By Nancy Walker

On the recent April 19 Earth Day, the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by ASM Global, announced a ban on single-use plastic bottles throughout the facility.

Levy Restaurants, the LACC’s exclusive food and beverage partner, has replaced single-use plastic bottles with aluminum bottles throughout cafés and catering operations. Beverages sold in the Center’s vending machines have followed suit.

“As an environmentally-responsible facility, this was an obvious next step,” said Ellen Schwartz, General Manager of the LACC. “The long-term cost of single-use plastic to our environment was something we could no longer ignore.”

Mayor Eric Garcetti’s goal to eliminate plastic bottles throughout city-owned facilities includes replacing single-use plastic water bottles with sustainable alternatives, including recyclable aluminum, glass, or certified compostable material.

“The climate crisis demands that we take bold action now to fight climate change and phasing out plastic bottles at the Convention Center is an important step we can take to meet our goals,” said Mayor Garcetti. “I applaud the Convention Center for making this change and look forward to continuing the push to make our city spaces a model for sustainable economic growth.”

“Eliminating plastic water bottles at the LA Convention Center is an important milestone in addressing climate change, reducing waste, and meeting Mayor Garcetti’s ambitious goals in L.A.’s Green New Deal,” said Doane Liu, the City’s Chief Tourism Officer and Executive Director of the City Tourism Department. “LACC has been a leader in sustainability, not only with this effort, but by installing the largest solar array on a municipally owned convention center in the USA. I am grateful for Ellen Schwartz’s leadership in making the LACC a model for sustainable economic growth.”

In addition to reducing plastic pollution, the newly introduced aluminum bottles are easily refillable from one of the 21 hydration stations on-site. To date, these water refilling stations have saved an estimated 150,000 plastic bottles.

Recently, the LACC teamed up with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) to more clearly identify these water refilling stations. “Fill Up Here” signs have been added to each hydration station to encourage guests to take advantage of the city’s clean/safe water supply.

“Hydration stations provide access to the most reliable, cleanest, and safest drinking water there is, and without plastic pollution,” said Nancy Sutley, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager of External and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer. “We urge Angelenos to fill up reusable water bottles with confidence knowing your tap water meets all state and federal drinking water standards. So, fill up! This drink is on us!”

LADWP is expanding access to clean, drinking water by supporting the installation or refurbishment of at least 200 drinking water stations citywide by the end of 2022 and beyond. As the city looks forward to the 2028 Olympics, the Hydration Station Initiative Program aims to promote L.A.’s high quality drinking water for the health and enjoyment of all residents and visitors.

Nancy Walker is VP, Sales & Marketing, for the Los Angeles Convention Center.

BEST Crowd Management — a GardaWorld company and nationwide provider of event staffing and security services — announced that it has recently secured contracts with AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, as well as MLS team venues for Nashville SC, FC Cincinnati, and Inter Miami SC.

BEST will be providing services in metal detection, bag checks, access control, security rovers, and field security — plus other critical crowd management functions including customer service, ticket scanning, ushering, and concierge services. In addition to staffing home games at AT&T Stadium, BEST will also be working concerts and other major events.

“No matter the event, we know that a crowd’s energy is vital to a team’s success,” said VP of BEST Jeff

Spoerndle. “From planning to intervention, we facilitate crowd management to keep the event energy on track. We’re humbled by this recent growth and honored to add these world-class teams to our portfolio.”

AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the 2015 inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game, the 2015 50th Anniversary Academy of Country Music Awards show, and WrestleMania 32.

BEST has over 25,000 employees and services 125 sports venues and convention centers in the U.S. — ranging from the NFL to the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and NHL. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn., and in Montreal, Canada, BEST Crowd Management is part of GardaWorld Security Services, one of the largest privately held integrated security services companies in the world.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in March 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.

Anthony Alba, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Akmal Ali, Aluma, McLean, VA

Erika Arms, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Bulganbayar Baatar, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Richard Barker, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Kevin Bauer, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Doug Billingsley, Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp., Edmonton, AB, Canada

Nargil Bold, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Scott Braudt, RiverCenter | Adler Theatre, Davenport, IA

Daniel Butler, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Gankhishig Buyankhishig, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Jade Calhoun, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Heather Calvin, Keen Independent Research, Phoenix, AZ

Jeffrey Chabon, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

Randy Christensen, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Delvin Clanton, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Dana Cole, Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC

Douglas Conner, Sodexo/Centerplate, Orlando, FL

Sophie Curtis, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Jodi Davis, Bank of Springfield Center, Springfield, IL

Pearson Davis, XL Center / Pratt & Whitney Stadium, Hartford, CT

Jordan Devine, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Kate Dickerson, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Gabriel Eisenbarth, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Todd Ferrario, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Jesus Flores, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Jeff Foster, T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO

Dani Fricke, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Kindra Fry, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Tamir Ganbold, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Mandy Garza, Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX

Jonathan Geller, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Melissa Glickman, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA

Kevin Gossett, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Erika Hammerschmidt, National Western Stock Show, Denver, CO

Kevin Harry, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Mikenzee Heidrich, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Melanie Henkes, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN

Tamara Herold, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Henderson, NV

Linnea Holt, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Lindsey Horstman, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Austin Hostetler, Anderson University, Anderson, IN

Amanda Hurd, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN

Genendarama Jargalsaikhan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Bill Carl Johnson, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Marcie Kamerick, Bridge View Center, Ottumwa, IA

Dylan Kawa, University of Florida, Tampa, FL

Candace Kidman, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Hongyoung Kim, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Brian Kitts, Arts and Venues Denver, Denver, CO

Adam Kopperud, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Carol Krueger, Arts and Venues Denver, Denver, CO

Yukio Kuniyuki, San Angelo Performing Arts Center, San Angelo, TX

Jelena Lane, Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ

Taylor Marcine, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Dakota Marsden, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Sam Maton, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada

Keaten McDonald, Rice-Eccles Stadium/Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Carla Miller, The Fairgrounds Nashville, Nashville, TN

Brianna Morgan, Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC

Kevin Newton, Parker Arts, Parker, CO

Travis Noble, DI Build, Overland Park, KS

Ciara O’Halloran, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Efren Ortiz, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Morgan Palmer, The BCJ Group, St Petersburg, FL

Kristina Pappas, Salt Lake County Arts & Culture, Salt Lake City, UT

Tsagaan Puntsag, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Heather Rector, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Tameka Rish, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Lindsey Ritter, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Isaiah Rodgers, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Matthew Rollins, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

Nawar Saadi, San Diego Theatres/San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA

Brandon Samsury, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Gianluca Sardo, The Glasshouse, New York, NY

Emily Schierenbeck, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Courtney Schmitz, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Eric Schmitz, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Kathleen Serangeli, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO

Tarena Smith, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Tron Stamper, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Megan Stewart, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Christopher Strassner, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

David Taylor, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Hayley Tice, City of Rancho Mirage, Rancho Mirage, CA

Kayla Tomlinson, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Munkhtuvshin Tsagaan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Odontuya Tsendsuren, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City,

Bayasgalan Tsogtsaikhan, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Nathan Uetz, Enterprise Center/Stifel Theatre, Saint Louis, MO

Sugar Unurbayar, Steppe Arena, Ulaanbataar City, Mongolia

Nina Urban, Tampa Sports Authority, Tampa, FL

Hayden Wadsworth, Weber County Culture, Parks and Recreation, Ogden, UT

Faith Ward, Palmer Events Center, Austin, TX

Stephen Wascher, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

Heather Watson, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Auburn, AL

Tim White, Staging Concepts/Trex Commercial, Minneapolis, MN

Kody Wood, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station, TX

Anastasia Yulia, Miller High Life Theatre, Milwaukee, WI

By Annie Merrill

Peter Broeder, AIA, has rejoined HOK as principal, design for the firm’s global Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice. Based in Kansas City, Broeder has played an integral role in shaping stadiums, arenas, training facilities, and recreation projects across the globe.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Peter back to HOK. He is a thoughtful, forward-thinking designer who will help lead our sports practice into the future,” said Nate Appleman, director of Sports + Recreation + Entertainment. “Peter has the ability to expertly guide clients through the design process and create memorable spaces that work for the fan, athlete, and university or ownership group.”

Broeder joins Sports + Recreation + Entertainment leaders that include Appleman, Loretta Fulvio, Bill Johnson, Micheal Day, Scott Ralston, Rashed Singaby, Shannon Bartch, Trevor Bechtold, Brian Berg, Chris DeVolder, Gus Drosos, Andrew Elmer, Jon Maxey, and Paul Joran.

Broeder’s resume includes work designing Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; Basrah Sport City in Basrah, Iraq; a new stadium and training facility for the NWSL Kansas City Current; and collegiate facilities at Mississippi State University, Southern Methodist University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Arizona State University, University of North Carolina, and University of Florida.

Broeder was named a Power Player for facility design and construction by Sports Business Journal in 2020. He has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas where he currently serves as an adjunct studio instructor and lecturer.

“I started my career at HOK, gained valuable experience working on complex sports facilities and am excited to return to work alongside the best in the business,” Broeder said. “I’ve seen firsthand the firm’s commitment to fostering innovation in processes and in practice, and I look forward to working closely with our clients to bring their ideas to life.”

Annie Merrill is Associate / Communications Manager for HOK.

Acrisure Arena, the new 11,000-capacity live entertainment and sports venue in Thousand Palms, California, has made a string of appointments, including Scott Feldman as vice president of event services.

The future home of the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds has also brought in Brian Puza as senior director of operations and Brienne Cole as director of ticket operations.

John Bolton, senior vice president and general manager of Acrisure Arena, said: “As we get closer to the opening of the Arena in December, you can’t underestimate the importance of putting the right team in place. I’m pleased we’ve been so successful in assembling a diverse array of talent for Acrisure Arena.”