iCommit 2019 Results:  iCommit, IAVM’s annual member referral campaign, ran this year from February-June 30, 2019. 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 122 members were entered in the raffle to win prizes for each new member they referred. With their support, we added 308 new members!

• Grand Prize Winner – VenueConnect 2020 Free Registration goes to Steve Schwartz, Walter E Washington Convention Center

• Raffle Winners – Five, $500 Apple Gift Cards
  • Leonard Emery – tvs Design – Atlanta, GA
  • Lana Ramirez – BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX
  • Sarah Feiger Robertson, CVP – Greenville, SCAndryn Arithson, MBA, The Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts – Denver, CO
  • David Pike – Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN

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• Region 5 added the most new members with a total of 77 members. The Region Director will select one recipient to have his/her CVP application fee waived (value $125) through July 2020.

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.

By Kristi Mexia

LA Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park (LASED) announced American Airlines as its first partner at a press conference on Tuesday. American Airlines will be a Founding Partner of LASED, the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.

As a part of the agreement, the airline will be the exclusive naming rights partner of American Airlines Plaza, a 2.5-acre two-level open-air space that serves as a main entrance into the stadium and performance venue. American Airlines Plaza will also be the main entry point into an adjacent VIP entrance, which opens into a three-level lobby inside the stadium.

LASED is a 298-acre world-class sports and entertainment destination being built by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. It will feature unparalleled event venues, office, retail and residential spaces, and more than 20 acres of parkland, with LA Stadium, the new home of the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, positioned as the centerpiece of the development. With more than 50 million visitors to Los Angeles in 2018 alone, LASED was not only designed to entertain fans, but also to serve as a community gathering space for Angelenos and for travelers to the LA metropolitan area.

“As we continue Mr. Kroenke’s vision to build the premier destination for sports and entertainment at Hollywood Park, we are proud to partner with an industry-leading business such as American Airlines,” said Jason Gannon, Managing Director, LA Stadium and Entertainment District. “We are both making investments in Los Angeles that will provide fans and customers an elevated experience as they travel, live, work and play.”

“For decades, Los Angeles has been one of American’s most important markets and has played a major role in connecting Southern California to the rest of the world,” said Robert Isom, President, American Airlines. “It is our mission to give our customers the world-class experience they deserve, and we are committed to doing so both at the airport and within the community. It’s an exciting time for the City of Angels and for American Airlines.”

American Airlines Plaza measures 10 stories tall and has a capacity of approximately 15,000 guests. American Airlines Plaza will be open to the public year-round, on event days, as well as non-event days.

The plaza sits between the stadium and performance venue. All three venues fall under the same roof, which is made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a lightweight and transparent plastic. American Airlines Plaza will have the ability to accommodate its own bespoke programming that will reflect and connect with the cultural passions of the Los Angeles community.

American is the largest carrier at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with more than 200 daily flights to 70 destinations and is the only airline at LAX with nonstop service to five continents. The carrier continues to grow and strengthen its 70-plus year presence at the hub through significant direct and indirect investments in the region, including a $1.6 billion modernization project to fully reimagine LAX Terminals 4 and 5 – American’s largest individual investment at an airport in its 93-year history.

“Strong partnerships with LASED, the Chargers and the Rams demonstrate American’s commitment to investing in our business and in the Los Angeles community. This stadium, and the events that will be held here, will bring people throughout the region and from around the world together. Connecting people is our business and we couldn’t be more thrilled for the bright future of this city, our airline and the 7,300 team members who call Los Angeles home,” said Suzanne Boda, Senior Vice President-Los Angeles, American Airlines.

“Building the best stadium in the world brings with it the opportunity to partner with the best companies in the world,” said A.G. Spanos, President of Business Operations, Los Angeles Chargers. “While both the Chargers and American Airlines seek to be best-in-class at what we do, what truly makes this partnership a perfect fit is our organizations’ commitment to the community. With these shared values as the foundation of this new partnership, we look forward to big things both in 2020 and for years to come.”

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with American Airlines and travel with them to Hollywood Park,” said Kevin Demoff, COO, Los Angeles Rams. “From building playgrounds and rewarding fans with trips to games to flying the team to Super Bowl LIII, American Airlines and the Rams have made quite a team. We are looking forward to continuing to work together to inspire Angelenos to shine bright and reach new heights.”

American Airlines will become the official airline of both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams and have prominent branding during Rams and Chargers gamedays. American has been the official airline of the Los Angeles Rams since their homecoming in 2016.

LA Stadium and Entertainment District was represented by Legends Global Partnerships in securing this historic partnership with American Airlines.

Kristi Mexia is with LA Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park.

Sodexo announced on its Twitter account that Gerri Mason Hall, the company’s USA Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, was recognized by Savoy Magazine on its 2019 list of Most Influential Women in Corporate America.

The leading African American lifestyle and business publication, Savoy Magazine announced the 2019 listing of the Most Influential Women in Corporate America featuring Oprah Winfrey on the cover.

Savoy magazine released their 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America listing in their Summer edition. The full list can be viewed online at SavoyNetwork.com. The Savoy Most Influential Women in Corporate America feature is the definitive listing of African American Women achievers impacting corporate America.

With expertise in a range of industries, the Savoy 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America embody talent, leadership and grace while executing critical roles for some of the largest corporations in the world.

“We are proud to continue the legacy of our coverage of the Most Influential Women in Corporate America with the Summer 2019 edition. We’ve worked diligently through research and networking to assemble this prestigious listing that leads the industry in documenting women achieving professional success at the greatest heights of business,” said L.P. Green, II publisher of Savoy Magazine. “Savoy is proud to celebrate these African American executives, leading global corporations, impacting our communities, and our world in important ways.”

Spectra, providers of venue management to the St. Charles (MO) Convention Center, has named Kathleen McAlpine as General Manager at the award-winning facility.

McAlpine is a dedicated management professional with more than 30 years of experience leading organizations in developing high performing customer service cultures. She is an industry veteran and has served in a variety of roles including, venue management, customer service, leadership development, team asset management, economic development, emergency management, community services program planning, and many parks and recreation functions.

McAlpine earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Texas A&M University where she also studied Political Science. She earned her Master’s in Public Administration from Arizona State University.

Her venue management leadership experience includes the St. Charles Convention Center, the Las Cruces Convention Center, the Port St. Lucie, Civic Center, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ, and the Phoenix Convention Center where she developed, implemented, and managed the convention center’s customer service and organizational development programs.

The executive team at the Convention Center is enthusiastic about their new addition to the team saying, “We are excited to welcome Kathleen to St. Charles and look forward to learning from her. Her reputation in the industry and expertise in client and customer service will serve as a catalyst for taking the Convention Center to the next level.”

To the victor go the spoils!

Scotiabank Arena, home to the NBA champion Toronto Raptors, is set to undergo a multimillion dollar “reimagination” to improve the fan experience.

Michael Friisdahl, president and chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 19,800-capacity arena, said the championship success is “motivating” them to “keep improving the experience.”

Home also to the NHL Maple Leafs, Scotiabank Arena held a record number of events in 2018 with more than 110 live shows over and above NHL and NBA games.

“We’ve got to keep getting better, we’ve got to keep improving the experience,” Friisdahl told the Canadian Press new agency. “We won a championship – we’ve won four championships in the last three years. That, if anything, motivates us to do even more. Eventually when it’s all said and done, you will notice that everything will have be touched in one way or another to improve the overall (fan) experience.”

Friisdahl says MLSE’s investment is to ensure the arena is both a “gathering place” for fans but also a destination in the city.

A pedestrian bridge that will connect a new second floor to the galleria on the north side of the arena is currently under construction. Improvements to the galleria are scheduled to be complete in the next 12 months, and is part of a larger plan that will take four to five years.

The arena also has plans to install a new video board, which is 40 per cent bigger than its current screen. Scotiabank Arena will also add smaller video screens added near the west entrance of the galleria. The arena is getting new digital Scotiabank signage that can light up in different colors.

“We’re going to step that up another notch. There isn’t a stitch that isn’t being retouched in here,” Friisdahl said.