By R.V. Baugus

There are so many organizations that should be recognized in 2020 for their work and efforts during the ongoing pandemic. We are of course biased, but believe that our amazing industry stands front and center when it has come to answering the call for, really, whatever has been needed in this tumultuous year. The most recent example comes courtesy of a long laundry list of member venues that served in one capacity or another in the recent Presidential Election. We are honored to run the list below and understand that this may not be complete. We would like to hear from you if your venue was a polling or training site so you may be recognized.

“The Fox Theatre (in Atlanta) was pleased to be asked to do its ‘civic duty’ and serve as a polling location for the general election and two run-offs,” said Allan Vella, President & CEO of Fox Theatre, Inc. “Under non-COVID conditions, this probably would have been an impossibility given scheduling conflicts. Because of the industry shutdown and consequently our availability, we were able to do our part.

“We worked directly with Fulton County, which had difficulty serving its citizens in the previous election, so the addition of numerous new polling sites stretched the County’s equipment and personnel thin. We in fact had less than 100 voters and we accommodated their requirements in our main lobby. Given that Georgia is in the spotlight because of the two run-off elections and the heightened concern over the control in the Senate, we expect a strong turn out for the January election.”

The FedEx Forum in Memphis, home to the NBA Memphis Grizzlies, was another polling site. In fact, NBA/NHL arenas stepped up across the country to become locations where individuals could cast ballots.

“FedExForum served as the location for the counting of absentee ballots for Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee, in the 2020 Presidential Election,” said Jeff Olson, Director of Event Booking at the venue. “FedExForum volunteered to serve as a public polling location but the local Election Board decided that they were in a pretty good shape for public polling locations throughout the county. They did decide that the location they had previously used for counting absentee ballots would not be sufficient with the new COVID-19 protocols and they needed a location with more space.

“We worked with the Election Board for them to use the FedExForum loading dock, event level and arena floor to set up as a socially distanced location where the absentee ballots could be safely counted. We had a receiving area near the loading dock that had security cameras and police guards where we were able to store the ballots as they came in from the Election Board. The ballots were prepped for counting on the event level and then taken out to the main floor to be reviewed and counted by the election workers. We had 80 tables in a socially distanced set up on the arena floor where the election workers were able to count the ballots safely. We used our Grand Lobby/main entrance area as the break location for the volunteer workers. This allowed us to have a socially distanced space for them to take a break and relax during their election shifts.

“The overall experience was a great one for me personally as I think that voting is the most important part of our democracy and something that I was very concerned about with the COVID-19 pandemic hitting our country during a Presidential Election year. I was considering volunteering as a poll worker before this and then was very excited when this opportunity came up for FedExForum to host the absentee ballot counting. It was a very educational experience to see how the whole absentee ballot process works since I had never seen that before. It showed me how the process works and that the process is very safe and secure. It was also great to see all the poll workers that volunteered for all day shifts to help ensure a safe, free and fair election occurred and I think our country should be proud that we have such people willing to dedicate their time.”

From the Southeast to the Northwest, IAVM member venues played a major role in the process that Olson described so well.

“Like many of our colleagues, ExtraMile Arena (Boise, ID) served as a polling site in 2020, a first in the building’s 38-year history,” noted Sam Dores, CVP, Director of Business Operations, Strategy, and Development, and Micki Courtney, Assistant General Manager. “In the midst of this pandemic, it was a great opportunity for the Arena, on the campus of Boise State University, to serve as a valuable community asset and provide an outlet for our student’s voices to be heard. A sense of pride and excitement could be felt as voters turned out to cast their votes. When one of our first voters let out a shout of excitement after his vote was tallied, his enthusiasm was met with clapping and cheering from the poll workers. That same positive energy could be felt throughout the day as people continued to pass through our venue.

“Having returned to limited activity in August by serving as two large campus classrooms, acting as a polling site allowed us to continue to implement, test and fine tune our COVID-19 protocols, including sanitization, queuing, and physical distancing. At the end of the night, the local elections office was extremely complimentary and appreciative of our venue’s efforts and our event staff’s commitment to customer service.

“Public venues, as centers of competition, celebration and creativity, play an important role in the communities we serve. Even when traditional events return, we are optimistic that both our venue and our industry continue to make ourselves available to serve as polling sites in future years. While polling site activities may not invoke the same sense of excitement as a University commencement, a Metallica concert or a high-stakes basketball game, the collective sense of pride and purpose we experienced by participating in such an important community effort was palpable. With the client, staff and guests satisfied by the way in which we managed this event, we are hopeful that positive word-of-mouth messaging results in enhanced consumer confidence as we prepare for the day we are able to re-open for traditional events.”

Thank you all for all you do in your communities!

Allen Event Center, Allen, TX
Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
B&O Warehouse, Baltimore, MD
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
BancorpSouth Arena & Conference Center, Tupelo, MS
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Berry Center, Houston, TX
Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg, TX
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Boch Centers Wang & Shubert Theatre, Boston, MA
Bojangles Entertainment Complex, Charlotte, NC
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Bozeman, MT
Bridge View Center, The, Ottumwa, IA
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Broadmoor World Arena and Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
Burton Coliseum Complex, Lake Charles, LA
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Charleston, WV
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Coppell Arts Center, Coppell, TX
Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, TX
Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MI
Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, Tallahassee, FL
Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb, IL
Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs, CO
ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
First National Bank Arena, State University, AR
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX
Gene Polisseni Center, Rochester, NY
Gila River Arena, Glendale, AZ
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Golden Spike Event Center, Ogden, UT
Hammer Theatre Center – SJSU, San Jose, CA
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix, AZ
Hertz Arena, Estero, FL
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston, TX
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Hult Center, Eugene, OR
Infinite Energy Forum, Duluth, GA
INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS
Irving Arts Center, Irving, TX
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, NY
LA Forum, The, Inglewood, CA
Lake Charles Civic Center, Lake Charles, LA
Landers Center, Southaven, MS
Las Vegas Ballpark, Las Vegas, NV
Lied Center for Performing Arts, Lincoln, NE
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Longview Convention Complex, Longview, TX
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Mabee Center, Tulsa, OK
Mechanics Bank Arena, Theater & Convention Center, Bakersfield, CA
Mesa Community College Performing Arts Venues, Mesa, AZ
Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
Mitchell Center, Mobile, AL
Moda Center, Portland, OR
Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center, Madison, WI
Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, Boise, ID
Music Center, The / Performing Arts Center of LA County, Los Angeles, CA
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Newnan Centre, Newnan, GA
NJPAC, Newark, NJ
North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, IN
Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, FL
Owensboro Sportscenter, Owensboro, KY
Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ
Prime Osborn Convention Center, Jacksonville, FL
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN
Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, NC
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Salem Civic Center, Salem, VA
San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA
San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA
San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, San Francisco, CA
SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
SFJAZZ, San Francisco, CA
Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR
Smart Financial Centre, Sugar Land, TX
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, WA
Sports & Expo Center, Warren, MI
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, TX
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL
Stephens Auditorium, Ames, IA
Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
TaxSlayer Center, Moline, IL
TD Garden, Boston, MA
TDECU Stadium/OVG Facilities, Houston, TX
The Forum, Waukesha, WI
Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN
Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park, FL
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
UD Arena, Dayton, OH
United Center, Chicago, IL
University of Southern California, Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Madison, WI
Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Weber County Fairgrounds, Ogden, UT
West Cal Arena & Events Center, Sulphur, LA
Wisconsin Union at UW – Madison, Madison, WI
Wright State University Nutter Center, Dayton, OH
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts / Thrasher-Horne Center, San Francisco, CA

By ISSA and R.V. Baugus

More than 140 facilities are closing 2020 with an impressive new accreditation. Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa, Calif. and athletic club F45 Training the Grove at Wesley Chapel in Wesley Chapel, Fla., are among the first of their kind to achieve GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. Two healthcare facilities; Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, home to the NBA’s Utah Jazz; three convention centers; and more than 100 hotels worldwide have also recently completed the GBAC STAR accreditation process, the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities.

“This year has presented many challenges for organizations as they try to navigate a global pandemic,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “The demand for GBAC STAR accreditation continues to increase as facilities seek guidance and a formalized approach to cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention in order to uphold health and safety.”

GBAC STAR accredited facilities follow the proper protocols for cleaning and disinfection, implement thorough training for chemicals, equipment, and procedures, and have knowledge of how germs live on high-touch surfaces. Launched in May 2020, the program has attracted commitments from more than 3,500 facilities in 81 countries this year, with more than 700 already accredited. Consumers can easily locate accredited facilities around the world via the GBAC STAR Facility Directory.

The latest Arenas and Convention Centers to achieve GBAC STAR accreditation are:

Arenas

Historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, home to the NBA’s Utah Jazz

Convention Centers

Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, N.J.
Boise Centre in Boise, Idaho
Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, Calif.

“GBAC STAR accreditation validates that facilities have the right cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention strategies in place to combat today’s and tomorrow’s disease risks,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “We are excited to accredit the first K-12 school, athletic club and healthcare facilities, and look forward to seeing many other types of facilities pursue and achieve GBAC STAR accreditation in 2021.”

Learn more about GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation at gbac.org/star.

(Editor’s Note: IAVM Chair Rip Rippetoe, CVE, was interviewed for the December Member Spotlight by the California Travel Association. We both congratulate Rip and thank him for his story as well as his promotion of IAVM and the role it plays throughout the public assembly venue world.)

CALTRAVEL / MEMBER SPOTLIGHT / DECEMBER 2020

An Interview with Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, President & CEO of San Diego Convention Center

BY SHANNON BROOKS, PRINCIPAL AT FORWØRD

No doubt, the pandemic has had—and continues to have—a devastating effect on our industry, the economy, and the health and welfare of so many. Yet, it’s the abundance of creative pivots and heartwarming demonstrations of human kindness and generosity that have made getting through this challenging time more bearable and even enriching. The subject of our latest Member Spotlight, Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, CVE, President & CEO of San Diego Convention Center, can attest to this.

The many ways he and his team have pitched in to support their community in a critical time of need demonstrate that the power of travel has not been diminished. Nor has the meetings and events industry coming to a relative standstill stopped the San Diego Convention Center from continuing to serve as a place of great value for San Diego residents.

The venue not only stepped up to serve as a critical super polling center for San Diego County during the recent elections, they also received a well-deserved Grand Golden Watchdog Award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for protecting the homeless during the pandemic as a key partner in the collaborative “Operation Shelter Home.” These are just a couple of the many impressive accomplishments that are a credit to Rip’s leadership of the San Diego Convention Center. Read on to learn more about our esteemed California travel industry colleague and some of the experiences and milestones that made him the man and leader he is today.

How did your career in hospitality/events begin?
I was a scenery and lighting designer for a summer stock theatre company, and then I was given an opportunity to operate a performing arts theatre in Kansas. Following that, I went to Las Vegas to run a theatre, an AAA baseball stadium, and an exhibit hall complex. That experience led to working in leadership roles at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Salt Palace Convention Center, the Olympic Winter Games of 2002, a senior role at the Salt Lake CVB, Senior Vice President at GES headquarters in Las Vegas, The Kentucky State Fair Board, and here in San Diego.

What project(s) had the biggest influence on you personally and/or professionally?
I spent just under five years contributing to the Olympic movement. I had the opportunity to work for the Pan American Games in Winnipeg in 1999, the Goodwill Games in Lake Placid in 2000, the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, and then was responsible for all Spectator Services for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002. It was life changing. The movement instills character in ways I had not experienced before.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?
I currently serve as the Board Chair for the International Association of Venue Managers. I’m a 32-year member of the Association and have served in many roles. We represent 7,200+ professionals in over 21 countries. I am so proud to be in this leadership role. I have dreamt of it for all these 32 years. It is so humbling to be in this role. I am also very proud to be a father, grandfather, brother, and more for an amazing family.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise people?
I completed a Masters in Divinity at the age of 59 and became an Ordained Minister within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

How has the pandemic changed you as a leader?
I hope it hasn’t changed me, but instead I hope it has enhanced what I consider dear to us all—instilling hope and providing comfort to my team.

What three things kept you sane during the most “locked down” phases of quarantine?
My Wife. My Faith. And my Leadership team at the Convention Center.

What events are you most excited to see return once we can gather in larger numbers again?
All of them, of course. But I really am looking forward to Comic-Con International coming back to San Diego in a big way.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Urban League of Louisiana honored the winners of the inaugural Ernest N. Morial Awards at a socially-distanced luncheon on December 3 in the Convention Center’s Great Hall.

These awards recognize a small business and a corporation that have demonstrated innovative growth and economic impact, as well as exceptional contributions to the sustainability and growth of local communities and small businesses across the state of Louisiana.

Airware Transportation and Logistics was recognized as Small Business of the Year. Woodward Design+Build was recognized as Corporation of the Year.

These awards were established in celebration of Mayor Ernest N. Morial’s achievements and his legacy as a civil rights activist, and political pioneer. As the first Black mayor of New Orleans in 1977, a position he held for two terms through 1986, he championed the Convention Center’s construction and saw it as a way to promote economic development, especially for local and diverse small businesses.

“Small business growth has been a central focus for the Convention Center,” said Michael J. Sawaya, president and general manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and co-chairman of the Urban League’s Annual Gala. “We’ve made it our commitment to continue to support our local small business vendors and to honor the legacy of the Convention Center’s namesake, Ernest N. Morial. We congratulate the winners for their achievements and we hope the awards will inspire businesses, big and small, to promote the economic growth of our small business community.”

Through their Small and Emerging Business Program, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is committed to creating opportunity to help the SEBs of Louisiana succeed. The Convention Center encourages the hiring of local vendors for the purchase of goods and services at the Convention Center and provides easy access to new business opportunities through their SEBConnect app, and through the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority’s website at exhallnola.com.

“We are proud to partner with the Convention Center to recognize those businesses, big and small, who continue to fearlessly triumph and support small business growth in a highly competitive environment,” said Judy Reese Morse, president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana. “We commend these exemplary businesses for their outstanding work.”

Since the Small and Emerging Business Program launched in 2019, 687 Certified Vendors have been registered and nearly $10 million has been awarded to SEBs and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.

“The Authority has been a champion of more active involvement of SEB’s as a guiding principle for how business is done at the Convention Center,” said Bonita Robertson, Small and Emerging Business (SEB) committee chair, Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority. “Recognizing businesses that demonstrate active involvement in alignment with our vision is an appropriate way to continue the progress we have made in recent years, as well as to honor the incredible legacy of Ernest Nathan Morial.”

The Morial Award winners were presented with a trophy that was custom-sculpted by New Orleans visual artist Sheleen Jones, who is renowned for using her art to pay homage to the heroes of our city. The winners will also receive the Urban League of Louisiana’s full suite of capacity-building and training, technical assistance, and will have all expenses paid to attend the National Urban League annual convention.

(From left to right) Ms. Judy Reese Morse, President and CEO of Louisiana Urban League. Mr. Terry Williams, Airware Transportation and Logistics, President and CEO. Mr. Paul Flower, Woodward Design+Build, CEO. Mr. Mike Sawaya, President and General Manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Ms. Rocsean Spencer, Director of Small Business Program Director for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

From Visit Phoenix and R.V. Baugus

Steve Moore, President & CEO of Visit Phoenix and long-time IAVM supporter, announced his retirement effective March 31, 2021. Moore has led Visit Phoenix for 19 years after he previously spent 14 years as CEO of Visit San Antonio and 13 years with Visit Houston. Moore has played a key role in booking conventions and mega sporting events at the Phoenix Convention Center, sports venues, and resorts throughout Greater Phoenix.

Moore played a key role in the pro forma and booking of conventions and mega-sporting events at the Phoenix Convention Center, sports venues and resorts throughout Greater Phoenix. He was heavily involved in the initiatives to secure an expanded convention center and additional downtown hotel.

During his tenure, as the convention-centric downtown product evolved simultaneously with an expanding metro resort footprint, Moore continually re-engineered Visit Phoenix to best meet the collective needs of the destination’s two primary markets. Moore also worked tirelessly to ensure the financial well-being of Visit Phoenix by securing multiple year funding agreements and establishing conservative fiscal policy that has positioned Visit Phoenix well for the upcoming return of group and leisure business.

“I am blessed to have served with a great staff and for the amazing partnerships with the City of Phoenix, its elected officials, civic leaders, and the tremendous professionals in the hotel and sports community,” said Moore. “This retirement has been in the works for some time and I know that Visit Phoenix’s best years are ahead. There is no ceiling too high for this staff to achieve.”

Bob Miller, Visit Phoenix Chair, said, “Having worked with Steve for almost two decades, I will simply say that Visit Phoenix and its constituency owe Steve a debt of gratitude. His passion for Visit Phoenix and his excellence will be greatly missed.”

A search committee to find his successor has already been formed and is being overseen by the executive committee of the Visit Phoenix board of directors.