The Los Angeles Dodgers have become the latest Major League Baseball team to begin reserving sections of their stadium for fans fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Dodgers started the plan venture at Dodger Stadium for last weekend’s 5-4 win over the San Diego Padres. The game, part of a seven-game homestand at Dodger Stadium, saw the Dodgers make additional seats available in a fully-vaccinated fan section on the Loge level.

Social distancing was not required in this section, with fans seated directly next to other parties. Sections 166LG and 168LG of Dodger Stadium were reserved for fully vaccinated patrons who had received their final vaccine dose at least a fortnight before the game.

Children between the ages of two and 15 were admitted provided they could offer proof of having tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of admission. Children under the age of two did not need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Face coverings had to be worn in the fully vaccinated-only section, except while actively eating and/or drinking in the ticketed section.

The Dodgers are set to assess findings from Saturday’s trial before potentially offering fully-vaccinated sections for further home games.

The Dodgers’ fellow Californian MLB teams the Padres and San Francisco Giants have already experimented with such sections. The Padres doing so at Petco Park earlier this month and Oracle Park receiving special seating for the Giants’ game on Thursday.

California is currently permitting a maximum of 33% capacity at sports venues, with the state’s seven-day COVID-19 case rate the lowest in the United States.

The International Association of Venue Mangers (IAVM) has joined forces with industry partners to encourage adoption of the COVID vaccine by launching a public awareness campaign titled ‘VAX4LIVE.’ The initiative is focused on raising awareness on the available vaccines as increased adoption is the quickest way to return to live events as safely as possible.

The live events industry has been shuttered for 13 months with devastating results for many artists and venues – economically and culturally.  “Our industry has been hit hard by the pandemic,” stated Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM President and CEO. “We were the first to have to close our doors, and will be the last to fully reopen. IAVM will do all we can to help raise awareness for COVID vaccines, and Vax4Live provides a central online location for information, engagement and  enhances our efforts to advocate for and support the reopening of our industry.”

The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) is leading the industry campaign along with several partners including  Fox Theatre,  AEG Presents, Bandit Lites, the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), the Independent Promoter Alliance (IPA), Red Light Management, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Universal Attractions Agency and others.

Due to the perceived uncertainty and misinformation of the effects of the vaccine, vaccine hesitancy exists in most states. Public acceptance and adoption, coupled with the distribution of science-based educational resources are crucial to increase vaccine participation. For information on COVID vaccine in your state, including vaccine locations, visit the CDC’s website here.

Additional vaccine resources from the CDC can be found:

• Key Things to Know About COVID Vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html;
• CDC Benefits of Getting a COVID Vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
• CDC Myths and Facts about COVID Vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html

By Maggie Yu

The Shenyang New World EXPO reopened on March 10th 2021 for its third time due to previous governmental mandated COVID related closures in January, April, and December of 2020. The activity following clearly indicated the resilience of the exhibition industry in Shenyang, Liaoning’s provincial capital city, as well as within the northeast region of China.

Five major events were held within EXPO in the last three weeks of March including the 2021 Shenyang International Advertising Festival, the 2021 and 23rd North International Exhibition of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Comfortable Home Systems, the 2021 and 22nd China Northeast International Dental Equipment & Affiliated Facilities Exhibition Symposium on Oral Health, the 2021 and 26th China Northeast International Building & Decoration Exhibition, and the Fang Guan Jia Real Estate Agency Annual Conference. The attendance for the five events totaled 187,952.

“From the reopening in July of 2020, all events have been successfully held; organizers have fully respected the COVID-19 procedures which have been approved by Shenyang’s health related bureau,” said Diane Chen, EXPO’s General Manager. “Plans put into action by EXPO included implementation of measures to minimize the causation of virus transmission, strict social distancing protocols, utilization of data and technology to support contact tracing and testing, and focus protocols and communications to reinforce behavioral change to address the new procedures. Attendees have been very cooperative with COVID procedures, e.g., wearing masks, body temperature checks, and distancing when queueing during entry. Visitors have been happy to sanitize their hands and most willing to show their personal health code before entering the venue. Through March 2021, no suspected COVID cases were reported. All the attendees are traceable using organizer registration systems and health codes”.

Shenyang’s health commission, commerce bureau, and public security bureau were included as an extremely important part of EXPO’s reopening team. All team members continually shared the most updated epidemic information and were available to respond to stakeholder questions regarding the status of the epidemic. Also used was the regular updates on operational advice from UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the International Association of Venue Managers. EXPO is an active member of both industry associations.

Cliff Wallace, CVE, Senior Executive Advisor to EXPO, noted that government bureaus were and continue to be very proactive in supporting the exhibition and conference industry and EXPO’s reopening. Wallace said, “On 24th February 2021, Ms. Wang Ping, the Deputy Director of Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Mr. Lian Zhiyong, the Head of Emergency Office of the Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, attended EXPO the 4th Organizer & Contractor Co-ordination Meeting encouraging all organizers to cooperate with EXPO’s COVID Prevention Procedures to facilitate the restart the exhibition industry. I was delighted to see the Commerce and Public Security Bureaus actively supporting the reopening by granting the event licenses expeditiously and on time considering the last minute decisions required of the organizers. A high level of cooperation by Government is critical in such emergency and crisis situations.”

Quarantine control measures remain in effect for visitors entering China from outside the mainland. This is similar to other countries globally. The exhibition industry remains challenged until international travel resumes. Both Chen and Wallace remain optimistic that the continual administration of the COVID vaccines and ability to verify that visitors have received the vaccine will be the most effective short term enhancement for the industry’s meaningful restart.

Maggie Yu is in Communications at the Shenyang New World EXPO.

Photo: The 22nd China Northeast International Dental Equipment & Affiliated Facilities Exhibition Symposium on Oral Health

Kelly Shea will be joining VStar Entertainment as Senior Director of Booking on May 3, 2021. Kelly comes to VStar with over 20 years of experience in the live entertainment industry. She was most recently Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Premier Sport Psychology in Minneapolis.

Premier’s client roster includes teams and athletes from the NBA, NHL, NFL and NCAA. Prior to that, she spent two and half years at Ticketmaster working in their NBA and NHL segment in Client Development. Before coming to Ticketmaster, she spent almost 14 years at Feld Entertainment in the North American Routing and Tours Department, most recently as Senior Booking Director.

Kelly started her career in live entertainment at VEE Corporation in 2000 first as a Promoter and then moved into Booking after two years. “I’m thrilled to join the team at VStar Entertainment Group, a leading worldwide entertainment company and producer of unforgettable live experiences,” she said. “I’m really excited to be working alongside Kevin Kulas, Vice President of the Cirque Du Soleil Affiliate Group, and to reconnect with all of my amazing industry friends and colleagues.”

By ISSA and R.V. Baugus

Professional sports venues continue to demonstrate their dedication to fans and players with GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™, (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. This week, the latest arenas to earn accreditation include FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., home to the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies; and Le Centre Bell (L’Aréna des Canadiens Inc.) in Montreal, home to the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. GBAC STAR also accredited Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City; Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, R.I.; and Houston Community College-Administration Building in Houston.

“By helping facilities prepare for, respond to, and recover from biorisks, GBAC STAR is raising the standard for cleaning and disinfection,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “Because it is a performance-based accreditation program, the public can trust the science behind the GBAC STAR seal that facilities display.”

In addition to continuing to gain ground with large stadiums and arenas, GBAC STAR is a sought-after program for convention centers and hotels that are eager to welcome visitors and guests as travel begins to pick up again. Designed for facilities of all types, the accreditation program requires participants to fulfill 20 key elements related to facility leadership, risk mitigation, standard operating procedures, and more.

This week’s newly accredited facilities include:

Arenas

FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., home to the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies
Le Centre Bell (L Arena des Canadiens Inc.) in Montreal, home to the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens

Convention Center and Expos

HIR Expos y Convenciones in Mexico City
Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs National Park, Ark.
Italian Exhibition Group – Palacongressi di Rimini in Rimini, Italy
Italian Exhibition Group – Rimini Expo Centre in Rimini, Italy
Italian Exhibition Group – Vicenza Expo Centre in Vicenza, Italy
Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan
Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan

Cultural Venue

Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City

Stadiums

Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, the practice facility for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys
Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., home to the MLS’s New York Red Bulls and the NWSL’s NJ/NY Gotham FC

Theaters and Performing Arts Centers

Benedum Center in Pittsburgh
Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, R.I.
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami
Byham Theater in Pittsburgh

“The cleanliness of a facility impacts the guest experience, just like service and price do,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “Proper cleaning must also incorporate disinfection and infection prevention techniques. With accreditation, people can be confident that facilities know how to uphold cleanliness to support health and safety.”

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

Find accredited facilities and those pursuing accreditation via the GBAC STAR Facility Directory at gbac.org/directory.

IAVM members seeking to apply for accreditation through GBAC, please use the link https://gbac.issa.com/iavm/!