By Kristin Coffman

Jeffrey Mann has been hired to fill a new chief operating officer role at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, AR. In this position, Mann will directly oversee all facility operations, marketing, and public relations of both Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP and guide Walton Arts Center’s programming and education initiatives.

“With continued growth in programming of both Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP, we realized the need to have someone focused on the overall maintenance of day-to-day operations of our venues,” said Peter B. Lane, president and chief executive officer of Walton Arts Center. Lane will continue to oversee fundraising, new business initiatives, strategic planning, and organizational health of Walton Arts Center.

Mann brings to the role deep experience with sports and entertainment venues, as both an operator and a promoter. Most recently Mann was vice president of Nashville-based Outback Presents, an independent promoter of live events. Mann also spent five years with Live Nation as a general manager of Xfinity Center and Orpheum Theater in Boston. Before that he was COO of the International Association of Venue Managers. He is a Certified Venue Executive through IAVM.

“I am excited about the new challenges and opportunities that come with this position,” Mann said. “Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP are important cultural institutions in this region with strong reputations and I want to build upon that tradition of top-notch services and programming.”

Mann will step into the new role on July 1.

Kristin Coffman is Director of Human Resources and Institutional Culture for Walton Arts Center & Walmart AMP.

By R.V. Baugus

Industry veteran Karen Lynn Swan passed away on April 20 at the age of 79. Born in St. Paul (MN) to Erik and Della Schon, Karen graduated from Harding Senior High and attended night classes at the University of Minnesota for business and design. Karen married Roger Swan in 1962 and raised two children, Joelle and Jeff.

In 1974, Karen was hired at the Met Center as an Administrative Assistant. The Met Center was Karen’s big entrance into an exciting career of sports and entertainment. In 1990, Karen was hired as Director of Group Sales for the Target Center where she continued to work for the next 30 years. Karen loved her career, working on countless family shows and concerts. She was quoted as saying, “I don’t know if I would be happy doing anything else.”

She was fortunate to work side by side with some of her biggest mentors and longtime friends. Highlights of her career came in 2005 when Karen was the recipient of the Event and Arena Marketing Conference’s prestigious Gigi Award, and in 2020 when she was the recipient of the WISE (Women in Sports & Entertainment) Inspiration Award. Karen lived a very full life with her partner of 27 years, Bob Spencer, until his death in September of 2021. Karen and Bob enjoyed concerts, theater, sports and travel together. They attended Bob’s yearly Vietnam Helicopter Pilot reunions as well as many trips throughout the United States, Punta Cana, Europe, and Morocco.

Karen and Bob cherished their seven grandchildren; Abby, Ethan, Garrett, Elena, Jasmine, Chase, and Gavin. Karen is preceded in death by her parents Erik and Della Schon, lifelong partner Robert Spencer and former husband Roger Swan. Karen is survived by her brother Karl (Lyn) Schon of Eau Claire, WI, daughter, Joelle (Chad) of Bloomington, MN, son, Jeffrey (Gretchen) of Solon, IA, Geoffrey Spencer of Albuquerque, NM, and Dan Spencer of Eden Prairie, MN; grandchildren Abby, Ethan, Garrett, Elena, Jasmine, Chase, and Gavin, nephews Troy (Kelly) and Trent (Stephanie) Schon, as well as beloved cousins, close relatives and many dear friends.

Karen lived a life of kindness, compassion and grace. She will be dearly missed and memories of her will live on in the hearts of those she touched. In her words, “Life can’t be measured in the years that have flown by . . . it’s counted in kindnesses, close friends, and loved ones and in all of the sweet blessings we’ve known.”

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. with a visitation beginning at 1 p.m. on June 14 at Spirit of Hope UMC, 7600 Harold Avenue, Golden Valley, MN 55427. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Twin Cities Gilda’s Club or donor’s choice.

By Lucy Albers

June 8, 2022, marked the 20-year anniversary for ASM Global’s Paycom Center, Oklahoma City’s premier sports and entertainment destination.

Construction for Oklahoma City’s downtown arena began in 1999 as part of the initial Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) program. Originally built as a hockey arena hosting the CHL’s Oklahoma City Blazers (2002-2009), the arena opened as Ford Center with a ribbon cutting event on June 8, 2002. The facility has also hosted AF2’s Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2004-2008), is currently home to NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder (since 2008), and NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue (since 2021). The arena served as the home for NBA’s New Orleans Hornets from 2005-2007 while displaced from their arena due to damage from Hurricane Katrina.

“The opening of the MAPS arena in 2002 changed our city forever, because it finally gave us the platform to attract the NBA and world class concerts and events,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “Twenty years is a long time in the life of a modern American arena. Our previous arena – the Myriad – was 21 years old when the voters of Oklahoma City approved its replacement with the passage of MAPS. These twenty years have brought a lifetime of memories, from the NBA Finals to Paul McCartney. Though there are many priorities for a city, we have learned that having a cutting-edge arena is critical to our city’s success. My thanks to the voters for repeatedly supporting that ambition and our city’s resulting growth. Also, my thanks to the great arena management we have had through the years.”

Throughout the past 20 years, Paycom Center has hosted hundreds of top-tier entertainment events and millions of guests. Record-breaking highlights and big names include:

Garth Brooks brought more than 60,000 people to the arena for four record-setting shows in July 2017. Brooks was the first artist to play a four-show run and broke record sales selling over 50,000 tickets in just 57 minutes. Playing all four shows in 27 hours, it’s also the first time the arena hosted multiple, major concerts in a single day.
Justin Timberlake’s Man of the Woods Tour became the arena’s and Oklahoma City’s highest grossing show on January 26, 2019. More than 16,000 fans attended the show.
The ‘King of Country’, George Strait, holds the record for highest attended single show when over 18,000 fans filled the arena on January 20, 2006. Strait also holds the record for most single-artist performances at the arena, with a total of six shows in its 20 years.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra holds the record for the group with most shows in the arena’s 20 years, having played 27 concerts (some years holding multiple performances). The group has performed for 15 nearly consecutive years (with the only break happening in 2020).
637 Thunder games, including 27 preseason, 554 regular season, and 56 playoff games.

Operations inside the arena also continue to set records, with SAVOR’s food and beverage team consistently offering world-class options for guests. With their Non-Profit Organization program, where groups can assist in concession stands for a donation to their organization, the arena has donated almost $6 million to non-profits. Throughout the past twenty years, they have also been able to serve:

Over 2 million hot dogs; measuring almost 400 miles back-to-back, equaling nearly the distance from Oklahoma City to Austin, TX.
Over 10.2 million gallons of beer; approximately enough to fill 15 Olympic pools.
Over 19 million gallons of soda; approximately enough to fill 29 Olympic pools.
Over 8.5 million gallons of water; approximately enough to fill 13 Olympic pools.
Over 1.4 trillion popcorn kernels popped; enough to fill Paycom Center with popped popcorn six times.

The past 20 years have set Oklahoma City’s arena up for continued success. Notable events scheduled yet this year include Andrea Bocelli’s first ever show in Oklahoma (June 23), tour opening-night shows for Kendrick Lamar (July 19) and My Chemical Romance (August 20), a brand-new PBR event with their Team Series only happening in 10 cities (September 16-18), and two sold-out nights with Luke Combs in-the-round (December 9-10).

Facility upgrades are also on the docket for the future, with MAPS 4 approved funding of $105 million for enhancements and renovations through 2028. Construction on several initial projects start this year including new seating, a new scoreboard, enhanced 300-level concession areas and signature bar, and further technology and infrastructure improvements.

Paycom Center has been a vital part of Oklahoma City for 20 years, and in return strives to implement and participate in programs that extend beyond the walls of our venue. Paycom Center’s 20th Anniversary will continue through the year with many other promotions and activities. Fans are encouraged to follow arena social media accounts and sign up for emails to stay up to date with more news to come. More information can be found at www.paycomcenter.com.

Pictured: Ribbon-cutting in 2002.

Lucy Albers is Director of Marketing & PR for Paycom Center.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) has unveiled a new logo, a fresh, modern look to reflect a vibrant future filled with excitement and growth. As the convention center recovers from two years of reduced travel in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns and the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, the refreshed logo amplifies that New Orleans is Built to Host.

“This is a new design for a new era,” said Convention Center President Michael J. Sawaya. “The city is bouncing back, and we are thrilled to host conventions and other events that are already having a positive impact on local businesses.”

The debut of the new visual identity coincides with an extensive physical transformation already in progress. Major sustainability upgrades, interior and exterior modernizations, and plans to develop 39 acres of adjacent riverfront property — these projects are all part of the convention center’s ongoing $557 million Capital Improvement Plan. The new logo reflects these sweeping changes while also referencing iconic elements of the facility’s history, but with a new twist.

In the center of the new logo is a stylized depiction of an iconic art piece by sculptor Patrick Marold at the convention center’s plaza entrance. Titled The Alluvial Mirror, the name is a nod to the building’s historic location on the riverfront, where a sandy beach once naturally formed from the river’s alluvium — a word of Latin origin meaning a deposit of clay, silt, and sand left by flowing water, typically producing fertile soil.

The new logo also depicts the peaks of the Crescent City Connection bridge which has spanned the Mississippi River for over 60 years. Dramatic views of the bridge and the river will be very important in the center’s upcoming improvements. The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s name forms a block at the bottom of the logo, a visual representation of its foundational position as one of New Orleans’ largest economic drivers. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, the convention center’s event activity has produced $90 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening, including $5.7 billion in new tax revenue for state and local governments.

The new logo retains elements from the previous version paying tribute to both the convention center’s namesake and to the city of New Orleans — each of which are central to the identity of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The facility was first renamed in 1992 in honor of Ernest N. Morial, the first African American mayor of New Orleans. In 2008, the name was formally changed again to emphasize how New Orleans’ unique character influences and shapes the center’s mission.

Designed by the convention center’s Creative Services Manager, Eric LeBlanc, the new logo will have a phased rollout starting with digital and electronic assets such as web pages and email signatures, followed gradually by paper and physical assets. Click here for more details: https://mccno.com/new-logo-faq/.

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!