By Cliff Wallace, CVE

The Shenyang New World EXPO has fully reopened in the capital of Liaoning province in the northeast of China.

IAVM member and EXPO General Manager Diane CHEN reports: “With great acceptance and success, EXPO has reopened following our closure on January due to the COVID-19 outbreak. To a reduced delegate attendance of 500, in keeping with the health guidelines now in place, the one-day Yonyou Digital Industry Summit was held on 30 July.”

It was the first event since 20 January after which the venue was closed under Government directives as were all of China’s public assembly venues.

Continuing, Chen, said: “The staff was ecstatic to get back to work. It was the fourth time the venue had been prepared to open since April but again had been closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks within the PRC. We now look forward to the upcoming 2020 T-mall Auto Show on 7-9 August and The 22nd China Northeast Public Security Exposition 26-28 August.”

Cliff Wallace, CVE, the Senior Executive Advisor to EXPO’s management company which he chaired from 2009-2018, shared that the staff had been amazing during the 6-month shut-down in keeping the venue ready for reopening while staying constantly abreast of the status of the pandemic. Their learning exercise during this period consisted of constantly monitoring the Pandemic and gaining knowledge of the safest means to reopen when the greenlight was received from government.

Wallace also continues to advise in Zhengzhou (China’s Henan province) relative to the Zhengzhou International Convention Center where he served as Chairman from 2005-2012 and Vice Chairman 2012-2018. The first event after reopening at ZZICEC was the Central China Auto Show which opened on 12 June with the 250,000+ sq. ft. Central China Auto Show. The venue held four events in June and eighteen events in July. Twelve exhibitions are scheduled in August. The earlier opening to that of EXPO was due to this venue being in a geographical area of China where no new cases of COVID-19 had been experienced many weeks prior.

CHEN and Wallace both are cautiously optimistic that China is back on track to open all venues fully soon. It will be the international events that will be returning later on after travel restrictions are lifted and the Pandemic becomes less a risk factor to travelers.

Chen confirmed that a full video highlighting the reopening health measures at EXPO would be available soon on the EXPO website (English & Chinese version): www.shenyangnwEXPO.com

Cliff Wallace, Senior Executive Advisor, also continues to advise in Zhengzhou, China for ZZICEC, where he served as Chairman from 2005-2012 and Vice Chairman from 2012-2018.

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By Nadia Vanderhoof, MA

The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) successfully hosted the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior National Volleyball Championships under modified operations from July 14-22, 2020. With an estimated 9,600 players, chaperones and coaches in attendance, the OCCC proactively implemented a series of precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of guests, employees, and the surrounding community throughout the duration of the event.

The AAU generated an estimated $12.3 million in economic impact for the community. Fueling local employment, tourism, and commerce, the OCCC is an economic engine for our region. By devising a data-driven strategy, the OCCC is positioned as a model for the industry, demonstrating how it can safely get back to business, and steadily continue our path to recovery.

Returning to the OCCC for the past 19 years, the renowned volleyball tournament has developed a rhythm for success at The Center of Hospitality. This year, planners and organizers developed a strategy to review the entire guest journey with safety in mind, revising all aspects of operations from check-in, to participating, coaching and socializing.

“Providing participation opportunities to athletes in a safe environment has always been the AAU’s highest priority,” said AAU President/CEO Dr. Roger J. Goudy. “We worked diligently with our partners at OCCC to ensure the highest standards of social distancing and containment mitigation measures were in place for our event. During these unprecedented times, to be able to offer athletes a chance to compete and play safely is immeasurable. Thank you to OCCC for your tireless efforts on the behalf of the Amateur Athletic Union.”

Putting its Recovery and Resiliency Plan into practice, the OCCC worked in close collaboration with AAU officials to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for attendees. New protocols this year included no spectators, temperature monitoring during check-in. and mandated face coverings. In line with government guidelines, the OCCC also reduced the total courts and games that could be played at any one time and increased distancing between courts and participants.

As a Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accredited venue, the OCCC also demonstrated its ongoing commitment to sanitation. Each evening, OCCC staff adhered to a comprehensive sanitation schedule, in line with GBAC STAR requirements. Additionally, throughout the day, a thorough cleaning schedule was maintained, including sanitation of high-touch areas throughout the OCCC campus, as well as the cleaning of scoreboards and volleyballs in between each match.

“As one of the first venues to resume operations, our success is testament to how modified events can be hosted safely, responsibly and enjoyably,” stated OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “I thank the AAU for their continued confidence in our center and look forward to working with the AAU in the future.”

Photo: The Orange County Convention Center hosted the Amateur Athletic Union Junior National Volleyball Championships under modified operations from July 14-22, 2020.

Nadia Vanderhoof, MA, is Marketing and Communications Manager in the Marketing and Communications Division of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

By Kalyn Sisco

EventBooking, a cloud-based venue software company, announced that Explore St. Louis has selected VenueOps to manage their facilities, and Simpleview, a partner of EventBooking, to help manage client relationships and marketing of the premiere CVB.

Explore St. Louis, operators of the iconic America’s Center Convention Complex, is looking forward to more a seamless and modernized way of doing business, thanks to their recent decision to use VenueOps, the latest venue management software from EventBooking, and Simpleview, a lead provider of CRM/CMS systems and digital marketing solutions.

Located in the heart of downtown, Explore St. Louis serves as a vital cultural asset of the city. They are planning for the future by transitioning from technology that has been in place for the past couple of decades, and relying on what many regard as the two most intuitive platforms in the market to manage their sales and venue management processes.

Darren Ison, Director of Information Technology for Explore St. Louis, commented, “With our legacy system, we were limited with flexibility and functionality, with a lot of double-handling and use of manual processes to do what we needed to do. After extensive research, we found the best way forward for us was to partner with these two outstanding companies. They understand our needs and are also tightly integrated, so this way we get the best of both worlds — the absolute best in class for each of their respective areas, plus they talk to each other.”

Steve Mackenzie, President of EventBooking, said, “We are truly delighted that the America’s Center has selected VenueOps to fulfill their venue management needs, and that our partnership and integration with Simpleview’s CRM will allow them to do things they could only dream of before. It’s a privilege to be recognized in this way; I consider it a testament to how we’re becoming the leading choice for convention centers, and how our level of service is increasingly setting us apart. We embrace the concept that tight partnerships with other technology leaders like Simpleview is what the industry needs, and we’re committed to this path of easy-to-use software with extremely flexible integration options.”

Kalyn Sisco is Marketing Manager at EventBooking.

By Jonathan Carroll

Athletes, performers, and spectators alike will soon find a transformed arena experience at The University of Texas at Arlington’s (UTA) College Park Center, after the installation of a new LED lighting system with cutting-edge special effects capabilities.

The 7,000-seat College Park Center is the home venue for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, as well as UTA’s intercollegiate basketball and volleyball programs. Additionally, the arena hosts a wide range of concerts, conferences, and other major events throughout the year. When University leaders decided to replace the venue’s original lights, they needed a state-of-the-art LED system that would elevate light levels to meet WNBA broadcast standards, while also enhancing the overall entertainment experience.

“As we began looking at opportunities to invest back into College Park Center, enhanced sports lighting topped the list,” CPC Executive Director Jeff Davis said. “We were looking for a lighting system that would target four main goals: 1) provide a more uniform distribution of light for a better broadcast experience, 2) reduce light spill in the arena to create a more theatrical experience centered on the playing court, 3) provide enhancements to the overall environment and fan experience, and 4) further our efforts in energy conservation and environmental stewardship. Musco’s solution checked every box while providing a system that can easily be serviced and maintained for years to come.”

The new lighting system is custom-designed by Musco, whose Total Light Control—TLC for LED® technology is featured at some of the biggest stadiums and arenas around the world. The system includes Musco’s Show-Light+™ entertainment package with color-changing red-green-blue (RGB) fixtures, which will create exciting new light shows.

“UTA wanted to create the best possible arena experience for athletes, performers, and fans,” Musco Vice President Jeff Rogers said. “Show-Light+ and the RGB fixtures are going to create custom, color-changing light shows that will result in a really amazing atmosphere.”

The efficiency of the advanced LED light source technology will reduce energy consumption at College Park Center by 79 percent compared to the previous lighting, while also improving light levels and uniformity on the court. The system is backed by a long-term warranty covering every part and all labor, eliminating UTA’s maintenance costs at the arena through the year 2030.

“From the moment a fan, visitor, or athlete enters the arena, our focus is on their experience. The enhancements completed this summer create the same look and feel you have at other top level professional sports arenas, and we are excited to bring that same experience to central Arlington for our home teams and fans. It’s definitely a gamechanger for the CPC,” Davis said.

Jonathan Carroll is Assistant Director, Event and Venue Marketing, Special Event Facilities, for College Park Center – Texas Hall -UTATickets at the University of Texas at Arlington.

iCommit, IAVM’s annual member referral campaign, ran this year from March 1-June 30, 2020. The objective of the campaign is for every current member to recruit one or more individuals to join our community of venue professionals.

We are happy to announce that 61 members were entered in the raffle to win prizes for each new member they referred. With their support, we added 156 new members!

• Grand Prize Winner – VenueConnect2021 free registration goes to Ross Richards, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

• Raffle Winners – Five, $500 Apple Gift Cards
  • Russ Simons – SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, CA
  • Gerard Siegler – Straz Center for the Performing Arts – Tampa, FL
  • Scott Ellison – TCF Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
  • Erik Waldman, CVE – tvsdesign – Atlanta, GA
  • Russ Simons – SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, CA

• Region 1 added the most new members with a total of 36 members. The Region Director will select one recipient to have his/her CVP application fee waived (value $125) through July 2021.

We thank Ungerboeck Software International for their continuous support of this membership initiative and to all of our members who consistently respond to the call to help us continue to be the largest association serving the venue management industry in the world. If you have any questions, contact IAVM’s Director of Membership, Gina Brydson.