By Mevisha Maistry

The Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton EXPO Centre announced that both venues are recognized among the 2021 EXHIBITOR Centers of Excellence. Produced by EXHIBITOR Magazine, the annual award recognizes the top 30 venues for trade shows and events in North America.

All North American convention and exhibition venues are eligible to apply to the Centers of Excellence program, with the 30 highest-scoring entries being named among Centers of Excellence. Applicants are evaluated by a panel of corporate exhibit managers based on a survey of past clients (Customer Service and On-Site Support) and criteria within five categories including: Facility and Functionality, Location and Accommodations, Service and Execution, Upgrades and Expansions and Awards and Industry.

“Both the Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton EXPO Centre were among just 25 facilities that scored more than 300 points in the category of Customer Service and On-Site Support—a score that is based on surveys of past customers as well as EXHIBITOR readers who have exhibited at, or hosted events at, the venues in question,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR. “That’s a strong indication event organizers and participants can rest easy knowing they’ll be in caring and capable hands anytime business travel takes them to Edmonton.”

Operated by Explore Edmonton Corporation (Explore Edmonton), the Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton EXPO Centre are fixtures in the community that contribute to the vitality of Edmonton as a visitor destination.

“It is an honour to have both Explore Edmonton managed venues recognized as Centers of Excellence—a testament to our expertise in venue management and Edmonton’s ability to deliver exceptional visitor experiences through two of North America’s top facilities,” said Arlindo Gomes, Vice President of Venues for Explore Edmonton. “Event planners and clients get more than a venue–they gain access to the planning expertise and resources of a committed team of professionals that care about the experience of everyone that walks through our doors.”

The Edmonton EXPO Centre stands as the largest exhibition space in Western Canada with over 522,000 square feet and 1.3 million annual visitors. Located minutes from downtown Edmonton via Light Rail Transit access, the Edmonton EXPO Centre houses eight adaptable exhibit halls, Edmonton’s only mid-sized arena and a modern conference centre. The Edmonton EXPO Centre attracts the region’s largest trade shows, festivals, live entertainment and sporting events and delivered $74.4 million in economic impact in 2019.

Architecturally entrenched in downtown’s riverbank with Canada’s largest building-integrated solar cell installation, the Edmonton Convention Centre overlooks North America’s biggest urban parkland. The centre is one of only five Canadian venues with ASTM certification and was also the first convention venue in Canada to receive Green Key level five certification. Through its commitment to its people and local culture, the centre gives back to its community through social sustainability programs and attracts international and national events which drove $39.4 million in economic impact in 2019.

Mevisha Maistry is Specialist, Marketing and Communications – Venues, for Explore Edmonton.

Kara Cox is an event coordinator for Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Her career in venue management began in 2016 as an event supervisor for the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO. With her passion for the industry and desire to strive for excellence, she is determined to do everything she can to see the venue industry succeed.

Join your Foundation in congratulating Kara on being honored as one of the 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2020 and don’t forget to come back each Thursday as we spotlight another honoree!

The COVID Relief NOW Coalition calls for “No Recess Without Relief” imploring Congress to find bipartisan solution to move COVID stimulus package

IAVM has joined COVID RELIEF NOW, a new coalition of nearly 200 major public and private sector groups across the U.S. Today, COVID RELIEF NOW called for “No Recess without Relief” imploring Congress to not leave town for the 2020 elections without passing additional COVID economic relief – stating millions of jobs and survival of small businesses as well as vital government services are on the line. 

Brad Mayne, President and CEO of IAVM states, “Our public venues in every community have been decimated by the inability to open our arenas, stadiums, performing arts theaters, and convention centers which derive their revenues from hosting events. This not only affects the organization and it’s employees, but also the small businesses that support the events including production, F&B, restaurants, hotels, and the like.”

The coalition stated that if Congress fails to act, millions of employees will be furloughed or terminated; millions of unemployed Americans will lose their unemployment insurance pandemic benefits; hundreds of thousands of companies will be at risk of closing their doors forever; and the vast majority of state and local governments will have to curtail critical services in order to balance budgets due to a decline in tax revenue.

Click here to view the letter signed by coalition members that was sent to Congress today.

By Tom Cornwall, CVE

As I write this we have seen 68 days dawn in the BUBBLE created for the Edmonton hub for the NHL Hub City Tournament.

Four nights ago the NHL crowned the Dallas Stars as the Western Conference Champions and last night we crowned the Tampa Bay Lightning as the Eastern Conference Champs.

Tonight is the eve of Game 1 of the final round to crown the 2020 Stanley Cup Champion.

The Western and Eastern Champions will battle in a best of 7 series to claim Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Some say this is the hardest Championship to win in all of professional sports and it has been said recently that perhaps this year’s Championship will be the hardest to win of all times since it’s been done all in a bubble under the constant threat of COVID 19.

About 60 days ago we welcomed twelve teams to each of the Edmonton and Toronto hubs to become what has lovingly been called Bubble Hockey.

Through the dedication of a few hundred NHL management/staff, third party contractors and the hockey teams we have managed to survive the ups and downs of living 24/7 in the bubble.

Daily nose or throat swabs, wearing masks 24/7, sanitizing/washing hands constantly, hotel/arena food and Skip the Dishes, Pickle Ball tournaments, golf simulators, only FaceTime/Zoom or cell phone contact with family and friends, has become the way of life accepted by all in this Bubble world we created. Hockey without spectators took some adjusting to but the NHL has done a great job to create the “home arena” atmosphere as best possible with their graphics and audio/video production.

Two weeks ago the remaining two teams in Toronto joined the remaining two teams in Edmonton for the right to crown the Eastern and Western Conference Champions and do battle for the right to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup and the honor of becoming the 2020 Stanley Cup Champions. Within a few days the champion will be crowned and the teams and 90 percent of the staff will depart the next morning to reacquaint themselves with life outside the bubble. For a few of us, bubble life will continue for a couple extra days as we dismantle the production, pack away the sanitization equipment/supplies, dismantle fences, write the reports and “Pop the Bubble” that has been our home for nearly 80 days.

Twenty four became four and then there were two.

SOON THERE WILL BE ONE BUBBLE HOCKEY SURVIVOR!

Tom Cornwall, CVE, is Hub City Compliance Officer and with Oak View Group/Prevent Advisors.

By R.V. Baugus

While I often wheeze along on fumes trying to get some extra kick or as we like to call it here in the south, “some pep in my step,” I am often amazed at my IAVM colleague Mark Herrera and the rather — shall we say — ambitious schedule that he logs. I mean, all this never-ending travel that our Director of Education and Life Safety does while still managing to steadfastly hit the gym.

I am apparently not the only one to hold Mark in such high esteem as we are very proud to share that Northstar Meetings Group recently placed Mark in select company in its “Top 25 Influencers of the Meetings Industry.” As the tagline prior to the listing of the select 25 says, “Meet the people leading us through a difficult year.”

If ever there was an understatement …

Northstar Meetings Group is an online platform for business and sports event organizers, planners and incentive program professionals across all sectors – corporate, association, third-party organizations/agencies, SMERF (social, military, education, religious and fraternal meetings) — providing critical news analysis and research, practical strategies, creative solutions and sourcing services.

This year’s Top 25 Influencers of the Meetings Industry, selected by M&C editors based on extensive reporting this year, all took swift action to develop solutions and plot a course for recovery, according to the company website. They’re leading by example, resolving problems in their day jobs while remaining tirelessly focused on the bigger picture: the betterment of the meetings industry and an easier path forward for the people who make this business truly great, it was noted.

We also happen to think the description about Mark and his work is spot on for someone who tirelessly gives back to the industry. Have a read below and I’m sure you will agree. And to read the full story and find out the full list of 25 — many of whom are very familiar to our industry — click here.

Mark Herrera is pretty cool in a crisis. It’s a trait he cultivated in his 20-plus years with the Hobbs, N.M., police department. During his tenure, he was a detective for the Gang and Narcotics unit, and a sergeant for the S.W.A.T. team, among other roles. That experience is especially helpful now.

“I’m passionate about giving people the tools they need to protect themselves and others in the midst of crisis,” Herrera says. “That can be safety-and-security-related or, now, how to respond to a pandemic.”

As a trained first responder, Herrera and his team held a series of town halls focused on each of the major venue types IAVM serves — convention centers, stadiums, arenas, universities, amphitheaters and fairgrounds. He expanded IAVM’s remote-learning resources with courses such as “Business Continuity Management” and “Business Impact Analysis,” and launched an Alternate Facility Working Group to help members convert their venues into emergency hospitals or homeless shelters. Meanwhile, he reimagined all of IAVM’s scheduled in-person gatherings as digital events, including the upcoming Venue Connect Annual Conference, taking place Oct. 26-30.

Herrera’s job isn’t so different today than it was at the Hobbs P.D., he says. His core mission remains “helping people get their lives back in order.”