The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) is pleased to announce the nomination of Eric D. Hart, CVE, for Second Vice Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors. Hart will serve a four-year term, taking on the Chairman position in 2021-2022.

Hart currently serves as the President/CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) in Tampa, Florida and the current Dean of IAVM’s Venue Management School Graduate Institute. The TSA manages Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the University of South Florida Bulls, the Hillsborough County Tournament Sportsplex, the Fairway Cafe and three City of Tampa municipal golf courses. The TSA also serves as the landlord for Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steinbrenner Field, spring home for the New York Yankees. 

“I’m really excited to have our stadiums represented in our leadership, and I am especially excited, because it is Eric Hart,” stated Michael Marion, CVE, IAVM Board of Directors Chair. “Eric is a committed leader in IAVM, and he will be outstanding in his new role. I look forward to having his voice added to the outstanding leaders already on the Board and Executive Committee.”

Hart has been a member of IAVM since 1998.  Previously to his tenure with TSA, he served as the President and CEO of the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority. Prior to Lansing, Hart served as the Director of Event Services for the Minneapolis Convention Center and as Associate Director for the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. He began his career at the Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa, where he served as the Guest Services Manager and was later promoted to Event Coordinator.

“One of the benefits of reporting to the Board and its Executive Committee is that IAVM has quality leaders in the officer positions that care about our industry and IAVM’s members,” said Brad Mayne, CVE, IAVM President and CEO. “Eric Hart has been involved in passionate and successful volunteer leadership roles for IAVM and is a great choice to serve as an officer of IAVM’s Board of Directors. The current executive committee has excelled in the new governance, and I have no doubt Eric will be successful in his new role of upholding the policies and vision for the association with fresh eyes on what matters to the association’s membership.”

“I am humbled and honored to be considered for Second Vice Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors,” said Hart, “IAVM’s leadership is critical to the growth of our industry and I look forward to being part of the team that helps our President and CEO move this organization into the future!”

IAVM members will vote electronically in June on Hart’s nomination, and, if elected, he will take office in July during IAVM’s VenueConnect Annual Conference and Trade Show, July 21-24, in Chicago.

SMG-managed Van Andel Arena was awarded the title of 2018 Biggest Loser in the Michigan Battle of the Buildings competition. Over one thousand buildings across the state competed in the year-long energy and water reduction competition hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan (USGBC-WM) and sponsored by Consumers Energy, DTE Energy and the Michigan Energy Office.

Van Andel Arena reduced energy consumption by a total of 12% to take home first place in the Entertainment category. SMG staff at Van Andel Arena engaged in action to cut their energy waste in a variety of ways. Among many initiatives, SMG completed a four-year project of compressor rebuilds and installed new LED aisle lights in the bowl of the arena as well as various office and meeting spaces. New variable frequency drives were installed on motors to increase energy efficiency, and the maintenance department utilized more ways recycle indoor air and use the outdoor air for cooling when possible.

“We are always looking for ways to reduce waste and be more energy efficient,” said SMG Assistant General Manager Eddie Tadlock. “It’s gratifying to know we reside in a community that places a high priority on environmental impact. We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in reducing our carbon footprint. It is a privilege to be a part of this competition with other organizations that are actively working to make better and more efficient use of our energy resources.”

“Deep reductions like this are a great example of what can be accomplished when you take a deliberate approach to energy efficient operations,” said Cheri Holman, Executive Director, USGBC-WM. “Dollars saved on energy conservation will filter straight to the company’s bottom line.”

LA Stadium & Entertainment District at Hollywood Park (LASED) continues to expand its leadership team with the addition of several key executives. Hollywood Park is a 298-acre district that includes a stadium, performance venue, retail, office, hotel, and parkland being built in Inglewood, CA, by E. Stanley Kroenke.

“We are thrilled to welcome this incredible group of leaders to help us deliver Mr. Kroenke’s vision for Hollywood Park,” said LASED Managing Director Jason Gannon. “Bringing together a team of individuals who have diverse experience within sports, entertainmen,t and business is a key component to building a global destination that will transform Southern California.”

Marlene Nations will lead LASED’s Legal Affairs group as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Prior to joining LASED, Marlene was a partner at Dentons, the largest law firm in the world. As a real estate professional, she is widely recognized as a versatile practitioner, having deep experience in both the legal and business aspects of complex real estate transactions and has advised owners on the acquisition, development, ownership and financing of professional sports facilities, including LASED. Nations was honored as one of the Top 100 Women’s Lawyers, Top 100 Business Lawyers by Leading Lawyer and as an Illinois Super Lawyer by Illinois Super Lawyer Magazine and Chicago magazine, and was recognized as one of the Notable Women Lawyers of 2018 by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Rosa Shen joins the Legal Affairs team as Associate General Counsel, supporting the sponsorship, facilities, event and sports related businesses as well as the general business needs of Hollywood Park. Previously, Shen spent time at Thomson Reuters and B/E Aerospace Inc. in a variety of capacities as well as AEG where she provided legal advice on matters related to the STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE complex. Shen was formerly a corporate associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

As Vice President of Security, Michael Beamer will oversee the security posture for all of Hollywood Park, including the Stadium and Performance Venue. Previously, Beamer was a member of the security team at the NBA where he assisted in planning for events, including the NBA’s All-Star Game, Draft, Combine, and Awards Shows. Beamer also oversaw team, arena, and event security for the NBA G League and USA Basketball. During his tenure at the NBA, Beamer managed security plans for the Olympics, Global Games, and NBA Summer League. Prior to the NBA, Beamer spent 11 years with the United States Secret Service in a variety of capacities, lastly serving on the Counter Assault Team.

Senior Director of Security Blake Paris will support Beamer and manage security for the Stadium and Performance Venue at all events. Previously, Paris served as the Director of Security for Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where he oversaw the security operations of a 116-acre campus that included three entertainment venues, a convention center, and two hotels. Prior to Mandalay Bay, Paris served as the Vice President of Security for Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum in New York, which housed two professional sports teams and held events such as NBA All-Star Weekend and WWE SummerSlam. Paris is a United States Coast Guard veteran and his last tour of duty was with the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team.

Otto Benedict will be the Vice President of Facility and Campus Operations overseeing the day-to-day operations and management of the Stadium and Performance Venue, as well as the entire District. In this role, he will manage event change-over, field management, and landscaping, among other areas. Benedict most recently worked at the Los Angeles Football Club where as the SVP and General Manager of Facilities he helped to successfully open and oversee the daily management of the Banc of California Stadium and Los Angeles Football Club Performance Center. Benedict spent over nine years at AEG working at both STAPLES Center and Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center) within the Operations and Events teams.

Chan Onechanh will serve as the Vice President of Engineering and Transportation where he will oversee all facility and campus fundamental systems and equipment, including mechanical, electrical and plumbing in addition to parking and transportation for Hollywood Park. Previously, Onechanh worked for Venue Solutions Group (VSG) where he worked on LASED, among other projects. Prior to joining VSG, Onechanh helped the Sacramento Kings open the Golden One Center. He has also held operations positions with the Washington Redskins, SP+ and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To help deliver a smooth and efficient parking experience for all guests of Hollywood Park, Juan Carrero will support Onechanh as the Director of Parking Operations. Most recently, Carrero oversaw all parking operations for the City of Santa Monica. Prior to the City of Santa Monica, Carrero spent nine years at AEG as the Senior Manager of Parking Operations for L.A. LIVE and STAPLES Center where he oversaw parking operations for 250-plus events a year, including two NBA All-Star games, the GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, BET Awards, Emmy Awards, and the X-Games, among others.

Mitch Bornstein will develop and oversee the VIP outreach and influencer engagement for Hollywood Park as Vice President, Business Development. In this role, Bornstein will build upon the work he has been doing at the Los Angeles Rams, leveraging events and all aspects of the district as a part of the overall effort to make Hollywood Park a premier destination.

Adolfo Romero joins as Senior Director, Programming and Events, reporting to Senior Vice President of Programming Christy Castillo Butcher. Romero will assist in securing, marketing, and selling major events within the stadium and across the district. Romero was previously at Major League Soccer (MLS) as the Senior Director of International Events where he oversaw the placement and execution of international matches with key MLS and SUM stakeholders, such as CONCACAF, the U.S. Soccer Federation, and MexTour. He also worked on special events for the league, including the Gold Cup, MLS Cup and MLS All-Star Game.

Kristi Mexia will serve as the Corporate Communications Director for Hollywood Park, focusing on media relations and outreach. Most recently, Mexia was with Beck Media & Marketing where she served as an Account Manager for AEG Global Partnerships, among several other global brands, leading PR and communications initiatives. Prior to Beck, Mexia was at Tennis Channel managing internal, external, and social communication channels.

Daktronics will continue a long relationship with the Texas Rangers to provide nine LED displays and approximately 1,400 LCD for an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) system at the team’s new Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Eight new SMD (Surface-Mount Device) LED displays, a centerfield 15HD display and all LCDs will be fully integrated using Daktronics Show Control System.

The announcement was made during a media event at Globe Life Field with representatives of the Rangers and Daktronics.

“The Rangers and Daktronics have enjoyed a great partnership that dates back to 1993,” said Rangers Executive Vice President, Ballpark Entertainment Chuck Morgan, who has also served as the club’s public address announcer at Arlington Stadium and Globe Life Park since 1983. “With its state-of-the-art technology, Daktronics has assisted us in providing the best possible ballpark entertainment for our fans for many years.

“The equipment and technology Daktronics is providing at the new Globe Life Field will bring the ballpark experience to an even higher level and it’s been a pleasure working with them on this project.”

The largest display will tower over right field and measure approximately 58 feet high by 150 feet wide. The display in left field will measure 40 feet high by 111 feet wide. These displays feature 15-millimeter line spacing using SMD 3-in-1 LED technology.

Together, these two displays will provide fans with 13,000 square feet of entertainment and information. These displays feature a total of 5.2 million pixels for high-resolution images and it would take 1,220 60-inch televisions to cover both displays.

Both outfield displays are capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics, and sponsorship messages.

“This system will feature a main video display that is beyond HD resolution using the latest SMD technology that is increasingly becoming standard in these large displays,” said Daktronics President and CEO Reece Kurtenbach. “Another eight displays in the bowl and an IPTV network of displays throughout the stadium creates a comprehensive solution of displays around the stadium to deliver an immersive experience for the fans. These technologies, powered by an innovative broadcast-quality control system and service expertise, will take the new home of the Texas Rangers to another level of game-day experience.”

Spanning the length of the seating fascia from foul pole to foul pole, a ribbon display will measure 2.5 feet high by 925 feet long. On the suite level fascia, a ribbon display will measure 3.5 feet high by 211 feet long. These displays also feature 15-millimeter line spacing and SMD technology to provide supplemental information to the main displays while providing the opportunity to highlight sponsors throughout events.

Two displays using 6-millimeter line spacing will be installed on the field-level suite fascia behind home plate and the display in centerfield will feature a 15HD pixel layout and measure 80 feet high by 20 feet wide to provide additional information for fans and sponsors. The Texas Sky Porch will feature a 3.9-millimeter video wall display to connect with fans in the club area. The interview room will feature a 2.5-millimeter narrow pixel pitch display to highlight sponsors as a press conference backdrop.

Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates has partnered with KultureCity to certify PNC Park as a sensory-inclusive environment.

The certification process requires the stadium game-day staff to be trained on how to recognise fans with sensory needs and educate them on how to handle a sensory overload situation.

The Pirates and KultureCity will ensure sensory bags, equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and weighted lap pads, are available to all guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment at PNC Park.

Fans also have access to a quiet area, located in the Legacy Square area, for those who may need a quieter and more secure environment.

“We are proud to work with KultureCity to provide the most inclusive environment for all of our fans throughout the season,” said Pirates President Frank Coonelly. “We recognize that during each game sensory sensitivities may hinder some of our biggest fans from enjoying the game they love. With this in mind, we are working diligently to ensure there are tools at their disposal as well as areas within the ballpark they can take advantage of to make their experience a great one.”

Individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD, and other similar conditions often experience sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation.

“To know that you soon will be able to see families attend a baseball game, a true community binding experience, with their loved ones who have a sensory challenge and who were not able to previously attend, is truly a heartwarming moment,” added Julian Maha, KultureCity co-founder. “Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Pirates are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing.”