By R.V. Baugus

It’s time for me to brush up on exactly how cryptocurrency works, especially in light of its growing presence in the sports industry and now with a new naming rights deal.

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX has reached a deal to assume naming rights of Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena to become FTX Arena. The venue has been named AmericanAirlines Arena since opening in 1999, although the company announced in 2019 that it would not extend its $2 million per year deal once it ended in 2020. The venue kept the name while searching for a successor. The deal is pending county commission approval today.

In addition the anchor tenant NBA Miami Heat said that it will dedicate certain sections of the venue to fans who have received COVID-19 vaccinations.

The new partner is indicative and representative of the growing presence of cryptocurrency in the sports industry. The deal is expected to result in an undisclosed amount of yearly payments from FTX to Miami-Dade, which controls naming rights to the arena while the Heat markets other sponsorship for the venue.

Meanwhile, as the venue continues reopening, the April 1 game against the Golden State Warriors will include two sections of the lower bowl that will be fully open to fans who have been fully vaccinated from COVID-19. While masks will still be required, social distancing protocols will be lessened.

Pods of fans will be separated by one seat in the aforementioned two sections. Fans will enter the arena through a dedicated gate and be required to show their Centers for Disease Control vaccination card, or proof thereof, along with valid ID. Fans will need to have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days to be eligible.

In January, COVID-19 Detection Dogs made their debut as Heat fans returned to AmericanAirlines Arena, with the team maintaining their deployment is only one element of their venue safety strategy.

That light at the end of the tunnel continues getting brighter for our industry, with hopefully more good news continuing to come from venues across the country.

As for that needing to learn more about cryptocurrency, my only personal experience came five years ago when I arrived to my home computer to begin working only to discover I had been hit with a ransomware attack with the criminals demanding payment in something called bitcoin, something I had never heard of.

The good news is a cyber genius came to my rescue to restore all of my data, thankfully ending my quest for the elusive bitcoin to pay the thieves.

Image by Phillip Pessar

The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) is pleased to announce the nomination of Kerry Painter, CVE, CEM, CMP, for Second Vice Chair of the IAVM’s Board of Directors. Painter will serve a four-year term, taking on the Chairman position in 2023-2024.

Painter currently serves as the General Manager/Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex which encompasses the Raleigh Convention Center, Duke Energy Performing Arts Center, Red Hat Amphitheater and Walnut Creek Amphitheater. She has a long and successful career in venue management and operations, and previously served as the AGM for the Cox Business Center in Tulsa Oklahoma, where the convention center won the Venue Excellence award in 2017. Earlier to that, Painter  was the President/GM in Niagara Falls Canada and has assisted in constructing/opening five venues in total throughout her lengthy career.

“The leadership of IAVM works every day for the betterment of our members,” said Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, CVE, IAVM Chair of the Board. “Part of that is to advance persons of distinction into key leadership roles.  Kerry has dedicated her 23-year tenure as a member of IAVM in a variety of ways including being a Board member, a Trustee, a committee member and as an instructor/mentor.  We welcome her to this new role and look forward to her tenure on the Executive Committee as she moves through the leadership chairs.”

Painter currently serves as the Treasurer for the IAVM Foundation Board of Trustees and teaches annually at IAVM’s Venue Management School.

“IAVM has quality leaders in the officer positions that care about our industry and the association’s members,” said Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM President and CEO. “I have had the privilege of working closely with Kerry for many years at IAVM’s Venue Management School, as well as in support of the Foundation, and she is a great contributor to our industry, its members, and those in leadership. Her knowledge, experience, and passion for the future of the public assembly venue management industry make her uniquely qualified to fill the position of IAVM 2nd Vice Chair.”

Kerry is a member of IAVM, IAEE and PCMA, and has served on several boards/committees both within the industry and in her communities. She is an instructor, both domestic and internationally, for CEM classes through IAEE (Korea and Bangkok), as well as advises for Meredith College.

“I am over the moon thrilled to accept this honor,” stated Painter. “IAVM has helped me become the passionate professional I am today. I love this industry and have enjoyed every experience it has afforded me. To have the opportunity to give back and to lead an industry I love as we move into a post pandemic world is a role I will cherish.”

IAVM members will vote electronically in June on Painter’s nomination, and, if elected, she will take office in August during IAVM’s VenueConnect Annual Conference and Trade Show, August 2-5, in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information, please contact Amy Fitzpatrick, IAVM Director of Marketing, at (972) 538-1006 or by email at amy.fitzpatrick@iavm.org.

About IAVM: Representing public assembly venues from around the globe, IAVM’s 7,000+ active members include managers and senior executives from auditoriums, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university complexes, racetracks, and amphitheaters. IAVM’s mission is to educate, advocate for, and inspire public assembly venue professionals worldwide. More information about IAVM is available at www.IAVM.org or via @IAVMWHQ on Twitter.

By R.V. Baugus

IAVM is set to launch Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) Extension, built as a companion session of learning to the Association’s flagship AVSS, in May at the IAVM store. Comprised of eight sessions featuring expert speakers in all areas of venue safety and security, this is the perfect place for attendees to stay current with relevant sessions that can be viewed at the participant’s leisure on the virtual site until April 2022. Purchase options will include both single-user and venue multi-user accounts.

“Online safety and security is more important than ever during COVID-19,” said Mark Herrera, IAVM Director of Education and Life Safety. “IAVM has had to rapidly adapt to changing conditions under the current health pandemic to assure we provide the most current educational offerings on recommended safety and security best practices. Industry professionals and committee members representing the Academy for Venue Safety and Security faculty along with the Venue Safety and Security Committee have been instrumental in adapting the Academy to an AVSS extension offering in order to improve attendee skills on safety and security and better define their roles to the post-pandemic ways of working, which is critical to the success of the security to all Commercial Facilities.”

Herrera added that the goal of AVSS Extension is to provide virtual training opportunities in 2021 with the anticipation of returning to AVSS in-person training once the current health safety concerns are resolved. He emphasized that while AVSS Extension does not take the place of the current AVSS curriculum, it will allow attendees to stay current with expert-driven safety and security sessions that compliment the AVSS.

“We are excited to be able to offer our members an opportunity to enhance their venues’ safety and security this year through attendance at the AVSS Extension program,” said. Paul Villotti, PE, FSFPE, Chair of the AVSS Faculty. “When the faculty learned that the current COVID protocols would not allow our 2021 Academy to occur live in New Orleans, we wanted to find a way to continue to assist the members who wanted to provide the best in risk management at their venues. The faculty, IAVM staff, and the Venue Safety and Security Committee initiated this opportunity to allow the faculty to provide some ancillary information and training that enhances the learning that would have occurred at the 2021 Academy.

“We hope this gives past, current and future students an opportunity to explore more deeply the Academy’s core curriculum including Risk Management, Emergency Planning and Management, Security Operations, and Training. As Mark said, this AVSS Extension is not intended to replace the normal curriculum, but to give new students a taste of what is to come, and past and current students additional insights and a deeper understanding of the subject matter presented.”

The opportunity to self-pace in AVSS Extension is a feature as well as how the program will serve as a benchmark for future learning.

“One great aspect of this Extension is its ability to continue to be built upon in future years,” Villotti said. “We are hoping that it becomes a cache of safety and security resources for both AVSS students and the broader IAVM membership. Another great aspect is this format allows industry experts, including past students, to contribute to the AVSS Extension resources. This expands our knowledge base and infuses new approaches and experiences into the already expansive breadth of the faculty.”

IAVM grieves for the families and communities of numerous Asian Pacific Islander (API) community members murdered in Georgia on March 16, 2021 by senseless gun violence and anti-Asian racism.  We hope those wounded survive these atrocious attacks, and we continue to condemn all forms of hate.

IAVM calls all people, including local and national leaders, to condemn anti-API violence and to actively find solutions to shield our community from further hate and violence towards marginalized communities.

Whether the accused killer’s intentions were racially motivated or not, the impact of his actions has been a groundswell of fear and discussion around anti-Asian acts that are prevalent in much, if not all, of the United States.  We can and we must do better as a people, and as a nation, united against hate – silence is not acceptable.

By Bev Rose

ASM Global, the world’s leading venue management and services company, announced it has been selected via a competitive bid process by the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority (MCCFA) to provide management services for the Dayton Convention Center, the Ohio Miami Valley Region’s premiere event facility. In addition to running the day-to-day operations and management of the Center, ASM Global will be collaborating with the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and area hospitality stakeholders for marketing and promoting the Center, and providing first class culinary services, among other duties.

The addition of the Dayton Convention Center expands ASM Global’s convention center footprint in Ohio to four facilities, including convention centers in Toledo, Cleveland, and Columbus. Located in downtown Dayton and built in 1973, the Dayton Convention Center offers 150,000 square feet of meeting space, a 77,000 square foot exhibit hall, a full-service theatre, three ballrooms and 22 meeting rooms and spaces. As ASM Global’s presence increases, its managed facilities and venue owners benefit from the talent, resources, marketing and sales expertise, and operations support within the company’s regional network.

“We are honored to have been chosen by the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority to be their partner in operating the Dayton Convention Center, a premier venue that has been central to southwestern Ohio’s hospitality industry for almost 50 years,” said Bob Newman, CEO and Chairman of ASM Global. “In collaboration with the Authority, the Dayton CVB and other local partners, we look forward to building a strong foundation of creativity and service for the Center as we work together to develop and grow the destination for all.”

“The Authority looks forward to harnessing ASM Global’s significant experience, capabilities and resources as we enter a new era for the Dayton Convention Center as a centerpiece regional asset for the City of Dayton, Montgomery County, and the destination,” said Pam Plageman, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority. “The Authority and ASM Global will work quickly to finalize the management agreement so we can move forward as soon as the asset transfer is complete and we will be ready to re-open the Dayton Convention Center safely and comfortably on May 1st. Together, we can ensure the Center is poised for another five decades of attracting visitors and guests to Dayton and supporting our region’s businesses and residents.”

“The Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau is extremely pleased the MCCFA has hired a venue management and services company and is confident that ASM Global will do an excellent job. We look forward to working together with the MCCFA, ASM Global and our local hospitality partners to bring more convention and event business to our community” stated Jacquelyn Powell, President & CEO of the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Over the coming months, the ASM Global team will implement industry leading approaches to operations, marketing, sales, customer service, and resource allocation, providing the base foundation for future success. Additionally, ASM will provide support and counsel to the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority on its planned renovations to the Center.

“The ASM Global team is excited to work with the Authority and the entire Dayton hospitality community. Our experienced professionals can’t wait to get started and look forward to the community and business partnerships we will create and develop in the region,” said Bob McClintock, Executive Vice President, Convention Centers at ASM Global. “We applaud the steps taken to date by the Authority and clearly see the opportunity and bright future for the destination.”

Bev Rose is Director of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships for the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau in Dayton, Ohio.