By R.V. Baugus and Hurricanes.com

The public assembly venue industry and IAVM friends mourn the passing of long-time industry veteran Davin “Dave” Olsen, who passed away January 31 from a heart attack. He was 62.

Olsen served more than two decades as the general manager of PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, home of the National Hockey League Carolina Hurricanes as well as home to North Carolina State University sports.

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of Dave’s passing,” the team said in a statement. “Dave was an enormous part of this organization from the construction of PNC Arena through nearly 22 years of operating and maintaining it as one of the premier entertainment venues in the Southeast. He was a dedicated, popular employee who will be dearly missed by so many of our employees, past and present.”

Olsen worked in arena management for more than 30 years, including the last 24 years with the Hurricanes and PNC Arena. Most recently, he was working as the interim manager of the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Prior to joining the Hurricanes, Olsen served as the director of recreational facilities at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Olsen had also overseen Germain Arena in Estero, FL, Compuware Arena in Plymouth, MI, the New Haven Coliseum, and the Hartford Civic Center during his distinguished career.

His name is engraved on the Stanley Cup with the 2005-06 champions.

Dave is survived by his wife, Marci, and his sons Davin and Jason.

By Andra Bennett

Trinity Food and Beverage, a division of Omni Fort Worth Hotel, has named Brent Hines executive chef of the Fort Worth Convention Center’s catering operations.

Hines, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin, aims not only to elevate a conference dining experience with “euphoric” flavor blends, but also to make the City-owned venue a culinary destination in its own right.

“My vision is for the Fort Worth Convention Center to become a destination for groups looking for a particular food and beverage experience,” he said. “We want people to leave remembering the cuisine and requesting the recipes.”

A native of Chico, Texas, Hines began his professional career at Keystone Ranch in Colorado, a Vail Resorts property and Zagot-rated top fine dining restaurant. At 27, he landed his first executive chef job at Sky Creek Ranch in Keller, Texas, which received multiple awards for best new restaurant and best steakhouse. He then moved to global hospitality giants Gaylord and Benchmark before serving as executive chef at Winewood Grill in Grapevine and executive sous chef at Park House Dallas. Hines joined Trinity Food and Beverage, an arm of Omni Fort Worth Hotel, as the FWCC executive chef in June of 2021.

“We know that a conference or gala experience can hinge on the guests’ satisfaction with the cuisine,” said Larry Auth, general manager of the Omni Fort Worth Hotel. “Chef Hines brings both restaurant and large-scale hospitality experience to our clients with a unique combination of global perspective and local Texas flavor to his creations.”

Hines blends his own spices from scratch, as well as all dressings and sauces, to create unique flavor combinations with infused Southwest, French, Asian, Italian, Caribbean and Mediterranean influences. Marquee dishes include tenderloin bruschetta with arugula pesto and tomato jam, which he describes as “Italian with a Texas twist.” Other signature menu items include grilled Texas watermelon with hydroponic mix greens, local goat cheese and smoked blueberry dressing; lobster mac & cheese with brandy cream, truffle essence and chervil; and duck quesadillas topped with poblano crema and corn pico de gallo.

“I’m an artist with a blank canvas, intending to make an impression on all your senses,” said Hines. “When the colors are appealing, flavors are well-balanced, and everything comes together in your mouth, you should have a euphoric feeling.”

The Fort Worth Convention Center is planning a $450 million phased expansion over the next five years that will include a new, state-of-the-art catering kitchen and provide the ability to serve larger events and shows with 5,000 to 10,000 people in attendance. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023.

Andra Bennett is Communications Coordinator for the Fort Worth Convention Center.

By APAP

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Deborah Rutter, President, and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact, announced the honorees and participants of “The Next 50” initiative in an Instagram live event on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Joining a list of luminaries that includes dancer/choreographer Camille A. Brown, comedian/actor Vir Das, poet Amanda Gorman, world cup champion Megan Rapinoe, and musician Esperanza Spalding, Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) President and CEO Lisa Richards Toney was named among a who’s-who of cultural leaders who exemplify the Kennedy Center’s mission to help shape culture and society through the arts—with integrity, creativity, empathy, and artistic excellence.

The list of culture-makers imagines a world that identifies and connects the abundance of resources in communities across the nation in an effort to uplift and move us toward a more inspired, inclusive, and compassionate country.

“The Next 50 is an instrument that signals an institutional shift. It’s the Center taking responsibility for identifying artists and creatives as national leaders, committing to a process, and offering a platform to see that work through to fruition,” Bamuthi said.

“It is an honor to have been selected among the Next 50, and I am inspired by Deborah Rutter’s and Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s vision,” remarked Richards Toney. “I look forward to galvanizing a wide and deep community of performing arts professionals to celebrate, support, stand with, and fight for arts workers as we prepare for our greatest comeback!”

The Next 50 will not only recognize the cultural leadership of these 50 trailblazers and organizations but also create spaces and opportunities for these visionaries to use their talents to put art into action as they influence our communities and create new pathways for the coming generations.

Over the course of the anniversary season, the Next 50 will participate in programs, forums, residencies, and events—such as Arts Summit, the Active Hope Podcast, Millennium Stage—and work with the Kennedy Center to create opportunities for discourse with other leaders to ensure that the voices of artistic and cultural leaders are lifted and heard.

The Center, through its Social Impact program, undertook a comprehensive process to identify the Next 50. Leaning on the public through a crowdsourcing campaign powered by Meta, the Center queried arts educators, arts and culture administrators, and artistic programming professionals to curate a list that ensured representation and diversity in all of its pluralities—a vanguard of culture makers—household names, scions of the cultural sector, and everyday people—who the Center believes, will lead the country into its next 50 years.

Fans attending Super Bowl LVI will be issued with KN95 face masks, while free COVID-19 rapid tests and vaccinations will be offered at the Super Bowl Experience attraction as part of health and safety measures spelled out by Los Angeles County ahead of the climax to the NFL season at SoFi Stadium.

The home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers is set to host this year’s Super Bowl on February 13, with the County outlining COVID-19 protocols for the event.

The County’s health officer order requires that patrons, customers, and guests wear masks at “outdoor mega events,” currently defined as those hosting 5,000 or more people, regardless of whether they are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Fans attending the game will need to show they have either been vaccinated or have recently tested negative for COVID-19, a requirement that has been in place for events of this size since October.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the County is averaging around 26,000 new cases per day over the past week. This is down by around 40% from the high of around 44,000 cases per day between January 3-9, but still considerably greater than last winter’s peak of 16,000 cases per day.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director, Barbara Ferrer, said: “For people who have taken all their precautions, are willing to layer in, they’re keeping their masks on when they’re out and about, they’re being super careful about testing before gathering with high-risk individuals, a lot of the activities that are available are relatively safe.”

The County will work with the NFL on the free COVID-19 rapid tests and vaccinations scheme at the Super Bowl Experience, which will run for two weekends, from February 5, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Ferrer said those who receive a vaccination will get free admission to the Experience, while attendees will also receive a free take-home rapid-test kit. Some 60,000 of these kits are expected to be distributed during the Experience.

“Masks are required at all times to enter all of the events, to be in common areas, to purchase at concession stands and at indoor shops,” Ferrer added, according to NBC Los Angeles. “The NFL will also be urging all fans to celebrate safely wherever they’ll be gathering and will offer attendees at the Super Bowl Experience at the L.A. Convention Center a free test kit to take home with messaging to test before gathering for the big game.”

By R.V. Baugus and ISSA

From airports to convention centers to hotels to arenas, nearly 350 facilities around the world have completed the annual reaccreditation process for GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation. The accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, gives employees and visitors of these environments reassurance that the facility has the proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices in place to combat biohazards and infectious diseases.

“Third-party validation of our cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention procedures gives our cleaning professionals, event hosts, and attendees confidence that the arena is taking the necessary steps to ensure safe and fun gatherings,” said Ignacio Guerra, senior vice president operations and engineering, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. “We look forward to earning reaccreditation for many years to come.”

“Our customers have many options when choosing a venue to host their event,” said Emma Pietroleonardo, general manager, Edmonton Convention Centre. “Renewing our GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation sets us apart, and in turn helps our customers assure their attendees that their event meets the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.”

Facilities of all types and sizes are eligible to participate in the GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation program and are encouraged to pursue annual reaccreditation. The Accreditation Council reviews applications to ensure they align with the 20 GBAC STAR Program Elements, which each have specific performance and guidance criteria. Accredited facilities can then display the GBAC STAR seal to communicate their commitment to cleaning for health and infection prevention readiness.

“Renewing the Edmonton EXPO Centre’s GBAC Star Facility Accreditation was a no-brainer for us,” said Olaf Miede, general manager, Edmonton EXPO Centre. “Having safely welcomed over 158,000 attendees in 2021 guided by our Healthy Venues Plan, we’re continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our guests, clients, and employees.”

The latest facilities to earn GBAC STAR reaccreditation include:

Convention Centers

Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.
ASM Global Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nev.
Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, N.J.
Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas
Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Edmonton Convention Centre in Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alberta
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans
Grand Hyatt Kochi-A Unit of Lulu Convention and Exhibition in Kochi, India
Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Va.
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas
Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas in Dallas
McCormick Place Chicago in Chicago
Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla.
Mountain America Exposition Center in Sandy, Utah
Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, Calif.
Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, Calif.
Renasant Convention Center/Cannon Center in Memphis, Tenn.
San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, Calif.
The Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City
Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto

Stadiums or Arenas

American Airlines Center in Dallas
Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alberta
Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis.
Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Lincoln Financial Field, Home of Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia
Palmer Event Center in Austin, Texas
TCU Place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The Forum/Forum Entertainment in Inglewood, Calif.
The HEAT Group-FTX Arena in Miami
Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City

Theatre or Performing Arts Center

Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, N.C.
California Theatre in San Jose, Calif.
Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, Calif.
Montgomery Theater in San Jose, Calif.
San Jose Civic in San Jose, Calif.

Learn more and apply for GBAC STAR Accreditation at gbac.org/star.