By Teresa Franzen

The Town of Cary and ASM Global announcef the appointment of Jamie Curtis as the General Manager of Cary-owned and ASM Global-managed Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC.

Curtis brings more than twenty-five years of experience to the role with a variety of entertainment venues, record labels and more. Most recently she has served as the Director of Marketing and Sales for ASM Global managed Wintrust Arena and Arie Crown Theater in Chicago.

According to Dolly Vogt, ASM Regional General Manager, “Koka Booth Amphitheatre is a beacon in our portfolio of venues and we weren’t going to settle for anything but the very best. Jamie’s career accomplishments give us confidence she can lead the well-established team at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in continuing to provide outstanding entertainment in the region’s most beautiful venue.”

A seasoned entertainment veteran, Curtis is excited to part of something special in Cary. “It is a true honor to be selected for this position. Koka Booth Amphitheatre is an idyllic venue, highly regarded for its community involvement and quality entertainment,” Curtis said. “I look forward to joining the amazing staff and Town of Cary team and continuing the tradition of excellence. I can’t wait to become a part of such a wonderful venue and community.”

Curtis was selected after an extensive search of candidates within the facility management arena. “Among the deep pool of qualified candidates, Jamie Curtis rocketed to the top with the perfect mix of people skills and strong business acumen,” says William Lewis, Cary’s Cultural Arts Manager. “Under Jamie’s leadership and vision, Koka Booth Amphitheatre is not only positioned for continued success but also for transformation and growth.”

ASM, a leading provider of management services to a wide variety of facilities both nationally and internationally, has been contracted by the Town of Cary since 2001 to provide general management for Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Curtis replaces Taylor Traversari, who left in November to transfer to another ASM Global venue in his home state of Pennsylvania.

Teresa Franzen is Publicist/Marketing for the Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

By John Blake

Whether Texas Rangers fans realized it or not, prior to the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season, significant steps were taken to further enhance their game-day experience and help improve their health and safety at Globe Life Field, the newest MLB ballpark. Specifically, the $1.2 billion ballpark became the first MLB facility to leverage GP PRO’s KOLO™ Smart Monitoring System. The KOLO system helps keep restrooms clean, in working order, and fully stocked with toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and hand sanitizer.

“This is a state-of-the-art facility that was designed for Rangers fans and event guests to have the best possible experience from the moment they walk through the entrance gates until the moment they leave,” said Mike Healy, senior vice president of venue operations and guest experience with the Texas Rangers and Globe Life Field. “Our own data suggests that how clean and well maintained our restrooms are directly and significantly impacts how fans perceive the rest of our facility, so it was very important to us to invest in a restroom solution that clearly conveys our facility-wide commitment to cleanliness and the guest experience.”

The KOLO system is a wireless communication platform that alerts facility managers, dispatchers or custodians when something in a restroom needs their immediate attention. Specifically, through connected GP PRO paper towel, tissue, soap, and sanitizer dispensers, the KOLO System sends notifications regarding dispenser issues and product levels to help avoid outages and ensure a positive restroom experience. Through a task management capability, the KOLO System sends alerts about specific enhanced cleaning and sanitizing tasks to be completed.

According to Chris Johnson, customer success leader of connected solutions with GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific, a GP PRO survey from September 2020 shows that 59% of consumers are uncomfortable using a stadium or event venue restroom primarily because of hygiene concerns, and in another survey from April 2021, 60% of consumers said having a clean well-stocked event venue restroom enhances their overall experience. Johnson adds that the KOLO system can make a significant difference.

“Public restrooms, particularly in high traffic venues, are a major source of user complaints, whether it’s that there’s no paper towel, the soap dispenser is empty, or the restroom wasn’t properly cleaned. The good news is that the KOLO system helps facilities overcome these all-to-common issues with real-time information that helps ensure they’re addressed before they turn into complaints,” he said. “By leveraging the KOLO system, the Rangers and Globe Life Field are setting a new standard in restroom hygiene and in fan experience excellence. We’re thrilled to partner with them.”

The KOLO system is currently installed on 882 GP PRO dispensers in 26 public restrooms at Globe Life Field. The system went live in mid-May of this year.

Photo by Kelly Gavin/Texas Rangers

John Blake is Executive VP-Communications for the Texas Rangers & Globe Life Field.

By Erica Muir

The Anaheim Ducks and Anaheim Arena Management (Honda Center) announced that Brewery X signed a five-year partnership deal with the NHL club and facility. Located in Anaheim, the popular Southern California craft brewery’s partnership includes the naming rights of the Honda Center’s 15,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor dining space (Brewery X Biergarten) along with two Anaheim Ducks branded beers.

This is the first time Brewery X has branded a beer for sports fans. Options include “Duck Beer” (5% ABV Blonde Ale) and “Quack IPA,” a 7% ABV Indian Pale Ale. The co-branded beers will be a part of Brewery X’s beer lineup at Honda Center. The brews will also be available for purchase at local retailers in the coming weeks.

Located on the club level, Brewery X Biergarten, features an enhanced food and beverage menu, including Brewery X beers on tap. This one-of-a-kind space is membership based for Anaheim Ducks games and open to all ticket holders for select concerts and events. The Anaheim Chamber of Commerce will hold a ceremonial ribbon cutting event on Thursday, October 21 at the Brewery X Biergarten at Honda Center.

“We are excited to partner with the Anaheim Ducks and Honda Center,” said Brewery X President, Clayton Wellbank. “We share the same vision of creating great experiences for our customers and look forward to a long successful partnership.”

Additional partnership highlights include venue wide branding including activation on the digital display network of over five hundred screens, displays on the 27 feet tall and 47 feet 10 inches wide scoreboard, television and radio exposure, and Anaheim Ducks activation at the brewery’s location in Anaheim.

“The Anaheim Ducks and Honda Center are thrilled to partner with Brewery X,” said Graham Siderius, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for the Anaheim Ducks. “They care deeply about the local community as an Anaheim based brewery. Paired with their intense focus on high quality products and enjoyable guest experience, it created a wonderful opportunity for a partnership. We look forward to working together with Clayton and his team to create a fantastic guest experience at the Brewery X Biergarten on-site at Honda Center.”

Brewery X is the fastest growing and largest craft & independent brewery in Southern California, producing more than 250 flavors and styles of beer and hard seltzer. Brewery X products can be found in over 500 retail locations in California and Aspen, CO. including The Disneyland Resort, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, BevMo, Total Wine & More, and the Ontario Airport.

Erica Muir is Manager, Media & Communications for the Honda Center. T

Your Foundation and IAVM 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 – In recognition of LGBTQ+ History Month, join your IAVM Foundation and DILC for a candid conversation about being a better ally to our LGBTQIA2S+ colleagues, clients, and community. This E3 panel will discuss inclusion in meetings and events, provide an overview of what LGBTQIA2s+ means, and how sharing pronouns fosters a safe place for everyone. After the conversation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.

Panelists – Thomas Whelan, Director of Banquets , Levy Convention Centers
Josh Henry, Meetings Manager SPIE, The International Society for Optics and Photonics
Chase Brunson , CLE, Sections & Events Manager at Austin Bar Association
Andrew Roby, National Events Council & Andrew Roby Events

Date/Time –  Thursday, October 14, 2021, at 3:00 PM ET

CLICK HERE to register now!

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in September 2021. 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.

Scott Anderson, CLEAR, New York, NY

Bruce Appelbohm, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Katlyn Arterburn, Lancaster County Convention Center Authority, Lancaster, PA

Jesse Batten, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC

Jenna Bearden, University of Colorado Boulder, Los Gatos, CA

Polly Beller, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Keturah Benson, The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Jon Cederquist, Clearspeed, San Diego, CA

Richard Colarusso, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Hashim Coley, Mesa Convention Center, Mesa, AZ

Don Costante, Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City Royals, Kansas City, MO

Kieley Crisp, Ungerboeck, Decatur, TN

Michael Cullen, ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID

Jamie Davis, ACTN Strategies LLC, Atlanta, GA

Greg DeSandy, TCF Center, Detroit, MI

Megan Doyle, FedExForum, Memphis, TN

Tiffany Dressler, Mesa Convention Center, Mesa, AZ

Mario Flores, Berry Center, Houston, TX

Bill Frain, Liberty Defense, Peachtree Corners, GA

Megan George, The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Steven Gorham, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Michelle Green, Lansing Center, Lansing, MI

Beverlyn Guinto, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Lindsey Hall, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Kelsey Hayes, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Kris Heijnen, Wisconsin Center District, Milwaukee, WI

Kim Ingram, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Heather Jensen, Music City Center, Nashville, TN

Ivan Jeram, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Kai Juenger-Rein, BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Jackie Kemer, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Nancy Kloek, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Amber Knight, The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Andrew Landrigan, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Erica Lane, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA

Jessica Lane, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Marty Langley, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Mike Lanzaro, Liberty Defense, Peachtree Corners, GA

Claire Larsen, ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID

Jim Lee, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Bob Lehn, Music City Center, Nashville, TN

David Lyew, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON

Judy Mahoney, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Ian McNaughton, Liberty Defense, Peachtree Corners, GA

Alba Mercury, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Steven Nushis, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Jim O’Brien, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Jonathan Partin, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Malcolm Pendlebury, Programus Australasia (Optimo), Glass House Mountains, QLD, Australia

Tony Porter, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Brian Poteat, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC

Janice Potter, Dayton Live, Dayton, OH

Adrienne Quick-Wright, Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, NC

Robert Rice, Music City Center, Nashville, TN

Matthew Ruptash, Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp., Edmonton, AB, Canada

Saxton Scott, The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Rob Seltzer, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC

Heather Shourd, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Paul Torkan, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Jeff Totten, Halifax Convention Centre/Scotiabank Centre, Halifax, NS

Gina Trotter, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Chelsea Wagner, FedExForum, Memphis, TN

Christopher Weitzman, Halifax Convention Centre/Scotiabank Centre, Mesa, AZ

Ed Wiersma, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON, Canada

Monica Williams, Rose Quarter, Portland, OR

Stephanie Winland, City of Zanesville, Zanesville, OH

Dan Wood, Dayton Live, Dayton, OH