By Andra Bennett, APR

After a pandemic-induced pause in plans, the Fort Worth City Council has approved $52 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support the first phase of planned expansion of its city-owned convention center (FWCC).

The $500 million expansion, which had been planned for several years to accommodate larger conventions and group meetings, was about to begin with robust funding from hotel occupancy taxes when the COVID-19 shutdown began in 2020.

“We had our first meeting with the design review committee in February 2020, and then two weeks later, our plans were shelved indefinitely,” said Mike Crum, director of the Public Events Department for the City of Fort Worth. “With this kickstart in ARPA funds, we can revisit the design with new insights from meeting planners on what they and their attendees now expect from a venue in terms of overall experience.”

The expansion project will take place in two phases. The first phase prepares the venue to operate during the second phase. It includes the construction of new Food & Beverage facilities, the relocation of a city street (to create a site for a future convention hotel) and the re-building of the FWCC loading docks. This phase is fully funded and expected to begin in late 2023.

The second phase of the project will include the demolition of the 1968 FWCC arena and creates 97,000+ of total exhibit hall square footage, additional flexible meeting rooms, a new 60,000 square foot ballroom, and renovation to the current facility, which was previously expanded in 2002-03. This phase will be funded when hospitality taxes recover to the point where they can support the issuance of $450M in debt to fund the construction.

“The group meeting business has categorically changed in the past two years,” Crum said. “We may be adjusting the design plans to meet different needs than the initial plans of more ballroom and exhibit space, i.e., a broadcast studio to conduct hybrid meetings or other technology assets like virtual reality that are becoming an expectation, not an optional add-on.”

Photo by Mike Crum

Andra Bennett, APR, is Marketing Communications | Public Events Department for the City of Fort Worth.

From HOK newsroom

HOK will lead the design of the modernization of the 18,000-seat Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Owned by the City and managed by premier venue management and services company ASM Global, the venue anchors the vibrant 223-acre Westgate Entertainment District.

The selection of HOK is the first step in the City’s reinvestment back into the arena, to keep it competitive for the next 20 years. The entertainment industry has changed dramatically since Gila River Arena opened its doors in 2003. The renovations will modernize the facility, ensuring that it’s a world-class venue of choice with cutting-edge technology and updated guest amenities.

“We are incredibly excited about the bright future as we evolve the facility and reinvent how people experience Gila River Arena,” said Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps. “Bringing in the expertise of an industry leader like HOK is critical for providing more opportunities for the venue to reach its full potential.”

Phelps says the modernization will position Glendale to attract high-profile national and international acts.

“Our work together with ASM Global and HOK will help define the next generation of entertainment experiences in Glendale as we serve our community, region, and visitors,” Phelps said. “We know that if we do it right, we can create a highly-integrated venue that will make waves in the marketplace, exceeding performer and spectator expectations.”

Gila River Arena was built as a multipurpose facility that housed the Arizona Coyotes NHL team. The Coyotes will no longer play at the arena after the 2021-2022 season. During a rigorous and competitive selection process, HOK demonstrated that it is both creatively and technically adept to achieve Glendale’s goal of reimagining the arena once it no longer serves as a hockey venue.

“Gila River Arena has long been a vital contributor to the city of Glendale’s culture and economy,” said Rashed Singaby, principal and senior project designer at HOK. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with the City and ASM Global to reimagine the arena for future fans and spectators while ensuring it remains a vibrant entertainment destination for the region.”

HOK has a track record of taking existing facilities and transforming them with a ‘wow’ factor, while incorporating current and future thinking around the guest experience, fan amenities, back of house infrastructure, and food and beverage options.

The City’s partner, ASM Global is the premier venue management and services company and the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. The global leader in venue and event strategy and management, the company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibit centers, and performing arts venues.

“ASM Global is pleased to have HOK leading the architectural vision for this project,” said Chuck Steedman, executive vice president of strategy and development for ASM Global. “We have worked with HOK on many other arena projects, so we know they bring the expertise and share Glendale’s vision for the arena as a premier destination for live entertainment in the metropolitan area. We know HOK can deliver a world-class design for the City, allowing the arena to provide a tremendous and ongoing catalyst to the Westgate Entertainment District, the city and the entire Valley.”

ASM Global manages numerous arenas around the country that have been renovated and are very successful and profitable. This includes venues focused primarily on concerts and events, like T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, located in the Power & Light Entertainment District. Together with ASM Global, HOK was part of the Downtown Arena Design team, serving as one of the lead architectural firms for T-Mobile Center in 2007. The venue was a key component in the transformation of Kansas City’s downtown, which is now a destination for visitors.

“Both T-Mobile Center and Gila River Arena are the vibrant hearts and anchors within their respective entertainment districts,” said Steedman. “Even without a professional sports franchise anchor tenant, the T-Mobile Center is thriving and attracting the biggest live entertainment and concerts in the world.”

Westgate Entertainment District developed around the arena after it was built and has grown into a premier entertainment destination in the West Valley. It is a place where people come together for dining, nightlife, shopping, community events, business, concerts, sporting events and more.

“The City of Glendale has been a great partner for Westgate and we support its decision to take the arena in an exciting new direction,” said Dan Dahl, YAM Properties director of real estate. “At its core, Westgate is an entertainment district, and we strive to bring a versatile mix of shopping, dining and experiential tenants into the center. Among others, in 2022 we will welcome PopStroke, a golf-entertainment concept featuring a 36-hole putting facility and a Thirsty Lion gastropub to Westgate’s lineup.”

The greater sports and entertainment district around Westgate continues to boom and includes Top Golf, Desert Diamond Casino and the Crystal Lagoons Island Resort project that is currently under construction with an expected opening date of early 2023.

The Westgate Entertainment District is already the biggest in the state of Arizona. The Gila River Arena modernization project demonstrates that Glendale will continue its investment in the area, helping it realize its potential to be the biggest in the Southwest.

The next step will be a kickoff meeting between the parties to establish overarching project goals. HOK will then develop conceptual design ideas which will be the framework for reimaging the venue, enhancing it for live entertainment experiences and profitability for decades to come.

From AEG Pressroom

Leading telecommunications infrastructure company Mobilitie and AEG have partnered together to bring next-generation wireless technology and state-of-the art connectivity to downtown Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and its adjacent 4 million square foot sports and entertainment district, L.A. LIVE. The wireless network is already being deployed and will be integrated with all the major wireless carriers.

Mobilitie’s 5G deployment throughout Crypto.com Arena and L.A. LIVE will not only meet future wireless demands, but allow for expanded digital initiatives, improved venue operations and enhanced fan communications. The updated network will equip Crypto.com Arena and the entire L.A. LIVE campus with one of the most technologically advanced multi-carrier wireless networks in the country.

“Through our long-standing partnership with Mobilitie, we’re providing sports and live-entertainment fans who visit us from around the world with an unrivaled wireless experience at two of the most iconic downtown Los Angeles venues. This next step in our relationship underscores AEG’s enduring commitment to deliver an unmatched fan experience through cutting-edge technology that also takes our venue operations and efficiencies to the next level,” said Nick Baker, chief operating officer, AEG Global Partnerships.

The rapidly evolving landscape of sports and live entertainment requires a critical wireless connectivity backbone that’s capable of providing guests and staff with a reliable and modern wireless experience. Whether at home or in-venue, fans expect to engage in real-time social media and photo sharing, live video streaming and more. As a result, large-scale sports and live entertainment venues around the world have seen a steady increase in data usage each year, facilitating the need for network innovation and increasingly robust connectivity solutions across the industry.

“We have built a strong relationship with AEG in recent years, and we’re excited to officially begin our expanded partnership at locations and venues as iconic as L.A. LIVE and Crypto.com Arena,” said Christos Karmis, president and CEO of Mobilitie. “Mobilitie is pioneering the delivery of 5G connectivity for our clients, and we’re honored to play a key role in creating a dynamic mobile experience for all fans and guests here. We have the most experienced and capable team in the industry that will ensure AEG, sports fans, visitors and guests all have a 5G experience that exceeds expectations that is enabled by our neutral host network.”

Your Foundation and Diversity & Inclusive Leadership Committee (DILC) invite you to join us for the next Zoomcast in our series centered around YOU, our members, and how you are working to Engage, Explore, and Encourage (E3).

Topic – Unpacking Ageism: Dispelling Generation Bias in the Workplace

Panelists – Baby Boomers: Ellen Schwartz, General Manager – Los Angeles Convention Center
Gen X: Sherron Washington, Professor, Facilitator and Author – P3 Solutions
Millennials: TBA
Gen Z: Kayln Denniston, Senior Account Manager – Ungerboeck

Date/Time – Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 3:00 PM ET

CLICK HERE to Register!

The Academy for Venue Safety and Security is proud to welcome Dr. Tamara Herold, associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and director of the Crowd Management Research Council as our Opening Keynote!

The best security leaders possess instincts that allow exceptional focus and performance, under a wide variety of stresses and circumstances. Yet only some people develop these instincts and their associated mindset, while others struggle to become successful security leaders. Assessing risk, addressing threats, and leading high-performing security teams requires practice. Dr. Herold will highlight the four critical practices needed to build an effective leadership mindset, and how attendees can leverage AVSS resources to enhance their leadership performance.

AVSS 2022 is a chance to give yourself invaluable resources that will add value to your organization and bolster your personal knowledge of venue safety and security.

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