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.

The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority (“Authority”), the governing board of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, announced that Melvin Rodrigue (picture), the Authority’s longest running Chairman, is stepping down do focus on his duties as Chairman of the National Restaurant Association as they weather the COVID-19 crisis. Rodrigue will remain as a Commissioner, replacing Steve Pettus. Governor John Bel Edwards named, Walt Leger III, a former State representative and the current general counsel for New Orleans & Company, to succeed Rodrigue as Chairman of the Authority.

In his 12 years of service as Chairman of the Authority, Rodrigue has been at the forefront of discussions and major legislation changes that have allowed for increased investment in the city’s critical infrastructure, and lead the Center through a period of extraordinary growth, spearheading a five-year $557 million comprehensive renovation and modernization plan now underway that will establish the Convention Center’s competitiveness for years to come.

Highlights of Rodrigue’s tenure as Chairman include:

• Adoption of a 5 year $557 million Capital Improvement Plan that will transform the building and Convention Center Ditrict.

• Renovation of Hall A and creation of the Great Hall and new sense of arrival at Julia Street.

• Visioning of the upriver end of Convention Center Boulevard to include a 1,200 room headquarters hotel, housing and dining, entertainment and retail establishments. Reimagining of Convention Center Boulevard and addition of the Transportation Center, along with contributions to enhancements of the traffic patterns in the downtown area.

• Execution of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) with NOCHI and investment of twelve million dollars to promote workforce development within the hospitality industry in New Orleans

• Multiple CEAs with the City to promote the hospitality industry, enhancing public safety for visitors and residents, and contributing to critical city infrastructure totaling over $84M

• Twenty-eight million dollar capital contribution to the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Infrastructure Trust Fund.

• Significant improvements in Small and Emerging Business (SEB) engagement in convention center business opportunities.

“Melvin’s visionary, and selfless commitment to the success of not only the convention center but the entire hospitality industry in New Orleans is something that stands as a national model to be admired. Rarely has there ever been this level of performance and length of commitment by a chairman of an enterprise such as ours in this country. Not only does our company offer him its gratitude, but the entire national tourism industry that has been positively affected by his leadership. We continue to be motivated by the pursuit of the vision that you have led us toward,” said Mike Sawaya, President and General Manager of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.