By Quinn Phillips

Explore Edmonton in collaboration with the Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels (EDMH), Oilers Entertainment Group, TRAXX Coachlines, Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton EXPO Centre, has announced that Edmonton has successfully secured the Destination Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Accreditation. Edmonton is now the first and only Canadian destination, and one of only four destinations throughout North America, to have obtained the Destination GBAC STAR™ Accreditation.

In support of the Destination GBAC STAR™ Accreditation, Explore Edmonton has launched a promotional campaign and platform Visit Safely in Edmonton: From Touchdown to Takeoff to encourage business travel, meetings, conventions and major events to return to Edmonton following COVID-19 related cancellations and postponements. The campaign showcases the health & safety and outbreak prevention measures will be in place at participating properties across the city. In addition, Explore Edmonton and EDMH are offering substantial incentives for event planners who are considering Edmonton as their host destination.

“For over a year, Edmonton’s tourism and hospitality industry has experienced widespread travel restrictions, event postponements and cancellations,” said Maggie Davison, Interim CEO, Explore Edmonton. “As we reopen, our industry must show solidarity and collaboration in our commitment to providing a safe experience for business travelers and events returning to Edmonton. Our Destination GBAC STAR™ Accreditation proves that we are prepared to responsibly open for business—reigniting our industry and positioning Edmonton among the safest business event and travel destinations in North America.”

The Destination GBAC STAR™ Accreditation program is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention,
response and recovery accreditation for facilities and destinations. This means the cleaning, sanitization,
outbreak prevention and recovery programs at participating Edmonton hotels, venues and transportation agencies are accredited and validated by the gold standard program that prepares them with the right systems to protect against and respond to biorisk situations, including COVID-19. To obtain GBAC STAR™ Accreditation, facilities must demonstrate compliance with 20 specific elements including maintaining strict cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, infectious disease prevention planning, staff training and more.

“The pursuit of GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation by various venues in Edmonton is a testament to the city’s commitment to a heightened level and ongoing priority of cleanliness that citizens, visitors, and staff now expect,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “Through the GBAC STAR accreditation,
they are showing their dedication to the next step in infection prevention post-pandemic: cleaning for
health.”

Quinn Phillips is Strategic Communications Manager, Explore Edmonton.

By Sarah Maio

The Wisconsin Center District (WCD), in partnership with Cross Management Services, Inc. (CMSI) and Prism Technical Management & Marketing Services (Prism), unveiled their plans for tracking and verifying diversity and inclusion procedures throughout construction of the Wisconsin Center expansion. Both CMSI and Prism have a thorough process for monitoring and tracking commitments to inclusion efforts for both businesses and the workforce, respectively.

“The Wisconsin Center expansion will create thousands of jobs during construction and again once opened, and it’s important to us that a variety of these jobs are held by Milwaukee residents and representative of our community,” said Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District. “Prism and CMSI will ensure that we’re keeping our promise to the community and meeting the inclusion goals we’ve committed to.”

The WCD has committed to contracting with at least 25 percent minority-owned businesses, five percent women-owned businesses, and one percent disabled veteran-owned businesses for construction, along with a Residential Preference Program (RPP), mandating at least 40 percent of on-site construction labor hours will be performed by trade workers residing in the city of Milwaukee. Upon opening, the expanded Wisconsin Center is expected to support 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs throughout the state of Wisconsin.

The WCD is prepared to meet these inclusion and diversity goals and is currently on track to maintain them. Final business inclusion goal results will be available in Q4 2021.

“At CMSI, we use creativity and business savvy to meet and exceed our clients’ inclusion goals. Policies of diversity and inclusion help build better businesses, and a stronger community. We are happy to partner with the WCD to ensure easy, effective, and verifiable compliance with their business inclusion process,” said Carla Cross, president and CEO of Cross Management Services, Inc. “Our unique quality control systems provide multiple checks for information accuracy and onsite visits authenticate the performance of a commercially useful function by certified firms.”

While CMSI will ensure contracted businesses meet the WCD’s goal for minority-owned, women-owned, and disabled veteran-owned companies, Prism will monitor diversity in the workforce. The bidding process for subcontractors has already begun, but there are still many open construction jobs. To help fill these roles, Prism representatives attended Northcott Neighborhood House’s Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 19, where they shared information about the Wisconsin Center expansion and collected contact information and work history of those interested in joining the construction team.

“The Wisconsin Center expansion will have a profound impact on the Milwaukee community, and we’re looking forward to partnering with the WCD team to make sure inclusion goals and milestones are met throughout the construction process,” said Randy Crump, CEO of Prism Technical Management & Marketing Services. “We have an abundance of untapped talent in southeast Wisconsin, and there’s no better place to start recruiting that talent than within our own city.”

Sarah Maio is Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Wisconsin Center District.

By SportsBusiness

Insurance company Canada Life has become the new naming rights partner of the home of NHL ice hockey team Winnipeg Jets with current sponsor, telecommunications firm Bell, set to remain associated with the arena in a lesser capacity.

The venue, which also plays host to Manitoba Moose American Hockey League (AHL) games as well as major concerts and other events, will be renamed Canada Life Centre from July 1. The 10-year sponsorship agreement includes substantial branding, media, hospitality and community assets for Canada Life, which agreed the deal with True North Sports + Entertainment, owner and operator of the arena and Jets.

“As True North Sports + Entertainment celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, we can’t think of a more exciting way to embark upon the next 10 years of our organisation’s journey than with a partner like Canada Life, that shares the same community commitment and passion for our great city and country,” said Mark Chipman, executive chairman of True North Sports + Entertainment.

Canada Life employs more than 11,000 people across the country, with 3,300 alone at its headquarters in Winnipeg. “We are thrilled to introduce Canada Life to all Canadians in this big and bold way and build on the momentum our company has achieved since moving to one brand in the Canadian market,” said Jeff Macoun, president and chief operating officer in Canada for Canada Life.

“We have a long history and deep roots in Winnipeg and we’re proud to have our name on a place that embodies the heart and spirit of the city’s vibrant community.”

The arena opened in 2004 as the MTS Centre, and was renamed Bell MTS Place in 2017 after Bell acquired Manitoba Telecom Services. In a separate announcement, True North said Bell MTS has agreed a new five-year deal, running across the 2021 to 2026 seasons, to remain as an official partner of the Jets and Moose and official telecommunications provider of their home venue.

True North said Bell MTS will “revolutionise” the experience for Jets fans in the building, and those watching via broadcaster TSN, through next-generation networks and technologies. The agreement also includes new behind the scenes content produced by True North Sports + Entertainment and exclusive to Bell.

Additionally, the Bell logo that has appeared on the helmets of Winnipeg Jets players this season will remain for the next five campaigns.

By Sue Oxarart

Toyota Arena announced the hiring of Denise Gonzales to the position of director of booking. This new position for Toyota Arena was created to provide a dedicated focus on booking events for the venue. “We are pleased to welcome Denise to Ontario and look forward to her expertise in managing our entertainment calendar,” said Michael Krouse, Regional Vice President of SMG Worldwide. “Her vast experience and contacts in the entertainment industry, in addition to her knowledge of our region in Southern California, will ensure we will continue and exceed our guest’s expectations for a full calendar of concerts, family shows, and sporting competitions.”

Gonzales, a Southern California native, started her new role on June 21. She began her career in the live entertainment industry as a booking intern at Live Nation. There she worked her way up to booking assistant for House of Blues West Hollywood and Anaheim, and tour project manager shortly thereafter. During her eight years employed at Live Nation, Gonzales managed bookings of a variety of events in a multitude of music genres including rock, pop, hip-hop, metal, punk rock, emo, Latin, country, and J-Rock as well as non-traditional, non-musical events. In 2017, Gonzales took the director of booking and entertainment role at ArenaNetwork, where she worked vigorously to drive more content to arenas across the country. Her efforts and persistence have resulted in numerous successful events at ArenaNetwork member venues over the past four years.

Gonzales was born in Monterey Park and grew up in La Puente. She and her family moved to Chino prior to her freshman year in high school. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communications with an emphasis on Entertainment from California State University, Fullerton.

Sue Oxarart is Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau and Ontario Convention Center.

The IAVM Foundation’s E3 webinar series continues on June 24 at 12 pm (PDT) to celebrate Pride Month with a panel discussion under the title of “Yes I’m Queer, Now Can We Get Back to Work?”

Listen in on a free-wheeling conversation between a multi-generation panel of out and about LGBTQ+ community members. Bring your questions and concerns, as the panel is prepared to answer them, as best as possible.

The session will focus on what makes a workplace LGBTQ friendly and what doesn’t, with a focus on the personal which becomes the political.

Panelists include Ash Christopher, Brooklyn, NY; Martha Henderson, San Diego, CA; Daniel Huerta, Dallas, TX; and Chris Largent, San Francisco, CA, with moderator Jen Norris, San Francisco, CA.