Kate Jansen promoted to new role beginning July 28

The Raleigh Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater, as part of Raleigh’s Complex of venues, is pleased to announce the promotion of Kate Jansen, CMP to Director of Marketing and Sponsorships. 

Jansen joined the Raleigh Convention Center in 2010 as a special event coordinator and has served as catering sales manager, national sales manager, and stepped in as the interim booking manager for the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts to support the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jansen steps into this role at an important time, as the Complex embarks on a sizeable expansion project. In this role, she will drive growth and awareness for each of the Complex’s brands, leading strategic marketing and communications efforts, as well as cultivating high-impact partnerships and corporate sponsorships. 

“Kate is stepping into this role at a strategically valuable time for our Complex. Her industry experience is a major asset at this time of expansion and business growth,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Complex. “Her skill in relationship building and business prowess in this role are a key part of our venues’ bright future.” 

Jansen is an active member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), and the International Association of Exhibitors and Events (IAEE). She also holds the prestigious Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) from the Events Industry Council. 

“This is a pivotal moment for our Complex, and for the city of Raleigh as our venues expand. I’m eager to cultivate these sponsorships that will connect partners with our hundreds of thousands of new guests,” said Jansen. “Having developed a deep passion for this city as an NC State student, it’s gratifying to have been with our venues over the past 15 years and see their contribution to Raleigh’s growth. I take pride in seeing Raleigh earn recognition as a premier destination, and I’m honored to help shape the future of both our venue and our downtown community with our innovative marketing team that will continue to elevate our visibility and impact.” 

She began her new position on July 28. 

Texas FFA tipped its hat to Fort Worth in a big way, awarding staff of Visit Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Convention Center and other community leaders with the Honorary Lonestar Degree during its 97th Annual Convention in July — celebrating years of partnership, hospitality, and hometown pride that keeps the blue corduroy jackets coming back to Cowtown.

The degree honors individuals, business groups or organizations who have made outstanding contributions to FFA (Future Farmers of America) and to the advancement of agricultural education.

“Texas FFA appreciates your dedication to agriculture and to the youth of Texas,” wrote Texas FFA Executive Director Jennifer Jackson in a letter to recipients, thanking them for their years of support of the association.

Recipients of the Texas FFA Lone Star Degree are, from left to right: Bob Jameson, President & CEO, Visit Fort Worth; Mary Wilson, Director of Sales – Central Texas Region, Visit Fort Worth; Stephanie Rodriguez, Senior Convention Services Manager, Visit Fort Worth; and Joy Bradley, National Sales Manager, Fort Worth Convention Center.

Fort Worth has hosted Texas FFA nine times since 2002. As is the norm for most Texas associations, they rotate their annual convention among the largest cities in Texas. With 13,000 students (plus teachers and sponsors), the Texas FFA Annual Convention has an $18 million economic impact to Fort Worth. Citing Fort Worth’s unmatched hospitality, they will return to Fort Worth for their annual conventions in 2026 and 2027.

Joy Bradley, national sales manager for the Fort Worth Convention Center, has been partnering with Texas FFA since 2014.

“Texas FFA has strong ties to Fort Worth through partnerships with the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo as well as several Fort Worth-based corporations,” she said. “Our compact, safe and walkable downtown area with so many hotels and restaurants is a big benefit for the group, as is our genuine hospitality and ease of doing business.”

FFA members study not only farming and ranching but also horticulture, aquaculture, food sciences, accounting, business, wildlife management, mechanics and engineering — leading to careers in a variety of fields, according to the organization’s website.

Event centers costing under $100 million to construct are multiplying rapidly these days. In answer to the increasing construction in that genre, particularly amateur sports complexes, VenuWorks is increasing its involvement in privately managing that venue type.

Its most recent contract is with the city of Jacksonville, N.C., which is building One City Center, a sports complex for indoor sports like basketball, volleyball, and wrestling, and outdoor sports like baseball and soccer.

Mike Silva, COO, and Toby Peters, Chief Development Officer, show off VenuWorks Sports at VenueConnect in New Orleans.

Toby Peters, Chief Development Officer of VenuWorks, who was manning the VenuWorks booth at VC25 in New Orleans, explained that VenuWorks has always had sports-oriented centers in its private management book, but is now expanding its portfolio of community sports centers. “We have a lot of expertise working with clients in secondary or mid-sized markets,” Peters said. “We’ve always hosted tournaments and AAU and amateur sports. It’s been a great opportunity to diversify a little bit using our same infrastructure. They all have food and beverage, operations, programming, and recruiting.”

To facilitate the outreach, VenuWorks has added David Stow as a consultant. Stow spent 21 years working for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee on the facility side and is the former CEO of the TBK Bank Sports Complex and Entertainment Center in Bettendorf, Iowa. He founded Stow Sports Management in 2022.

Conversing with Stow before their current collaboration, Peters noted that Stow brought up the fact that there was a growing need for private management in these buildings. “They’re building them everywhere now, and cities are constantly reaching out for consultants to give them new ideas, new plans,” Peters learned.

Jacksonville is a neighboring city to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The city is looking to provide more activities for local and military families. One City Center is in the design phase now and has brought VenuWorks in to consult, with the intention of becoming the project manager and then operator. Construction begins in early 2026, with opening in mid-2027.

“We’re excited to get involved with the project, because when we first started talking to them, they only had a small warming kitchen attached to this huge banquet hall,” Peters noted. “Their plan was to let third-party vendors come in for free. We recommended building a full kitchen and hiring a chef.”

“Then we started talking about how great it will be to have this facility with so many basketball courts, but where do the parents go? So, we suggested they add a green room-type space, so people can sit down and watch TV and break out their laptops,” Peters recalled. “It’s been exciting taking their drawings and saying, ‘Hey, did you think about this? Did you think about that?’”

LP3 is the architect for City One Center, which is envisioned as an economic district, said Stow, who was reached by phone as he was traversing home from a different convention. Phase one includes eight basketball courts, which can be converted to 16 volleyball courts. Four of the courts can be converted to a center-court arena setup.

Jacksonville is a “growing town with a very strong military community. There are a lot of young families in the area, and the only available facilities to handle larger events are outside their community,” Stow said of the thinking there. Wilmington is the nearest city with entertainment and sports venues, but they are not that far from Raleigh. Jacksonville’s city officials are hoping to keep those young families closer to home. The rationale is not different than that in a lot of secondary and tertiary communities post-COVID-19. It’s reminiscent of the civic center construction boom post-WWII, with the end-stage design and the big open floor.

“They’re actually developing a whole new community around it, including mixed-use businesses, residential, retail, and hotels,” Stow said.

The second phase will include nine soccer fields, one of which is built as a championship court, and an outdoor amphitheater.

“They’re not afraid of adding additional phases. They just don’t know what those are going to be yet,” Stow said.

Stow agrees it has been a collaborative process with the city. “They were against the food piece at the beginning, but we came in to show that not only is it valuable, it’s necessary. They’re afraid of taking business away from the community, but if you don’t provide the parents and the families the right services inside the building, they won’t come back a second time,” he said. “There’s so much business to go around when you have a large volleyball tournament with thousands of kids, so those local businesses are still going to thrive and love every weekend that you host a tournament.”

Peters noted that they are having such a great experience in Jacksonville, he has been scouring the internet for similar city RFPs. “We have since put in proposals for a couple of other projects that are going through the same process.”

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) today announced the debut of “Building Momentum,” a new multi-platform content series that will take fans behind the scenes of the ambitious transformation of MSE’s brand-new arena in downtown Washington, D.C. Launching this morning with the first mini episode of The Ground Floor, this original series is brought to life by MSE’s productions team and presented by KPMG, MSE’s strategic partner for the arena transformation.

“Building Momentum” will share exclusive access and updates throughout the construction process—offering fans a firsthand look at how MSE is reimagining the home of the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, family shows, concerts, and other world-class programming. From infrastructure and design to technological innovation of the fan experience, the series will spotlight the scale, vision, and partnerships driving this once-in-a-generation project.

“’Building Momentum’ will give fans a seat at the table as the future of our brand-new arena comes to life,” said Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations at MSE. “We’ve created a compelling, creative series that truly captures the energy and innovation behind this transformation and we’re excited to share it over the coming months.”

“Building Momentum” will include various miniseries:

The Ground Floor with Juliana Morgan

• A fast-paced, bite-sized social media series hosted by Monumental Sports Network’s (MNMT) Juliana Morgan. These short-form videos will explain key transformation updates—what they are, why they matter, and how they’ll impact fans.
• Initial episodes will highlight the project timeline, overall arena upgrades, state-of-the-art arena technology, modernized team spaces, and curated art and memorabilia throughout the building.

Pardon Our Progress

• Episodes will feature perspectives from MSE and Gensler executives, explore the revitalization of The District, and provide a closer look at enhancements to the fan journey—leading up to the Capitals and Wizards season openers and throughout the first portion of the season.

Additional Content to Come

• Construction updates of new arena spaces leading up to the start of the season
• MNMT talent will go in-depth on different aspects of the transformation, offering personal takes and immersive storytelling.
• Dedicated miniseries spotlighting KPMG’s role as transformation partner, with an inside look at their strategy, analytics, and operational support for the transformation.

Today’s announcement comes as construction is underway on the brand-new Capital One Arena. MSE is taking a 360-degree approach to planning a high-tech, high-touch building that will serve millions of annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for fan experience and technological innovation.

Follow the “Building Momentum” series across all MSE social media platforms: Facebook, X, and Instagram.

The Nicholas Family of Companies has acquired Glacier Ice Arena, a 63,000-square-foot indoor ice arena with two NHL-regulation rinks at 670 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, Ill.

The Nicholas Family of Companies, a second-generation family-owned and -operated organization headquartered in Mount Prospect with additional offices in Wisconsin and Florida, today announced it has acquired Glacier Ice Arena, a 63,000-square-foot indoor ice arena with two NHL-regulation rinks at 670 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, Ill. The Nicholas Family of Companies will own and manage the hockey and ice-skating rink and will commence large-scale renovations later this year without disruption to operations.

Glacier Ice Arena is the newest addition to the Nicholas Family of Companies’ portfolio of ice rink facilities, which also includes the Mount Prospect Ice Arena at Nicholas Sportsplex in Mount Prospect, Ill.; Rosemont Ice Arena, a new 103,000-square-foot twin-sheet facility in Rosemont, Ill., set to open in August; and Elk Grove Ice Arena, a 86,261-square-foot, two-rink complex in Elk Grove, Ill., set to break ground in August. All four will be operated by the company’s internal sports and recreation firm Spectate Group.

“Glacier is a thriving facility with a rich 25-year history that’s created a strong, vibrant community,” said Nick Papanicholas Jr., chief executive officer and managing director of the Nicholas Family of Companies, which includes Spectate Group. “While the growing popularity of hockey has increased interest in investing in rinks, we also have a track record for managing them, and we are confident we can thoughtfully enhance the experience for future generations of players and families.”

The National Hockey League is consistently reporting higher revenue, increased ratings and record-setting attendance, with arenas filled to more than 96% capacity, reflecting the surge in hockey’s popularity. Additionally, there were 389,820 registered youth hockey players in 2023-24, up from 340,000 in 2009-10, and over 90,000 girls under age 18 are registered to play, almost surpassing Canada, according to USA Hockey.

Steve Perlmutter, the managing member of Glacier Ice Arena since its founding in 1999, opened the rink after seeing firsthand the impact of youth hockey and figure skating through his children’s participation in them in Chicago’s northwestern suburbs. He got to know the Papanicholas family, also avid hockey players, through the sport, and his decision to sell the facility ultimately was driven by his longstanding respect and admiration for them.

“The Nicholas Family of Companies is a seasoned, professional organization we’re confident will continue delivering the experience we’ve worked so hard to establish,” said Perlmutter. “We are grateful for the community’s support of Glacier and the hard work of our staff, particularly General Manager Eric Schneider and Assistant General Manager Chris Howarth, who have been indispensable in creating the family-friendly experience here. Eric and other staff will stay on under new management, helping to ensure a seamless transition for our patrons.”

“My family and Steve have a great relationship, and I want to continue that by carrying forward his vision with appreciation and respect,” said Papanicholas. “Glacier Ice Arena was Steve’s passion project, and we want to honor that legacy.”

Glacier Ice Arena is affiliated with a club called Ice Dogs Hockey Club and serves as the primary venue for the Ice Dogs Hockey Association – home to roughly 15 teams – for both games and practices. The Nicholas Family of Companies will continue to support the association by providing essential access to the ice arena and safeguarding a smooth changeover that respects its ongoing use.

As with the Nicholas Family of Companies’ Nicholas Sportsplex and Rosemont Ice Arena, there is potential for the firm’s integrated hospitality company, Big Fish Hospitality Group, to be incorporated into future phases of planning following the acquisition. “In the future, we may add a restaurant element to Glacier Ice Arena,” said Papanicholas. “We envision this facility as more than just a place to skate – we want it to be a space where the community can gather before, during and after the puck drop.

“Four of my kids played hockey so I’ve spent a lot of time at ice rinks,” he added. “I can say with certainty that this space has great bones and is an efficient size to support the community’s growing interest in hockey.”

Glacier currently has 10 locker rooms; study rooms; party and meeting rooms; a snack bar; and a video game room. Nicholas and Spectate are evaluating additional services and amenities to enhance the experience for patrons while minimizing downtime.

“Our job at Spectate Group is to immerse ourselves with the initial vision of Glacier Ice Arena and understand the brand from the inside out,” said Ryan Zanon, director of operations at Spectate Group. “We want to embrace the learning curve that comes with this acquisition to continue the integrity of the rink.

“Spectate Group is growing its footprint in the hockey world, but each rink remains deliberately personal – anchored by boots on the ground, nurturing each community like its own ecosystem,” Zanon added.