The holidays are upon us, which means celebrating friends, family, food, and tons of shopping. It’s also a time to give back by supporting the causes you care deeply about, like the IAVM Foundation. Luckily, giving back to YOUR Foundation is easier than ever with AmazonSmile!

Purchases you make this busy shopping week – and throughout the year – through the AmazonSmile Program can also support YOUR Foundation!

The process is simple…activate AmazonSmile on your Amazon account, choose the IAVM Foundation as your worthy cause, and purchase what you would normally buy! Every time you purchase an item that is listed as “Eligible for AmazonSmile Donation,”Amazon will give 5% of your purchase to the Foundation.

AmazonSmile is a quick and easy way to support YOUR Foundation at absolutely no cost to you!

There is no gimmick or cost to you to give to the Foundation through AmazonSmile. You buy, Amazon gives. It seriously does not get easier than that!

If you haven’t activated AmazonSmile to give back to YOUR Foundation, what are you waiting for?

Need a little help getting started? Here are the quick step-by-step directions on how YOU can start giving back to the Foundation through AmazonSmile….

How to Activate AmazonSmile

Step 1: Join AmazonSmile
If you aren’t yet an AmazonSmile member, sign up at smile.amazon.com using a web browser (mobile or desktop). You’ll sign in with your Amazon credentials, and the site will walk you through the process. Amazon will ask you to choose your favorite charity. This is where you search for and choose “International Association of Venue Managers Foundation.”

Step 2: Open the Amazon Shopping app on your phone
If you don’t have the app already, download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Step 3: Open Settings within the app
Open Settings by tapping the three horizontal lines and click “Settings.”

Step 4: Tap AmazonSmile

Step 5: Tap the button for “Turn on AmazonSmile”
You’ll need to follow the three-step setup process. *Note that Amazon requires you to turn on notifications to be able to use AmazonSmile on your phone.

Step 6: Make note of your renewal date
Amazon asks that you renew your AmazonSmile donation every six months. This is easy but required. When six months are up, you’ll have to choose your favorite charity again. If you don’t renew, your purchases will not count..

Step 7: Confirm that AmazonSmile is active before your next purchase
Look for AmazonSmile at the top of the app as you browse. You’ll also see your chosen charity on the confirmation screen.

Now, you can make an impact while you shop for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals! Happy shopping!

Barb Burns, IAVM’s Membership Committee Chair states “IAVM’s members support ‘Give the Gift of Membership’ campaign annually by choosing a peer or young professional to experience the value of belonging to IAVM. It’s a wonderful way to help someone become a part of the venue management community especially after the last twenty months that we’ve experienced. The educational and networking opportunities IAVM offers have been invaluable to me personally. Please join me in sponsoring an individual who is eager to get involved in the Association and who will take the opportunity to accelerate their career.”

 This is a year-round campaign but it is particularly impactful during the giving season. Click this link to provide the information we need to collect your recipients’ details . Membership Services will reach out to your candidate to finalize the application and notify you when the dues are ready to be paid.

Give your gift of membership today!

November 30th is the deadline to submit your nominations for the IAVM Foundation Legacy Award, Charles A. McElravy Award, and the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award.

The IAVM Foundation Legacy Award may be awarded annually by the Board of Trustees to an individual or organization who, in the opinion of the IAVM Foundation has made a significant financial and/or non-financial contribution to benefit the mission and objectives of the IAVM Foundation. The Foundation Chief Executive Officer will provide evidence the nominee meets the criteria. Click Here to learn more about how to submit your nomination to the Foundation Legacy Award.

The Charles A. McElravy Award may be awarded annually to a Professional, Honorary, or Retired member of IAVM who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors has made the greatest lifetime achievement to the welfare of the Association or profession. Click Here to learn more about the Charles A. McElravy Award.

The Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award may be awarded annually by the Board of Directors to an individual currently or previously employed by a firm which is or was an Allied member in good standing. The President and CEO will provide evidence the nominee meets the criteria. To learn more about how to nominate someone for the Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, Click Here.

All award recipients will be acknowledge at VenueConnect 2022 in Phoenix, AZ.

By Blair Kahora Cardinal

Oak View Group (OVG), a global venue development, advisory, and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries, announced that it has completed the transaction to acquire Spectra, one of the industry’s leading venue management and hospitality providers, to create one world-class, full-service live events company.

While the initial acquisition agreement was first announced on August 30, the companies were awaiting regulatory approval from the Department of Justice per the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the “HSR Act”), which they received Monday, November 15. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Now that OVG’s acquisition of Spectra is complete, we can get down to the business of delivering an expanded highly competitive set of services that anticipate and meet the evolving needs of our global client base,” Tim Leiweke, CEO of OVG, said. “We’ll begin the important process of fully integrating the talented team at Spectra and bringing together our two organizations to create something truly extraordinary in the live events and entertainment industry.”

The deal comes at a time when OVG is busy leading arena redevelopment and operations of the recently opened Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center, as well as leading arena development projects including UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY; Moody Center in Austin, TX; New Arena in Coachella Valley, CA; Co-op Live in Manchester, UK; as well as arena projects in São Paulo, Brazil, and Hamilton, Ontario

As part of the proposed acquisition, the combined organization will serve current and future clients with a complete array of venue and hospitality services, including powerful booking advocacy; innovative, customized food & beverage experiences; award-winning sales & marketing support; cutting-edge public health and public safety solutions; unmatched leadership in sustainable, green operations; and analytic insights that will enable smarter and faster operational decisions.

Integration of the two companies is expected to begin immediately with Chris Granger at the helm beginning December 1 as the new CEO of OVG Facilities, a division of the Oak View Group focused on providing full-service venue management expertise, event programming, and now food & beverage solutions to arenas, stadiums, and convention centers, on a global basis.

Granger said, “Venues are incredible community assets, the very last town square, perhaps the remaining place where diverse people gather to laugh, to cheer, to sing, to dance, to dine, to conduct business, to protest, or to vote en masse. As the needs and uses of these venues continue to evolve, we will be there, with our clients, leading the way. We will respect the planet; we will mirror the diversity of the many communities in which we do business; and we will provide our fans and our clients with extraordinary service, indelible memories, and easy confidence in knowing that we can again, and forever, gather safely.”

Founded in 2015 by industry veterans Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, OVG specializes in real estate venue development and financing, sponsorship sales and partnership management, media and content, and facilities management and security. OVG has deep partnerships with prominent venues, including major league facilities such as the recently opened Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) and UBS Arena (Belmont, NY), among others.

Spectra is a leader in venue management, food services & hospitality, and partnerships services and will fold its 330 top-tier clients across North America and the globe – including stadiums, arenas, convention centers, performing arts centers, fairgrounds, and casinos – into the newly merged company.

Dave Scott, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, said, “The combined strength, energy, and expertise of OVG and Spectra has created a dynamic company, the likes of which the industry has not yet experienced. The leadership team has a powerful vision for growth, which will bode well for their collective clients, employees, and partners. As Spectacor Events & Entertainment continues to partner on content development, I look forward to watching the company grow and prosper.”

Completion of the combination was subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Following the close of the transaction, OVG will remain headquartered in Los Angeles, with the headquarters for Spectra remaining in Philadelphia.

UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Oak View Group. Moelis & Company LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor and Davis Polk acted as legal advisor to Spectra.

Blair Kahora Cardinal is Vice President, Communications for Spectra.

By Jude-Anne Spencer-Phillip

The Pennsylvania Convention Center announced that it has received its Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR reaccreditation, following a comprehensive evaluation process of its cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention protocols over the past year.

The annual GBAC STAR reaccreditation process focused on the Center’s program development, through a cycle of continuous evaluation and improvement, to ensure the facility remains effective at maintaining and delivering a program that supports a clean, safe and healthy environment for workers and guests.

“The Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority is proud to have earned the GBAC STAR reaccreditation. Receiving this reaffirms the Center’s commitment to the health, safety, and security of all who enter the facility,” said Gregory J. Fox, Esq. Chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.

As an ASM Global managed facility, the Pennsylvania Convention Center developed its Reopening Operating Framework during the pandemic based on the principles and protocols included in ASM Global’s VenueShield program, a best-in-class program developed in partnership with leading professionals, industry experts, and public health officials in response to the pandemic. That framework, coupled with the Center’s investment in environmental hygiene technologies, led to the facility receiving the GBAC STAR reaccreditation.

In the past year, since receiving its initial accreditation, the Pennsylvania Convention Center continued with significant capital investments following the guidance from the CDC, public health officials and ASM Global’s VenueShield program. These included the installation of advanced air purification technology in 40 air handling units, more phases of touchless restroom renovations, the purchase of additional scrubber, vacuum and electrostatic sprayer equipment, and the implementation of enhanced sanitization and health and safety protocols. In addition, the Center implemented a vaccination policy for its workforce, requiring all staff to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021.

“As a state-of-the-art facility, we have gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of our guests and staff, while maintaining the highest levels of customer service in a hospitable environment,” said John J. McNichol, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “By aligning the GBAC Star Accreditation Program with our facility’s procedures and protocols, we have been able to position ourselves as a strategic partner in the fight against COVID-19.”

“From an operations perspective, each of the Center’s departments consistently evaluates the protocols and procedures that are in place, against the 20 elements within the GBAC STAR accreditation, to enable us to achieve the highest possible standards for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention in the industry,” said Kelvin D. Moore, Regional General Manager, ASM Global. “Our continued commitment to the health and safety of our guests has bolstered meeting planners’ confidence in our ability to safely host in-person events, facilitating a steady return of events to the facility.”

Jude-Anne Spencer-Phillip is Senior Communications Manager for the Pennsylvania Convention Center.