announced the appointment of Alex Alexandrov as its new chief executive officer. Alexandrov has spent his career at the forefront of innovation as an established senior executive with an extensive background in high growth global technology markets.

Alexandrov joins Ungerboeck from SoftwareONE where he served as a member of the executive board, chief operating officer and president of the Latin American region. During his tenure at SoftwareONE, Alexandrov and the executive team grew revenue by more than 300% and quadrupled EBITDA. Alexandrov was instrumental in driving profitable growth, industrializing global shared service centers, building an M&A and post-merger integration program with 20 acquisitions, and creating internal digital transformation. He also led the company’s successful IPO in 2019. Prior to this, Alexandrov was a managing director at Thomas H. Lee Partners, where he participated and led investments in technology services and fintech with Systems Maintenance Services, CompuCom, Black Knight, ServiceLink, System One, Nielsen, and FIS.

“Alex has the professional background, customer centricity, business expertise, and strategic acumen to lead and inspire the next phase of excellence at Ungerboeck,” said Vic Chynoweth, managing director at Cove Hill Partners and Ungerboeck board member. “We are confident that under his leadership we will see accelerated innovation, extreme focus on customer success, and continued global growth.”

“The venue and events industry has experienced an important inflection point in the last few years and Ungerboeck is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the market opportunities that have emerged as a result,” Alexandrov said. “We have a sharp leadership team that is ready to realize new and exciting growth avenues. I am honored to be taking the helm as we build on an impressive reputation for quality and reliability.”

Alexandrov holds bachelor’s degrees in finance and economics from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Corey Eldridge is with Force4 Technology Communications, LLC.

By Tampa.gov

David Ingram, one of America’s most experienced and innovative convention center experts, has been selected as the new executive director of the Tampa Convention Center. Ingram most recently served as the general manager of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC).

“This is a home run hire for Tampa residents and the Tampa Convention Center. Few people on the planet are as well prepared to take our convention center to the next level as David Ingram,” Mayor Jane Castor said. “His leadership will be immensely beneficial to Tampa’s economy as the convention center attracts even more business to the city.”

Ingram started at Orange County Convention Center in 2003 and has served as its acting executive director, assistant director, event operations division manager, event set-up supervisor, and event manager. He also worked for Walt Disney World Co. and Gaylord Palms Resort.

“I am thrilled to be able to lead the Tampa Convention Center through the most exciting time in its history,” Ingram said. “The Tampa Convention Center is a premier destination and a leader in the convention industry with a talented team of event professionals. I am eager to accelerate the center into the future through historic improvements and toward even more growth and success.”

Tampa Convention Center selected Ingram after an extensive, nationwide search, following the retirement of the former director, Una Garvey, in May.

“David has led an impressive career with outstanding experience in the conventions and tourism industry here in Florida,” said Nicole Travis, administrator of Development and Economic Opportunity for the City of Tampa. “We are delighted to have him joining the team and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on the Tampa Convention Center and the city’s tourism industry.”

Ingram graduated from the University of South Florida and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in fine arts. Ingram must be confirmed by the Tampa City Council. He is scheduled to start his new role as executive director on November 28.

From Tixly

Tixly announced a new partnership with the Heymann Performing Arts Center, the company’s first client in North America. The partnership with Tixly as their ticketing & CRM platform will begin in December.

Heymann Performing Arts Center opened in 1960 in Lafayette, Louisiana and is an auditorium which offers internationally renowned performances. It has served the people of Acadiana, a prominent region in Louisiana, for over 50 years and is the home to Broadway musicals, popular concerts, symphony, theater, and more.

The Heymann Performing Arts Center is a 2,200-seat proscenium theater with an adjoining 16.000 sq. ft. Convention Center. The Convention Center comprises two ballrooms that can be used independently or as one great hall. The Convention Center has three additional meeting rooms and a full-service kitchen. Heymann welcomes over 100,000 ticketed visitors annually and hosts over 100 events each year.

“We are excited to be the first in the U.S. to partner with Tixly to provide elite ticketing services to Acadiana,” said Brian McGrath, Arts & Culture Manager at Heymann Center. “Tixly shares our vision of elevating the guest experience by enriching customers’ journeys through innovative technology and modernizing the ticketing process. This partnership offers customers added levels of convenience and optionality, allowing them to buy tickets in a way that saves time and reduces the need for paper ticketing.”

“Tixly offers a great alternative to other systems,” added Dennis Skerrett, Venue Administrator at Heymann Center. “We were impressed by the Tixly platform’s ease of use for both employees and customers alike by providing powerful features at a great value. We found that Tixly offered our venue much more control over branding, sale parameters, and revenue streams. And with Tixly, that revenue lives in our own bank account, earning interest.”

Venue Box Office Coordinator India Roberts Filer said, “When we began researching ticketing companies, we wanted one that was user friendly for our patrons, simple to learn for our staff, and one that offered quick and genuine support. Tixly is that and so much more! Heymann Performing Arts Center values its patrons. We aim to keep them happy, comfortable, and coming back to visit us. Tixly’s hands-on support team and easy-to-use system guarantees the best experience for Heymann Performing Arts Center’s loyal patrons.”

“We are proud and excited to start this partnership with the team at Heymann Center,” said Tixly US Operations Manager Aren Murray. “The fabulous staff and the organization’s focus on creating a pleasing sales flow for their customers fit perfectly with Tixly’s business model. We are grateful for the opportunity they’ve given us to help them achieve their goals.”

“The partnership between Tixly and Heymann Center is extra special for us at Tixly as Heymann Center is our first client in North America. I am thankful and truly couldn’t think of a better fit as a first client. The collaboration has so far been characterized by joy, trust, and excitement on both sides and we look forward to continuing on that journey together,” said Hrefna Sif Jónsdóttir, Managing Director at Tixly.

“As part of Tixly’s standard implementation past patron account activity, including barcodes, will be integrated for Heymann, allowing administration and patrons to obtain their ticket history, barcodes, and account details quickly and easily. Simplicity in use, even during the process of switching systems, is our method of operation. Creating a seamless transition to the Tixly system for Heymann’s guests who have already purchased tickets for the spring events is key. In other words, guests will be able to use the tickets they bought before the ticketing system switch as well as tickets purchased after the switch to gain admittance with no additional steps. It’s the Tixly way, simply innovative!” concluded Hrefna Sif Jónsdóttir.