By Paul Pettas

On February 19, Centerplate – the food and beverage partner to the San Diego Convention Center – reached a milestone of one million meals served to people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centerplate team has prepared several thousand meals per day for San Diegans temporarily residing in

the San Diego Convention Center, which opened as an emergency shelter on April 1, 2020, under the project name Operation Shelter to Home. The operation has safely sheltered thousands of people and connected more than 1,200 to permanent or longer-term housing so far.

“Centerplate and our Convention Center have been an integral part of Operation Shelter to Home’s core mission to keep San Diegans experiencing homelessness safe during this pandemic,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This milestone and all of their contributions during the past year to those sheltering in the Convention Center reflect the commitment we have as a city to addressing homelessness together.”

Led by General Manager Bobby Ramirez and Executive Chef Daryl O’Donnell, the Centerplate management and culinary staff has gone above and beyond to serve the new clientele, utilizing two main kitchens and six independent teams. At peak, job opportunities were provided to 82 Centerplate employees as a result; even with resident numbers decreasing, work was still provided for 65 employees after regular event activity was put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. Operation Shelter to Home is currently funded through March 2021.

“The efforts of our team have been admirable, and to do so while adhering to stringent safety protocols has been even more noteworthy,” echoed Steve Pangburn, CEO, Centerplate / Sodexo Sports & Leisure. “It is our honor to play our part in supporting the local residents and community of San Diego, and I believe this epitomizes the service spirit that we promote throughout our entire Sodexo family on a daily basis.”

Chef O’Donnell and Senior Executive Sous Chef Sufi Karaien plan the meals roughly a week in advance to keep the food balanced and varied. Around the building, Centerplate staff hear from residents about favorites such as Buffalo chicken salad sandwiches, hot dogs, and manicotti. They have prepared special hot meals for holidays and events, like the recent Super Bowl, and organized a sock drive for shelter residents in December.

“The operation is seven days per week with multiple meal servings per day, in close coordination with city and county officials,” said Bobby Ramirez. “In our line of business, we know how to feed a lot of people – sometimes tens of thousands per day – so we know how to be nimble and solve problems. Our top priority continues to be the safety and health of our consumers and employees amid the biggest health crisis the world has seen in the last 100 years. I am truly grateful for the dedication and commitment our team has shown.”

As it does when catering conventions, Centerplate has been using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients whenever possible—an emphasis that has an economic ripple effect in the San Diego region. Centerplate’s suppliers include local farms, dairies and specialized markets. For example, many of the vegetables come from family-owned Moceri Produce – where a typical order can consist of 400 pounds of lettuce, 60 pounds of broccoli and 50 pounds of cucumbers. And, most baked products are from Poway-based O’Brien’s Boulangerie.

Operation Shelter to Home began by moving individuals already in shelters into the San Diego Convention Center to allow for proper physical distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because the effects of the pandemic were creating staffing challenges at the City’s various shelters, the program centralized staff in one place to ensure personnel could be efficient even with limited numbers. Since April 2020, the operation has served nearly 4,000 people with a warm and sanitary environment.

“In our building, we’re all one team. We thank the tireless efforts of the Centerplate staff and the many local suppliers who work to make this all possible,” said Rip Rippetoe, CVE,k IAVM Chair and President and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.

Paul Pettas is PR & Communications Director for Centerplate.

John R. “Jack” Vivian, a friend to many in the IAVM family, passed away on February 17. He was 79.

Vivian was a Canadian ice hockey player, college football player, ice hockey head coach, general manager, professional scout, and university administrator. He was most notable as the first head coach of the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) varsity ice hockey program and the then-youngest general manager in professional hockey with the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association from 1973-76. He was a member of the Adrian College and Bowling Green State athletic halls of fame.

Most recently, he was CEO of JRV Management and Consulting, a firm specializing in ice arena construction, operation and management, as well as a Director at the Ice Arena Institute of Management.

Vivian grew up in Strathroy, Ontario, just west of London. After high school, Vivian joined the logging industry in Dryden, Ontario. He left to enroll at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan, where he played football. He transferred to the University of Vermont to play on the club ice hockey team for one year and then returned to Adrian. Vivian was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Adrian in 1966.

In 1966, Vivian was recruited by Bowling Green to be a graduate assistant coach for the BGSU football team, coach the club hockey team, and help direct the completion of the new BGSU Ice Arena. With a new ice arena, ice hockey became a varsity sport in 1969 and Vivian became the varsity team’s first head coach. In addition to coaching BGSU, Vivian also helped start the youth hockey program for the city of Bowling Green. Playing for two seasons without a conference, Vivian joined forces with four other hockey programs Lake Superior State, Ohio, Ohio State, and St. Louis University to create the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). In 1973, Vivian directed BGSU to their first-ever CCHA Tournament championship.

On May 15, 1973, Vivian accepted the general manager position for the Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA. At the time, Vivian was the youngest general manager in major professional hockey. Crusaders head coach John Hanna was fired midseason 1974-75 and replaced by Vivian. Vivian coached the Crusaders to a 35-40-3 record after beginning the season 14-18-1.

In 1973, at the age of 32, Vivian was named general manager of the Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA. Vivian also coached the team for 44 games during the 1974-75 season. The Crusaders folded after the 1975-76 season. In 1976, Vivian became a scout for the New York Islanders. He was with the Islander organization for 17 seasons.

After resigning from the Crusaders, Vivian was named the ice hockey facility director at Miami University. He oversaw the construction and opening of Goggin Ice Arena.[9] He held the position until 1985.

To honor Jack Vivian, signees of this petition from the website below want to recognize his countless contributions to the BGSU community by naming the main ice surface at the Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green. We are suggesting its new name to become the Jack Vivian Rink at Slater Family Ice Arena.

https://www.change.org/p/bowling-green-state-university-dedicate-the-main-ice-surface-at-bgsu-to-jack-vivian
click here.

By Aly Grubb​

The Fox Theatre has announced it has achieved the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Fox Theatre has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention. The accreditation is one of many health and safety preparations the Atlanta theatre has made to reopen.

As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that the Fox Theatre implements best practices to prepare for, respond to, and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

“By taking this important step to pursue the GBAC STAR, the Fox Theatre has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely”, says GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger.

To achieve this accreditation, the Fox was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.

In addition to earning the GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the Fox is making significant improvements to the facility’s air quality. Most notably, the theatre has consulted with Mathias Environmental out of Duluth, GA to design and install an Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) system in its heating and air ventilation system. The technology, recognized for disinfection of air by both the CDC and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRE) uses UVC lighting to attack the DNA and RNA of pathogens found in the air. “UVC has been used to combat the spread of airborne pathogens like Tuberculosis since the 1960’s,” says Jeff Stines of American Ultraviolet, the company providing most of the Fox’s UV lighting equipment. “Once installed, the technology is designed to inactivate up to 99% of viruses on every air cycle.”

The theatre’s air quality improvement project adds to a list of evolving health and safety preparations it has made since shutting down last March.

“The Fox’s determination to utilize one of the most effective and proven technologies backed by decades of testing and research, is a refreshing example of a facility and its management that doesn’t just say they’re doing something effective and meaningful but prove they are with an investment like this,” says Dave Heydinger, President of the Mathias Environmental.

Regarding some operational changes, guests returning to the Fox can expect a more contactless event experience:

Digital tickets to replace paper tickets and print-at-home delivery options
Mobile entry with self-scanning pedestals

Guest-facing credit card terminals and contactless payment options

Plexi-glass partitions at all food and beverage service locations

Touchless hand sanitizers throughout the theatre

Mobile pick-up on select food and beverage through the Fox Mobile App

“Local, state, and federal guidelines related to resuming indoor live events continue to evolve. We are continuing preparations for a summer reopening and will share further event updates including guest implications as they develop,” says Allan Vella, President and CEO of the Fox Theatre.

Aly Grubb​ is Director of Marketing for The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.

By Gary O’Brien

As Nationwide Arena welcomed fans to the March 2 Columbus Blue Jackets game vs. the Detroit Red Wings (the first game with fans since March 1, 2020), the venue announced it has earned the prestigious GBAC Star Certification Accreditation. This is another indication of the venue’s priority of providing a confident, safe environment for guests, staff and players.

“We are thrilled to welcome fans back to Nationwide Arena, and are confident that the health and safety protocols we’ve put in place show that we are meeting the highest standards in providing a safe and healthy environment as further validated by the GBAC Star Facility Accreditation,” said Mike Gatto, Senior Vice-President of Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment (CASE) and the General Manager of Nationwide Arena.

The GBAC STAR™ program requires demonstrated compliance with 20 core elements from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment, emergency preparedness and response measures. Accreditation recognizes implementation of the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention. The program ensures facilities use best practices to limit future outbreaks, empowers cleaning staff to do their jobs safety and effectively and gives customers greater peace of mind.

“GBAC Star certification is the cleaning industry’s gold seal of approval, and assures that fans can safely attend events at Nationwide Arena,” said Don Brown, Executive Director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA).

“On the cusp of Blue Jackets fans being welcomed back to Nationwide Arena, it’s exciting to know they will have the extra layer of assurance in the facility having received GBAC STAR™ Accreditation,” said Brian Ross, President and CEO of Experience Columbus. “This third-party validation of their outbreak prevention and response capabilities is an important step in continuing to reopen the travel economy and welcome events back to our community.”

The Schottenstein Center (also managed by CASE), home to The Ohio State University’s Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball and Men’s Ice Hockey, as well as world-class concerts and events, is currently pursuing GBAC STAR Accreditation.

Gary O’Brien is Director of Communications for Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment (CASE).

By Karen Brand

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) has announced the implementation of two cleanliness and safety technologies in its venues: needlepoint bipolar ionization (NPBI) and thermal cameras. The CRVA manages the Charlotte Convention Center, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium, and provides back of house support to Spectrum Center.

The CRVA is among the first in the meetings and conventions industry to implement NPBI technology in its venues. Developed and installed by Charlotte-based Global Plasma Solutions (GPS), the patented technology plays a pivotal role in efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus when paired with the CRVA’s existing practices and cleaning technologies. NPBI technology delivers safer, cleaner indoor air by reducing harmful particles and pathogens like mold, bacteria, allergens and viruses, and is highly effective in eliminating disease-causing pathogens, such as those responsible for COVID-19.

The CRVA will use four thermal camera units — three in the Charlotte Convention Center and one in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The cameras work by continuously measuring body temperatures in large groups of employees and guests entering the buildings, with the ability to measure tens of thousands of readings per hour from up to 16 feet away. The thermal camera units will allow the venues to more efficiently conduct health screenings and safely welcome guests by reducing potential spread of the virus.

“The NPBI technology and cameras add an additional layer of cleanliness, help us mitigate risk and enhance the already-robust cleaning practices in place within our managed venues,” said Tom Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the CRVA. “The health and wellbeing of our guests, employees and visitors to Charlotte is always our top priority. We appreciate our partnership with the City of Charlotte and their commitment to using CARES Act funding for installation of the NPBI technology in support of the hospitality industry’s recovery.”

Prior to the NPBI technology and thermal cameras, the CRVA had taken great steps to provide the highest standards of safety and security for guests and employees to each of its managed venues. The Charlotte Convention Center, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Bojangles Entertainment Complex and Spectrum Center were some of the first venues in the state to receive the industry-leading GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation. The CRVA also developed and implemented “We Clean with Care,” a robust and comprehensive program created based on the guidance of the CDC, FDA and a contracted infection disease control expert.

The Charlotte Convention Center is currently undergoing a $126.9M expansion slated for completion this summer. The project will increase the convention center’s total leasable space from 550,000 to 600,000 square feet, including 14 new meeting rooms, two customizable 10,000 square-foot spaces and an overstreet pedestrian walkway to the 700-room Westin Charlotte hotel and a light rail station stop. Last year, the Bojangles Entertainment Complex (BOplex) opened a brand new 35,000 square foot connector facility, unifying the historic Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium and enhancing the visitor experience with additional space for hospitality, new concession options and an outdoor patio.

Karen Brand is Director of Communications for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.