By R.V. Baugus and ISSA

From Los Angeles to New Orleans, several convention centers and lodging facilities across the United States have recently secured GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. By providing third-party validation, GBAC STAR’s 20-step, performance-based program helps facilities of all sizes establish and maintain an effective system of cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention.

Recently accredited facilities include:

Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles
Malibu Beach Inn Hotel & Spa in Malibu, Calif.
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan.
Palm Beach County Convention Center in Palm Beach, Fla.
Peak 8 Properties in Breckenridge, Colo.
San Diego Convention Center in San Diego
STAPLES Center in Los Angeles
The Westin Galleria Dallas in Dallas

As you can see, many of the venues above represent IAVM members, who shared what gaining the accreditation means to their venues as well as the industry.

“The health and safety of our guests and employees is our top priority, and we recognize the important role that cleaning plays in reducing the risk of contamination and transmission,” said Brett C. Mitchell, CVE, General Manager, Overland Park Convention Center. “The GBAC STAR program has helped us clearly outline and implement a plan for prevention, response, and recovery that will create a safer space for everyone that walks through our doors.”

“Our San Diego Convention Center team continues to demonstrate leadership in the industry, said Karen Totaro, CVE, Chief Operating Officer. “Our center was one of only six convention centers nationwide that GBAC invited to participate in a task force to develop industry-specific considerations and protocol templates for extending
their esteemed accreditation program to our sector.”

“We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our employees, guests and attendees at the Orange County Convention Center,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “By incorporating some of the most stringent protocols of the GBAC STAR program into our recovery and resiliency plan, we continue to work hard to recover from this public health crisis.”

“We know that when the time is right for our guests, athletes, artists, and our team members to experience the incredible energy within STAPLES Center again that our GBAC STAR accreditation demonstrates that we are taking the proper precautions to protect everyone once it is safe to host events again,” said Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center. “We are honored to be one of the first GBAC STAR accredited arenas leading the way in maintaining cleanliness and continuing to make the safety of everyone our number one priority.”

“At the outbreak of the pandemic, we recognized that our clients and their attendees will expect first-in-class protocols to be in place when they return, and we have been working earnestly to help lead the industry in establishing and implementing new health and safety protocols,” said Michael J. Sawaya, President of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “In addition to achieving the GBAC STARTM accreditation, we engaged an industrial hygienist team of experts, which includes multiple former high-ranking government health and safety officials, to provide additional confidence to both our internal and external customers that we have gone above and beyond.”

“This is an important step in the eventual, safe and responsible reopening of the Anaheim Convention Center,” said Tom Morton, executive director of Convention, Sports & Entertainment for the city of Anaheim. “Event organizers and attendees can have confidence that our facility meets the highest standards of cleaning, disinfection and prevention. This accreditation is one part of a larger, comprehensive plan that will guide the Anaheim Convention Center in safely resuming meetings, conferences and conventions when the time is right.”

Palm Beach County Convention Center and The Westin Galleria Dallas pursued their accreditation through their respective destinations’ (Discover the Palm Beaches and Visit Dallas) support of GBAC STAR. Discover the Palm Beaches has committed to pursuing GBAC STAR for a wide range of its hospitality businesses in Palm Beach County, Fla. Visit Dallas has teamed up with the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District to implement and fund the GBAC STAR accreditation effort for its member hotels, plus select city-owned venues.

In addition to these newly accredited facilities, American Airlines announced its commitment to achieving GBAC STAR accreditation, making it the first airline to commit to the program. By the end of 2020, American Airlines expects to receive full accreditation for its entire fleet and lounges.

“We’re excited to see so many organizations commit and follow through to earn GBAC STAR accreditation,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “Whether it’s an airplane, hotel property, expansive event space, or a local foodservice establishment, GBAC STAR provides the necessary knowledge, tools and resources to meet the new standard of cleanliness and limit future outbreaks.”

As the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s preparedness for biorisk situations. More than 2,400 facilities around the globe have committed to earning GBAC STAR accreditation, and 14 have so far achieved accreditation.

“Our growing list of accredited facilities range in size and span across multiple industries but all share the same dedication to keeping staff, customers, and the public safe,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “With GBAC STAR, these organizations send a clear message that they’re prepared to respond, recover, and—most importantly—prevent outbreaks from occurring within their spaces.”

To review a full list of GBAC STAR accredited facilities, committed facilities, and industry supporters, click here.

To apply for GBAC STAR facility accreditation, visit www.gbac.org.

By Stacie Bauer

This month the Seattle Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, McHaw Hall, and greenway — each a part of the arts, family, and entertainment hub for the Pacific Northwest — selected Ungerboeck to transform an antiquated events management system into an adaptable, multi-functional, state-of-the art software platform.

Ungerboeck provides the ‘must have’ business requirements, with its wide scope of features and functionality. The Ungerboeck software platform is adaptable and configurable. Its open API provides flexibility in sharing data with other applications, to meet the needs of the variety of venues on the Seattle Center campus.

“Events are at the core of our purpose and essential to our bottom line. Seattle Center hosts thousands of events each year, and the adoption of a cloud-based event management system is a game-changer for our staff working throughout our 74-acre campus. Ungerboeck’s product is widely recognized as a gold standard in this domain – and will transport our event booking and operations technology into the 21st Century,” said Seattle Center Director, Robert Nellams.

“We are thrilled to be powering the events and attractions at the most iconic landmarks in Seattle within the Seattle Center. We will be offering our newest event platform that powers top cultural centers throughout the world to streamline the processes and communications within the venues and events allowing the team at the center to focus on their important goals – inspiring & strengthening the community,” said Manish Chandak, President & CEO at Ungerboeck.

Stacie Bauer is Event & Sponsorship Coordinator, Marketing, for Ungerboeck.

By Barbara Palmer

Masks top the list of what event participants look for in event-safety guidelines, a new survey reveals — but trust in the behavior of other event participants is sharply divided.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents to a Destination Analysts survey ranked mask requirements as the most important practice related to safety.

In a long list of operational practices event participants say makes them most confident that the organizations hosting events are adequately looking after their health, the requirement that participants wear face masks is at the top.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents ranked mask requirements as the most important operational practice related to safety in a survey by Destination Analysts released Tuesday at Destinations International 2020 Virtual Conference. Enforced social distancing, enhanced sanitation and cleaning, and event venues where the number of people allowed was reduced by 50 percent also were high on the list.

Although venue and host protocols were important, only slightly more than half — 54 percent — said that they would trust other meeting attendees to “conduct themselves appropriately” in protecting others from exposure to COVID-19 virus. Of those, only 15 percent trusted others a “great deal,” while 46 percent trusted others “very little” or “not at all.” Event organizers themselves were ranked as more trustworthy, although only 65 percent of respondents said they trusted host organizations to look out for them.

The survey coincided with statements supporting mask-wearing made by Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), who spoke on Tuesday to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Masks, Redfield told the journal, are among “the most powerful weapon we have.” If, he added, “we can get everybody to wear a mask right now, I think over the next four to six, eight weeks, we can bring this epidemic under control.” Redfield co-authored research published July 14 that showed that the number of adults who said they were following the recommendation to wear masks rose from 62 percent in April to more than 76 percent in May. Face-mask approval in the Midwest, rose from 44 percent to 74 percent during that period. Face-mask approval was greatest in the Northeast, going from 77 percent to 87 percent.

Other operational practices that event participants in the Destination Analysts survey ranked as important in addition to requiring masks included:

Cleaning between every meeting/session
Spaced seating for social distancing (minimum 6 feet)
Providing hand sanitizer
Temperature checks for attendees
Required PPE use for all event staff
Meetings/events held outdoors as much as possible
The survey, which includes responses from meeting planners, can be found at destinationanalysts.com/2020meetings.

By Beckie Liwacz

The Village of Hoffman Estates and Spectra, the provider of Venue Management and Partnerships at Sears Centre Arena outside Chicago, recently announced a new multi-year partnership with NOW Health Group, Inc. in which the arena will be renamed NOW® Arena.

NOW Health Group, Inc., a leading, family-owned natural products manufacturer based in Bloomingdale, Ill., will take over naming rights to the Sears Centre Arena as of September 1, as part of a 15-year agreement unanimously approved by the Village of Hoffman Estates on June 22. The NOW® Arena contract, valued at $11.25 million over the term, takes over from Transformco (formerly Sears Holdings Corp.), the arena naming rights partner since the venue opened in 2006.

“As a company that values family and community first, this partnership couldn’t be a better fit,” Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Health Group, Inc., said. “We’re excited to support the neighboring Village of Hoffman Estates and families from the surrounding communities and beyond. The NOW® Arena will continue to be a resource for them to enjoy family-friendly entertainment, high school graduations, concerts and sporting events, while also providing them with opportunities to learn more about healthy products they can feel good about.”

“For long-term naming rights, I can’t overstate the importance of having a local, corporate partner like NOW Health Group,” Laurie Kemmit, Regional Vice President of Partnerships for Spectra, said. “We’re proud to partner with a company that has a vested, demonstrated interest in the community of Hoffman Estates—a key differentiator in a partnership that holds benefits beyond simple marketing exposure.”

“I am excited to welcome NOW Health Group as the new naming rights partner of the arena. There is a lot of coordination that goes into an agreement like this and NOW Health Group has been creative, engaged, and exciting to work with.” Bill McLeod, Mayor of Hoffman Estates, said. “I want to thank Sears/Transformco for their commitment to the venue since the building first opened in 2006. We look forward to continuing that relationship as Sears/Transformco remains an active supporter of the community.”

A natural product manufacturer with a portfolio of more than 1,500 products including supplements, sports nutrition, foods, beauty and health products, and essential oils, NOW® falls into a nontraditional category of naming rights sponsors, different from the usual mix of banks, car dealerships, insurance, and healthcare.

“This past year alone, our Spectra Partnerships team has been able to develop several unique naming rights partnerships in the Midwest region: the Stormont Vail Events Center, formerly the Kansas Expo Center, in Topeka, KS; Cable Dahmer Arena, previously named the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, in Independence, MO; and most recently, the renamed NOW® Arena for the Village of Hoffman Estates,” Bryan Furey, Senior Vice President of Partnerships for Spectra, said. “These recent successes signify that brands—even in turbulent times—continue to recognize the power of people assembling to enjoy live entertainment.”

NOW® has become a household name as part of a thriving wellness industry, and has seen double-digit growth for nine consecutive years, with NOW® products available in more than 80 countries. The company was recently ranked the 106th largest privately held company in Chicago based on 2019 revenue by Crain’s Chicago Business, and is one of the largest independent manufacturers of natural products in the U.S. health food store channel. Despite its international growth, NOW® retains its hyper-local focus, employing more than 900 full-time employees across its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Bloomingdale, and its distribution center in Roselle, Ill. NOW® also owns the 13 Chicagoland-based Fruitful Yield natural health food stores.

As a part of its mission to foster ongoing relationships and provide value in the Hoffman Estates area, NOW Health Group, Inc. will regularly engage local partners within the arena, including utilizing the arena space and events for local charities. NOW® looks to bring additional business to the arena, including industry conferences, and will have a full branding and promotional presence throughout the venue.

Beckie Liwazc is a Communications Publicist at Spectra.

By Erin Goldmeier

The Virginia Beach Convention Center (VBCC) was recently presented with a 2020 Leadership Award by the U.S. Green Building Council Virginia Chapter (USGBC VA). These prestigious awards recognize Virginia building owners and project teams for their extra effort to accomplish Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and celebrate the local leaders who are working to create a healthier, more sustainable and more resilient future for all in the Commonwealth.

As an organization, the VBCC was recognized for its accomplishments in the community and sharing the knowledge they attained through LEED certification with the hospitality and tourism community. Staff has shared best practices in recycling, composting and energy efficiency, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of sustainability.

“We are honored to have received this award. It truly is a testament to our ongoing dedication to sustainable practices and good stewardship of public dollars,” said Bryan Miller, Assistant General Manager for the VBCC.

The VBCC was the nation’s first convention center to earn LEED Gold certification as an existing building in 2010. As is required, the VBCC renewed certification in 2015 and is currently seeking certification renewal using the new LEED Arc platform. The VBCC is also an active partner in the Commonwealth’s Virginia Green program, which promotes sustainability in the tourism industry.

Erin Goldmeier is Director of Public Relations for Visit Virginia Beach.