One game shy of reaching the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs announced plans to upgrade Arrowhead Stadium during the off-season as it seeks to enhance the experience for fans.

The stadium has served as the Chiefs’ home for more than 40 years and has some of the rabid fans in not just the NFL but all of sports. Witness the attendance at the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots played on a Sunday night when temperatures were biting cold but not as bad as minus temperatures predicted earlier.

The iconic Arrowvision scoreboard, which hangs over the west end zone and is shaped like a football, will be modernized. The structure will maintain its size and shape but will be fitted with new LED panels to provide a more enhanced picture for spectators.

Other enhancements include waterproofing measures for the stadium’s upper deck to be reapplied to protect the enclosed space below the club level, a move designed to help Arrowhead Stadium’s to deal with adverse weather conditions. All seats in the upper deck are removed for the process, and will be replaced by new seats featuring cupholders.

“It has been a decade since our last major renovation to Arrowhead Stadium was completed and we’ve been taking an extensive look at areas we can address as we move towards future seasons,” said Mark Donovan, team president. “We are excited about these projects and look forward to the work beginning in the coming days and weeks.”

The IAVM Foundation Golf Tournament hosted at VenueConnect is a classic combination of business development, networking, sport, relaxation, and philanthropy. This year’s tournament is heading to Harborside International Golf Center in Chicago, IL.  Sponsorships are now available for this opportunity to showcase your company, receive complementary golf registrations, receive branding of your organization and more!  Opportunities are attached for your review.  Please contact Kathryn Eades, Director of Development for the IAVM Foundation,  to reserve your sponsorship today.

Are you renewing your IAVM Association membership soon?  Did you know that when you renew your membership you can also invest in YOUR Foundation?  Become a part of ensuring that the Foundation remains vital in its mission to increase the positive impact and vitality of the public assembly industry by funding research, education, and resource development.  In this ever-changing world of emerging markets, increasing energy costs, supply and demand fluctuations, squeezed public funding, intense competition—there is a demand for a public assembly venue workforce prepared and capable like never before.

It’s true and very easy to help!  All you have to do is:

1. On your renewal form check the amount you would like to add to your renewal dues, or write in the amount of your choice.  Any amount is fine. 
2. Add your Foundation investment to your renewal dues
3. Send your payment to IAVM. 

That’s all it takes to invest today!

It’s YOUR Foundation!  It’s YOUR Future! 

By Mark Herrera, IAVM Director of Education

As we begin 2019, we must be aware that emergencies can happen anywhere at any given time and we must be prepared to act to prepare for emergencies in the event something unexpected happens. No one can guarantee zero risk; however, what we can guarantee is that we will continue to prepare, plan, and recover from crisis.

I would like to acknowledge and thank those organizations, to include Mexico, who requested Live Training on behalf of the International Association of Venue Managers and provided their staff with training that is critical to awareness, crowd management best practices, and emergency preparedness.

We are also excited that many organizations below will be attending the Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) in San Diego, California on March 10-14. I look forward to continuing providing organizations with exceptional focus, performance, and control in extreme situations for 2019!

Here’s to the organizations below who have taken pride in making every effort to provide a safe environment for all those attending events for 2019 and beyond!

• Association of Performing Arts Professionals Conference (APAP)-New York City
• Rocky Mountain Dental Convention Center-Denver, Colorado
• Charles Eisemann Center-Richardson, Texas
• State Farm Arena-Atlanta Hawks Staff-Atlanta, Georgia
• Congreso Nacional Ameref-Guadalajara, Mexico
• Levitt Outdoor Amphitheater-Los Angeles, California
• Dulles Expo Center-Chantilly, Virginia
• College Park Center UTA-Arlington, Texas
• Levitt Shell Amphitheater-Memphis, Tennessee
• Denver City for the Performing Arts-Denver, Colorado
• Levitt Amphitheater-Arlington, Texas
• California Presenters Conference- San Diego, California
• International Association of Exhibition & Events (IAEE)-Midwestern Chapter
• Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, Virginia
• Levitt Outdoor Amphitheater-Dayton, Ohio
• Mesa Arts Center-Phoenix, Arizona
• Walton Arts Center-Fayetteville, Arkansas
• AMC Engaged Conference-Chicago, Illinois
• Oregon Convention Center-Portland, Oregon
• X-LIVE- Las Vegas, Nevada
• Cox Center-Tulsa, Oklahoma
• International Association of Exhibitions & Events-Austin, Texas
• Johnson Controls-Las Vegas, Nevada
• GSX-ASIS-Las Vegas Convention Center
• Anaheim Customer Advisory Board-Anaheim, California

For more information about AVSS or any of IAVM’s live training, contact Mark Herrera at mark.herrera@iavm.org.

To find additional information about the training opportunities, please

click here.