By NBA.com

Nic Barlage has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and Rock Entertainment Group. Barlage formerly served as the President of Business Operations for the organization and Chief Operating Officer of Rocket Entertainment Group.

Barlage replaces former CEO, Len Komoroski, who stepped away from his role following the conclusion of the Cavs’ 2021-22 season following 19 years of leadership with the organization.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a Chairman in Dan Gilbert and a Family of Companies that have created and support an inspiring culture that embraces innovation, imagination, curiosity, the value of people, and decision making always focused on doing the right thing. Collectively, we can make the greatest impact possible within the communities that we serve,” Barlage said. “It is an absolute honor and privilege to have the opportunity to lead the business operations for a dynamic organization that shares such a special bond with our community and partners. We look forward to an exciting future and building on the strong foundation that Len Komoroski and all of our hard-working team members, past and present, helped establish. We will continue to strive for outcomes that make our team, fans, and partners proud.”

“We are excited to elevate Nic to CEO and for him to lead the Cavaliers business operation and our great team of people across our organization,” said Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert. “The Cavaliers are in excellent position for high-level success both on and off the court. This is in large part due to the caliber of people like Nic that are leading, collaborating, and growing our relationships and business across every aspect of Rock Entertainment Group and the Cavs organization. Nic is both an exceptional, community-minded leader, and a great teammate. For several years now, he has been at the core of decision-making, innovation and growth for the Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and we are very pleased to have him at the helm of our business operations group while we all look forward to continuing the great momentum that has been established.”

Barlage rejoined the Cavaliers in 2017 as President of Business Operations and was named COO for Rock Entertainment Group when that entity was established in 2021. He was previously part of the organization for five seasons starting in 2008 and continuing through 2014 when, as the Vice President of Sales and Service, he departed to join the NBA’s Phoenix Suns for three seasons as their Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer.

Rock Entertainment Group is the umbrella entity of the teams and venues that are part of Cleveland Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert’s Rock Family of Companies. It includes the NBA Cavaliers, the AHL Cleveland Monsters, the NBA G League Cleveland Charge and Cavs Legion of the NBA 2K League; and the operation of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Legion Lair Lit by TCP home of Cavs Legion in Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic Courts – the Cavaliers’ training and development center in Independence, Ohio.

By Emily Eades

As the largest in-person tradeshow hosted at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) since the onset of the pandemic, Design and Construction Week, held Feb. 8-10, 2022, left a lasting impact on a local non-profit agency.

The co-located National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and the
Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), owned by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), featured
1,200 exhibitors, occupying 750,000 net square feet of exhibit space and 70,000 energized attendees and
provided $180 million in economic impact in the community.

The co-located tradeshows generously donated $13,300 in kitchen, bathroom, living room, and outdoor
furniture to West Orange Habitat for Humanity. The OCCC is collaborating with West Orange Habitat for Humanity to ensure the donations go towards building stronger and more sustainable neighborhoods for families in Orange County.

The donations consisted of gently used household goods and building materials from exhibitors and booths on display during Design and Construction Week, which were sent to the ReStore in Winter Garden.

Trade shows held at the OCCC this year provided nearly $250,000 worth of donations to West Orange Habitat for Humanity.

For organizations like West Orange Habitat for Humanity, trade shows and conventions are traditionally a
reliable source of donations. Items donated by events like Design and Construction Week are used in the
construction of local homes to benefit the organization’s mission of building decent and affordable housing in Orange County.

The Center of Hospitality continues to support local organizations to benefit the local economy and remains committed to doing Business Better than Usual.

Emily Eades is Public Relations/Information Officer | Marketing & Communications for the Orange County Convention Center.

By Claire Kramer

Populous has been selected by Pegula Sports & Entertainment (PSE) to design the new home stadium for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. Populous, the lead designer and architect of record on the project, will work with PSE, Legends Project Development, and a construction manager to be announced. The stadium is set to open in 2026.

“Together with PSE, we are reimagining the Bills fan experience of the future,” said Populous senior principal Scott Radecic. “This stadium will connect fans to the action on the field and engage the Buffalo community in exciting new ways. It’s going to be a world class venue built for Buffalo, and we’re honored to bring our experience to this transformative project.”

Populous is known for its dynamic design approach, which synthesizes architectural expertise and understanding of fan experience to deliver stadiums authentic to their cities and primed for economic impact. The global firm has been a trusted designer for NFL franchises for decades.

“This stadium will be visioned, designed, and built for football and all it encompasses – the team, the organization, the fans, and the community,” said Populous senior principal Jonathan Mallie. “A storied franchise and fan base deserve an innovative and authentic place to call home with a presence and adaptable quality that transcends time.”

Populous has designed some of the most iconic stadiums and venues throughout the world, including 17 NFL stadiums, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Climate Pledge Arena. Populous, the Buffalo Bills, and PSE have a rich history of successful projects completed over the firm’s history, including the LECOM Harborcenter, the ADPRO Sports Training Facility, and the 2015 renovations to Highmark Stadium.

Populous specializes in drawing people together through design. In 2022, Populous was named one of Fast Company’s Top 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World and the Most Innovative Architecture Firm in the World. Populous has been recognized by Fast Company as a Most Innovative Company six times in the firm’s history.

More details regarding the new stadium will be released at a later date.

Claire Kramer is Senior Public Relations Coordinator for Populous.

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.