By Paul Pettas

Sodexo Live! announced the addition of Nicole Hobby as its new Vice President of Marketing for North America, effective immediately.

An experienced and well-respected industry professional, Hobby will lead a growing North American marketing team with ambitious marketing goals, as the company affirms its position as the leading hospitality partner to the world’s most iconic venues.

Hobby is well-versed in the live events and entertainment space, having most recently spent 18+ years with Ticketmaster across a variety of roles, and previously serving for over a decade in a senior leadership role for Feld Entertainment.

At Ticketmaster, she was tasked with developing an event portfolio delivering end-to-end strategy, event marketing, design, production, content, and execution of all events connecting audiences to the Ticketmaster brand in a passionate and strategic way, collaborating closely with Product Marketing, MARCOM, and Creative Services Teams.

In this new role, Hobby will focus on the deployment of Sodexo Live!’s brand positioning, value proposition and brand as well its digital-first strategy and offer development and will participate in the creation of new services. She will also be heavily involved in helping drive new business, retaining and cross-selling to existing clients.

Based out of Denver, Colorado, Hobby will work closely with CEO Steve Pangburn and all members of the executive leadership team at Sodexo Live! in North America and liaise closely with global colleagues as well.

An avid outdoorswoman, Hobby is a graduate of New Mexico State University.

Paul Pettas, APR, is Vice President, Brand & Communications for Sodexo Live!

By Mary Klida

Karen Totaro, CVE, general manager for ASM Global, announced plans for a stunning new, public art outdoor sculpture for Huntington Place by internationally acclaimed artist Scott Hocking. The 15-foot diameter bronze sculpture, “Floating Citadel,” by Hocking will be located in the main circle drive of Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. The installation of the sculpture is expected to be complete by late summer.

“This spectacular sculpture will be placed in the position of the original French settlement of Detroit in 1701, the same land where Huntington Place now resides.” Totaro said. “Antoine de la Monthe Cadilac, a French officer, established the original citadel for his settlement on the same bank of the mighty Detroit River that our visitors enjoy today. It is so meaningful to encapsulate part of the history of this city we love into a beautiful piece of art that will last generations.”

Hocking’s “Floating Citadel” is joining the public art collection at Huntington Place that includes work by internationally respected artists such as Hubert Massey, Robert Sestok, William Bevan, and Gilda Snowden, among others.

“We are thrilled to reveal Scott Hocking as the artist for this stunning civic sculpture, which will welcome our community and visitors to the world-class Huntington Place convention center,” said Lisa Canada, Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA) Board Chair and DRCFA Art Foundation Chair. “The sculpture is a beautiful piece which will join our other significant artworks at the convention center as we continue to expand our free public art collection.”

Focused on Detroit history and Huntington Place’s status as a global hub of activity, “Floating Citadel” is inspired by everything from ancient native shorelines and French voyageurs to the city’s current status as an artistic, creative, and entrepreneurial beacon. It is influenced by the Savoyard Creek and the original Detroit River edge, which ran within steps of this sculpture’s site. The sculpture takes its name from the original walled village boundaries and its defensive core, “the Citadel,” which was located where this sculpture will stand.

The bronze sculpture harkens back to thousands of years of mining in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and the copper and iron ore that traveled down the Great Lakes to Detroit, creating an industrial giant and auto-industry capital for over 100 years. All of these highlights through history occurred right where this sculpture will be installed, at the corner of Washington and Jefferson, and the work will incorporate all of these qualities to create a monument that speaks to Detroit’s past, present, and future.

“From our first meetings just before the COVID quarantine, to applying the final patina to the bronze, I’m excited to install this work – it’s been a long time coming,” Hocking said. “The whole team at Huntington Place has been great, and I was thrilled that my proposal was chosen. To have a large-scale sculpture in Detroit’s civic center, joining the likes of Noguchi, Graham, Fredericks, Barr and De Giusti – and to have it located in front of the place that I’ve gone to since I was just a kid at the Auto Show – it’s a real honor.”

Detroit joins major convention centers throughout the country featuring public art including cities such as San Diego, Chicago, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C.

Mary Klida is Senior Marketing & Communications Manager for Huntington Place.

By Julian Bowman

Fair Park First and Gensler unveiled the design for the Community Park Parking Garage at Fair Park, located off of Fitzhugh Avenue in Dallas. The challenge was to create a five-story, concrete parking garage that is contextually relevant while accounting for the history of the site, and its proximity to the surrounding neighborhoods and the park. The design also had to include a creative way to “hide” the garage and replace the surface parking currently found on site.

“The design approach envisions the parking garage as an extension of the park, bringing the landscape to the top of the structure and establishing a new public space for the City of Dallas,” said Brian Nicodemus, Design Manager, Gensler. “Leveraging the site’s height and views allows for the creation of flexible areas that can be used for a variety of activities and events.”

With a focus on health and wellness, a 47-foot ascent leading to the top of the garage encourages visitors to spend time outdoors and walk versus using the elevator. The design also draws inspiration from natural forms, such as the limestone cuestas common to the region, which influenced the shape of the garage. Meanwhile, the rich colors and texture from the neighboring community drive a vibrant material palette.

“Fair Park First is focused on making sure our investments not only address critical needs but also create enhancements and amenities for our neighbors across the street and our visitors from around the globe,” said Brian Luallen, CEO of Fair Park First.

The garage itself features 1,650 parking spaces, with 70,000 square feet of operational facilities tucked underneath the project’s north berm. By taking cues from the Community Park’s prairie-inspired landscape, the experience between the garage and park is seamlessly woven together, while honoring the rich ecological heritage of the site.

Julian Bowman is Senior Director of Marketing at Fair Park and Cotton Bowl Stadium.

By Blair Cardinal

Oak View Group launched OVG Canada, a new division focused on the Canadian sports and entertainment industry and offering strategic services in the areas of venue development and management, booking and content development, sponsorship brand consulting, and third-party partnership sales.

The formation of OVG Canada follows the October 2021 announcement that the company would be taking on its first development project north of the border: the redevelopment of the Hamilton, Ontario Arts & Entertainment District and FirstOntario Centre Arena.

Tom Pistore, President of OVG Canada, and his recently formed team of industry veterans – including Senior Vice President of Partnerships & Brand Consulting Josh Epstein and Senior Vice President of Partnerships & Revenue Zach Feldman will draw on their years of sports and entertainment experience working with global brands and properties to offer the Canadian marketplace results-driven counsel and service.

Pistore has more than 25 years working across major professional sports leagues, most recently as President of UBS Arena (home of the NHL’s New York Islanders) and, prior to that, was a member of the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) executive leadership team. Epstein joins OVG Canada from Bank of Montreal where he was responsible for leading their North American sponsorship strategy. Feldman was most recently the SVP of Partnerships & Revenue at the Premier Lacrosse League, where he helped drive triple digit revenue growth while leading the development of ground-breaking marketing partnerships.

“During my time running MLSE, I realized that the Canadian sports and facility marketplace is uniquely driven by the Canadian consumer and Canadian companies. You cannot develop, operate, or sell Canadian facilities or assets from the U.S., and therefore it’s critical for us to be a part of Canada.” Tim Leiweke, Chairman & CEO of Oak View Group and former President & CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), said, “With Tom Pistore leading the charge of our OVG Canada group, we want to create the best sports and facility sales organization in Canada. Very few companies in our industry have the infrastructure that we have now in Canada and the U.S. to serve our Canadian clients, giving OVG the competitive edge to deliver best in class results.”

“Oak View Group Canada will leverage our diverse experience, deep understanding of the Canadian marketplace, and the strength of our global leadership team to provide industry-leading solutions and opportunities to the Canadian market,” Pistore said. “After an exciting journey launching UBS Arena in New York, I could not be more excited to launch OVG Canada alongside a best-in-class leadership team that will deliver incredible results for our present and future partners.”

In addition to Leiweke, OVG Canada will be supported by a noteworthy executive team, including entertainment industry legend and OVG co-founder Irving Azoff, renowned sports executive and co-chairman of OVG360 Peter Luukko, president of OVG business development Francesca Bodie, and Chris Granger, president of OVG360 and OVG’s Arena Alliance, who also oversees all venue and hospitality operations in Canada.

“We are committed to putting capital to work in Canadian live entertainment facilities as we’ve done elsewhere around the world and are thrilled for our project in Hamilton to come to life,” Bodie said. “We look forward to expanding and growing the OVG platform with additional owned-and-operated facilities across Canada.”

Blair Cardinal is Vice President, Communications at Oak View Group.

By Shannon Donnelly

PNC Bank has signed a landmark agreement with AEG Presents, one of the world’s largest live entertainment companies, to rename two central plazas at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (Fiddler’s Green). Effective immediately, the financial institution will become the exclusive banking partner of the iconic amphitheater – operated by AEG Presents and Museum of Outdoor Arts (MOA) and the venue’s two main plazas will be known as “PNC Plaza North” and “PNC Plaza South.”

“More than a venue, Fiddler’s Green has become a cherished cultural institution here in the Denver region,” said Don Strasburg, Co-President, AEG Presents-Rocky Mountains & AEG Presents Northwest. “We are proud to be partnering with PNC Bank, a category leader that understands the significance of Fiddler’s Green and is equally committed to providing our guests as well as the local communities we both serve with nothing short of the best. Our visitors will be the true benefactors of this exciting new relationship and we look forward to adding value at our venue, enhancing the guest experience and raising the bar of excellence even higher for the thousands of music and live-entertainment fans we host each year.”

As part of the agreement, PNC’s branding will be featured prominently across the venue’s social and digital channels as well as on-site at both “PNC Plaza North” and “PNC Plaza South.” Located at the north and south ends of the venue, the plazas will serve as key gathering areas for fans to enjoy throughout the year. Integral to the overall design of Fiddler’s Green itself, the plazas will also be used to enhance the guest experience with special on-site activations including pre-event parties, community events, fan fests, and more.

“We are honored to be partnering with PNC, a best-in-class bank who like us has a long tradition of community engagement and recognizes the transformative power of music to give back and bring people together,” said Brent Fedrizzi, Co-President and COO of AEG Presents Rocky Mountains. “Together, we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the local communities we both serve while delivering unparalleled, world-class music and live-entertainment experiences to our fans at Fiddler’s Green.”

The multiyear agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, comes on the heels of PNC’s expansion in Colorado following its 2021 acquisition of BBVA USA.

“As a Main Street Bank, PNC is committed to supporting initiatives and organizations connected on where we do business, serve our customers, clients and community, which includes areas such as arts and culture,” said Ryan Beiser, PNC regional president of Colorado. “Recognizing the power of music and its ability to forge connection, the bank has continued to invest in local music partnerships with the goal of driving meaningful outcomes that foster growth and vibrancy in the communities in which it does business.”

In addition to its large-scale branding presence at both plazas, PNC will engage visitors of Fiddler’s Green via custom on-site activations. As the amphitheater’s exclusive banking partner, PNC will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the venue on promotional opportunities throughout the course of the relationship, including sweepstakes, premium giveaways, and more.

Shannon Donnelly is with Beck Media.