By R.V. Baugus

If you know Robyn Williams, CVE, first, you should consider yourself fortunate. If you do not know the past IAVM President (Chair) and her great work leading the Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, trust us when we say there is no more compassionate person not just in the industry but walking the face of the earth.

With leadership comes difficult decisions as well, none greater than what many venue executives around the world have been facing in the loss of event income as it relates to staffing. Some creatively manage to keep staffs intact, but numerous must deal with the aspect of either fully terminating employees or furloughing them with the expectancy to return them to their position once the pandemic has run its course.

The trick, of course, is no one can point to a day or date on the calendar and say that all is 100% well. There is the “ramp up” process that has to come into play as well for venues. With all that in mind, and herself having to make decisions that have brought Robyn to tears, we were fortunate to get a minute of her time to talk about such decisions along with other aspects of working through COVID-19.

As a leader over so many people, what is the most difficult aspect of the job when you have to share “bad news” about a furlough or full-time job loss for employees?

It can be crushingly emotional and personal. One of the things I’ve realized over the years is how close venue managers are to their staff. They are family as well as friends to us. I haven’t found this to be as true in other lines of work I’ve been involved with. Maybe it’s because we often spend more time with them than we do with our family and friends.

People think it must be great to be the leader, but what types of stress can these decisions put leaders under?

I really believe the buck stops with me. I’ve been going over and over in my head about what I could have done differently that would have made us less vulnerable to such catastrophic business loss. I should have built a bigger reserve that would have allowed us to weather this storm. I feel personally responsible for these layoffs.

How far out do you project with this virus when it comes to if further difficult decisions have to be made?

The problem is not knowing when we can expect to reopen. I’m a numbers person and I have a really excellent budget analyst. The operations team is doing everything possible to shed costs at the venues. We’ll keep watching the numbers and make decisions as time progresses.

Is there anything you are doing to help in any way with those you have had to release?

We’ve sent them a lot of information on resources they can tap into. I also stay in touch with them to let them know they haven’t been forgotten.

How difficult is it working from home, or do you occasionally get to the office?

We have a policy that only the most essential folk-custodians, security, and engineers are in the venue at the smallest number possible. If everyone was coming and going at will there is no way we could keep up with sanitizing everything. Plus I’m a huge believer in what the CDC is saying in terms of what you need to do to slow the virus. I have only been out in public once in the past three weeks. I’m a social person by nature so I feel very isolated working at home. Thank heavens for video conferencing, though. It allows us to at least see each other. And I’ve participated in IAVM’s virtual happy hour for performing arts centers recently and it felt really good to see my venue friends.

There has to be some good that one day will come out of all this. You are an optimistic person, so what is the good that you foresee?

I have been very guilty of saying things like “Hey, let’s get together soon” or “Let’s go do (whatever) soon, I’ll call you” and then six months or a year goes by and I never did anything. I’m trying to call friends, family, and colleagues out of the blue now. I think I’ll do more to stay connected to everyone after this is all over. I’ve started to realize how short life really is and how precious people are. So, if you don’t get a call from me, call me!!

By Maren Dougherty

“The Convention Center is a centerpiece of San Diego’s economy. During this pandemic, it will be a centerpiece of our fight against the coronavirus.” – San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, 3/23/2020

This Spring our San Diego Convention Center went from serving as a bustling economic engine for our region to becoming a temporary homeless shelter for more than 800 individuals through a collaborative San Diego regional effort referred to as Operation Shelter to Home.

This transformation began in March, when our team coordinated with customers on the cancellation or postponement of more than 30 events, with total attendance exceeding 100,000 and a regional economic impact in the hundreds of millions. Like many of our IAVM colleagues, we soon realized we would probably not host a single event in late March or April, and possibly longer.

All the while, our President and CEO Rip Rippetoe, CVE, had been in discussion with San Diego leaders regarding the potential repurposing of our Center as a temporary shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. We had space, staffing, expertise in planning large-scale operations and outdoor areas that could accommodate equipment such as trailers with showers and laundry facilities. Opening our building for this purpose would allow for greater physical distancing within existing shelters and ensure that more homeless individuals in our region would have access to health services, mental health support and reliable food sources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are taking everything we know and everything we’ve learned to pivot into a shelter operation—an urgent, large-scale effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our unsheltered neighbors.” – San Diego Convention Center President & CEO Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, 4/1/2020

Our operations staff worked closely with leaders and staff from the City, County, San Diego Housing Commission, Regional Task Force on the Homeless and homeless service providers to create diagrams, staffing plans, policies and procedures for this initiative. Clients and staff would be screened daily by temperature check and verbal questionnaires by homeless service providers or San Diego Public Health Nurses. Everyone would also be instructed to wash and sanitize their hands upon each re-entry into the facility.

The teams decided to move in clients using a phased approach, beginning with groups that were previously living in close quarters at City shelters and then, after assessing capacity, expanding operations to include unsheltered San Diegans. Over one week, April 1 to 7, groups of 150-350 moved in at a time, eventually bringing the total number of clients to more than 800 people across five exhibit halls. Clients are living in exhibit halls C, D, F, G, and H, with Hall E serving as a centralized medical facility.

As you can imagine, uprooting yourself and your belongings from the place you have come to know as your home can be difficult. With the great nonprofit teams, who have created a community and family-like atmosphere within their shelters, the move went smoothly and clients have been adjusting nicely to the new space given these unusual circumstances. Now three homeless service providers—Alpha Project, Veterans Village of San Diego, and Father Joe’s Villages—are operating shelters side-by-side in our facility, working closely with the City, County and SDCC on logistics, including meals, most of which are prepared by our food and beverage partner, Centerplate. All clients have access to Wi-Fi, outdoor spaces and projection TVs.

“The Convention Center intervention demonstrates the true impact we can have when innovation, leadership and compassion come together.” – Father Joe’s Villages President & CEO Deacon Jim Vargas, 4/7/2020

One of the most important pieces to this entire project is the emphasis the operations team will be putting on finding and connecting individuals to permanent housing. The team has identified a number of exit strategies to quickly transition people into permanent housing solutions—ultimately reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness in San Diego.

Maren Dougherty is Director of Marketing & Communications for the San Diego Convention Center.

By Jana DeGeorge

Simmons Bank Arena is proud to announce And The Beat Goes On Arkansas – A Live Streaming Event presented by Simmons Bank and benefitting The Feeding America Food Banks in Arkansas and Hunger Relief Alliance as they work to provide aid to those affected by the COVID -19 pandemic. This unique concert will take place in various locations and emit from Simmons Bank Arena. Join country music artist and Arkansas’ own Justin Moore (pictured) as he streams live from Simmons Bank Arena. Connecting from remote locations are fellow country music artists and Arkansans: Tracy Lawrence, Joe Nichols, Adam Hambrick, and Heath Sanders.

And The Beat Goes on Arkansas is proudly presented by Simmons Bank. “During these uncertain days, we at Simmons Bank are sure of one thing: that this is a time to come together in support of our state’s most vulnerable populations,” said Freddie Black, Chief Business Development Officer at Simmons Bank. “We are proud to help make this event possible and encourage everyone to give what they can to assist the Arkansas Foodbank. As our state’s largest hunger relief organization, the Foodbank feeds more than 280,000 Arkansans across 33 counties – the importance of their mission cannot be overstated, especially today. We applaud all they do, and also thank the artists who have generously shared their talents in support of this cause.”

The Feeding America Food Banks in Arkansas and Hunger Relief Alliance consists of multiple outlets throughout the state. Donations from this event will be distributed and allocated to these various locations. “The food banks in Arkansas appreciate the support this concert provides us. We are working in every county and community in the state to provide emergency food to those affected by COVID-19. Your support will help your friends, neighbors and family members who are struggling during this difficult time,” said Rhonda Sanders, CEO at Arkansas Foodbank.

This live streaming event will take place Saturday, April 11th at 7pm. Viewers will have the option through the following link to donate. or by texting FEED to 501501 for a $10 donation. All donation proceeds will benefit The Feeding America Food Banks in Arkansas and Hunger Relief Alliance. Watch on YouTube Live here.

Jana DeGeorge is Director of Marketing at Simmons Bank Arena. Contact her at 501-975-9038 or janderson@simmonsbankarena.com for more information.

By R.V. Baugus

Much great work is going on around the country as our member venues continue responding in major ways to do their part during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the call to share stories that we in turn can pass along to IAVM members, many have taken us up on the offer. With the pandemic ongoing and very fluid, we extend the invitation to send your venue stories along with high res (at least 2MB) photos so we can spotlight your worthy work. Below are two stories shared from the great state of California.

I wanted to take a moment to report that the blood drive we hosted in Zellerbach A yesterday was a grand success! Senator Scott Wiener, who reached out to us, was hugely appreciative, as was the Red Cross. Our Mayor, London Breed, as well as several supervisors, spoke and gave blood, and also relayed their gratitude for the event. The Red Cross signed up 50 donors, 36 of which passed screening to donate, which they reported was a typical ratio. Most donors donated the standard pint, however, those who were willing, and who met the health requirements, were able to do a red-box donation, which amazingly can take two pints or more, by simultaneously replacing lost blood volume with sterile saline. Very high tech!

In all cases, a single pint donation is usually split into three parts – part left as whole blood, part as plasma only, and part as platelets only. Each part can save a different person, so our collection will be dispatched to at least 108 different individuals in need. Amazing. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone on our staff who helped in both big and small ways. We are an amazing team, and yesterday proved that. Thank you all. I also want to give a shout-out to the San Francisco Symphony, who graciously loaned us their tables, chairs, pipe & drape, and other equipment which helped make this happen. We have another blood drive scheduled for April 30, and I am hoping to possibly schedule more between now and then.

— Rob Levin, Booking Manager, San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center

Over the April 4-5 weekend, the Pasadena (CA) Center Operating Company (PCOC) along with Centerplate, the exclusive food and beverage provider for the Pasadena Convention Center and Pasadena Civic Auditorium, prepared, delivered, and distributed 3,100 healthy meals for students of Pasadena Unified School District. The call to action to support local schools and the community during the coronavirus (COVID-19) will continue over the next two weekends – April 11-12 and 18-19 – throughout the Pasadena area at seven distribution sites. The PCOC has 20 staff members who have volunteered to transport, set up and distribute the meals each Saturday and Sunday. The healthy meals include a sandwich, fruit, bag of cookies and the option of milk or juice.

“The PCOC is happy to help in this time of crisis,” said Michael Ross, CEO of the PCOC. “It has been a pleasure to work with the City of Pasadena and our partners at Centerplate to coordinate and set the program in motion quickly. I am most proud of the number of PCOC staff that have stepped up to volunteer as this time of need.”

Pictured from left: Michael Ross, CEO of Pasadena Center Operating Company; Jennifer Dominguez; Margie Christ, HR Director of PCOC; Layla Tulloch; Naz Sabripour, Executive Director of the Pasadena Convention Center; Heather Peron; Tyron Hampton, City of Pasadena Vice Mayor and PCOC Board Chair; Jeanne Goldschmidt, Executive Director of the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau.

— Crystal Williams, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications, Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau | Convention Center | Civic Auditorium | Ice Skating Center

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has started a new interview series through CNTV with the first one having debuted with IAVM member Mark Tester, executive director of the Orange County Convention Center. IAEE-TV’s talk with Tester dealt with the convention center becoming a testing site for the COVID-19 pandemic.

To watch the IAEE interview, click here.

Pictured, the venue is proud to #LightItBlue in support of the healthcare professionals and first responders working tirelessly to help those affected by COVID-19. The blue lights will be on at the OCCC West Building (so as not to interfere with the COVID-19 test site at the North-South Building) throughout the week.