If you carry a CVE designation after your name or if you are currently in the process of earning a CVE or CVP, you owe a major word of debt and gratitude to Al Antee, CVE, IAVM’s Chair (then President) in 1989-90. Antee, one of this industry’s true visionaries, passed away in Franklin, TN, on Tuesday, April 23, after fighting esophageal cancer.

Antee’s impact on the school that would become the Public Assembly Facility Management School at Oglebay actually began earlier than when he led the Association’s membership for a year.

The idea and preliminary planning for a Venue Management School also came long before it was formally presented at the 1986 Annual Conference’s Foundation meeting as a new idea for another source of education for those in the industry.

Antee and others arrived in Wheeling, West Virginia, in January 1987, to study the location for the school. Obviously, they were pleased and Oglebay became home and the first school took place in June of that same year with Antee and Dexter King, CVE, serving as co-chairs, and continues to thrive today with hundreds having earned professional designations.

Sandi Antee, Al’s lovely wife, shared the news of her husband’s passing via a Facebook post which read, “I am heartbroken to tell Al’s friends that he passed away yesterday morning. He tried so hard to stay with us but the esophageal cancer was found too late and the treatments didn’t work. Please pray for him and keep him in your hearts. I will miss him forever.”

Al was the son of the late Monroe and Dovie Antee. He is survived by Sandra, his wife of 45 years; his children, Travis Antee and Jamie Nicole Brown; his brother, Don Antee (Janette); and his sisters, Jewel Mefford and Gloria McElroy.

Al joined and served in the US Air Force after high school in Lumberton, MS from 1962 – 1966. He started his career managing Theaters and Arenas. Al then went on to a long career as a Concert Promoter across the US and Canada. He spent his retirement years with his family, horses, dogs, and riding the roads on his Indian motorcycle.

The Celebration of Life Service will be conducted on Monday, April 29th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet, TN. Interment with Military Honors will follow the service at 1:00 p.m. at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery (7931 McCrory Ln, Nashville, TN 37221). The family will receive friends on Monday, April 29th from 10:00 a.m. until service time at 11:00 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in honor of Al. (P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142) or at (www.stjude.org).

As word spread about the death of Al Antee, CVE, earlier in the week, many who have known the industry giant for years and more likely decades expressed their sadness about the news of his passing. Many knew Al from working with him or studying under him at the then Public Assembly Facility Management School at Oglebay. Others served with him on Association committees while others proudly called him a dear friend.

“This is very sad news,” said Larry Perkins, CVE, CPP, CMP. “Al was a leader among leaders, a pioneer, and an all-around great person. He loved his family and enjoyed his time on the ranch.”

“We all, particularly in this industry, have many mentors that have helped us along the way,” said Dexter King, CVE. “In fact, we each reflect the image of many of those that went before us and made an effort to ‘pour’ some of their wisdom, knowledge, and experience into us. Al Antee was not only one of those individuals, and there were many, that believed in me, he had the most significant impact on my professional career as anyone. Al Antee was the Chair of the IAAM Foundation when I first met him, via telephone, in 1986. At that time, he was in pursuit of founding an IAAM school in Wheeling, West Virginia, a legacy of his that is still very much alive today. Subsequently, as a senior officer of the association, he was involved in transitioning IAAM from a private management company, PM Hagar, to a self-managed organization. Al was also involved in the decisions and move of the IAAM office from Chicago to White Plains, NY, and then to Dallas/Fort Worth. Al loved this industry profoundly and made many enduring friends throughout his life. He poured his heart and soul into this association, moving it in quantum leaps ahead of where it might have been. The consummate dealmaker, he worked tirelessly behind the scenes to effect the best outcomes for the organization. Although not a high-profile volunteer in his later years, Al was often consulted for his wisdom and thoughts and did serve on the 2001 search committee for a new IAVM executive director. Al’s legacy lives on in many of us, carrying on his work of love vicariously.”

“He was a wonderful friend and mentor,” said Carol Wallace. “I have fond memories of his fireside chats at Oglebay. As a young event manager, he urged me not to be afraid to take risks with my career. May our Lord hold his family close at this time.”

“I knew Al back in the 1980s when I was an agent and he was at the Louisville Garden,” added Michael Marion, CVE, current IAVM Chair. “He was a promoter in Nashville and someone I liked a lot. Just a straight-forward and good guy.”

“I admired Al’s passion and willingness to speak out matters of the Association,” said Lionel Dubay, who enjoyed a visit at the Antee’s full of laughter and levity. “As a result of his leadership his contributions to our Association were many. Al was one of the leaders who helped us transition from private management of the Association to hiring our own executive director as well as helping with the establish of our professional Venue Management School at Oglebay. In addition, he was one of the leaders that was instrumental in starting the Crowd Management Conference as a result of the tragedy that took place at The Who concert. He was a leader who wasn’t afraid to take risks and he worked tirelessly on behalf of the Association. One of the most relaxing times I ever experienced was when I visited with Al and Sandie at their beautiful ranch several years back. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a good man.”

“I am so sorry to hear this news,” said Donna Dowless. “Al was a true pioneer in our industry. Devoted and dedicated to serving the industry. We are a stronger industry because of his many contributions and service in so many ways.”

“VMA (Venue Management Association Asia Pacific) was host to Al in Melbourne when he was president of the then IAAM,” said Jon Benett. “VMAS was in its formative years and Al continued to be involved over a long period. A great bloke and he will be very much missed by many friends and industry associates. My sincere condolences to Sandie and the family.”

“My heart is truly broken to learn about Al’s passing,” said Beth Wade, CVE. “Al was not only a friend but my mentor. It was Al who pushed me to get involved on the Association committees and had me appointed to serve on the Foundation. It was an honor that shaped my career and opened many doors for me. Al was passionate about everything he did. Immediately following the 11 deaths outside the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati in 1979 waiting for the doors to open at The Who concert, Al was at the forefront of organizing the Crowd Management Seminar (now the Academy for Venue Safety & Security) which was held in Louisville, his home at the time, for many years. The International Association of Venue Managers’ strengths today are because of members like Al Antee who saw a need and created solutions that are still viable today.”

“I remember meeting Al when he worked at the Louisville Gardens,” said Bob Skoney. “We had a lot in common with similar aging venues and seeking the same type of shows/events. Then he became President of the IAAM, and he was always a little irreverent as he began his opening acceptance speech at the annual conference by throwing his whole speech notes onto the floor in front of him and just winging his speech, which came from his heart and feelings about his passion for the industry. That was Al and he was a great guy.”

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum General Manager Joe Furin announced the hiring of Josh Rooney as Chief Revenue Officer and Teresa Guy as Director of Sales, Bookings and Partnerships, an acquisition that supports the reopening of the landmark venue in August 2019 after an ambitious multi-million-dollar renovation.

Guy joins the team with over a decade of live event experience with major promoter, agency, and venue companies. She was a booking agent at APA and The Agency Group and worked on the booking team at Nederland Concerts. Most recently, she was tasked with booking arenas across North America for The Venue Coalition. In her new role, Guy is responsible for booking events of all sizes within the Coliseum and surrounding grounds and to attract new business to one of Los Angeles’ most iconic venues. She will report to the Chief Revenue Officer.

Rooney, a 29+ sports and entertainment industry professional, will report to the general manager. Throughout his career, Rooney has held positions with many notable organizations including Pace Entertainment, CBS, Anheuser-Busch Companies, and the Washington Nationals. These affiliations and relationships positioned him to serve most recently as Vice President of the Rooney
Sports & Entertainment Group LLC. In this role, Rooney will be responsible for all revenue generation processes and initiatives, including ticket sales, sponsorship, and new event opportunities. In conjunction with Furin, Rooney will assist in developing the strategy and vision for the sales organization.

The stadium renovation project, whose scope includes modernization, preservation and restoration of the 96-year-old venue, began in January 2018. The Coliseum was able to host football, soccer and many other events during construction in 2018, but has now entered a new phase in anticipation of the August 2019 completion.

“We are excited to have two, highly respected and accomplished individuals in this industry join our team,” Furin said. “Since January 2018 the Coliseum has had limited operation due to the renovation. The timing to bring Josh and Teresa on as we get set for our August re-opening is no accident. The Coliseum will once again be able to host the biggest events and performers. Josh and Teresa are just the people to make sure that happens.”

SMG announced the addition of several new members and promotion of a current member to Chesapeake Energy Arena and Cox Convention Center’s marketing team in Oklahoma City.

Lucy Albers has been named Director of Marketing and Public Relations. Albers was most recently Director of Marketing at the SMG-managed facilities in Sioux Falls, SD, and was a part of opening the 12,000-seat Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in 2014. In 2017, she was a recipient of the Generation Next Awards from Venues Today (currently VenuesNow). With more than 10 years of experience in industry marketing and strategy, Albers will oversee the marketing department in building creative promotions, increasing ticket sales, and enhancing the venues’ profiles with local and national media.

Landon Bahl has been named Booking and Marketing Manager. On top of assisting with multiple industry events, the North Dakota native recently spent time with Creative Artists Agency in Nashville. Bahl will provide support to both the booking and marketing teams in Oklahoma City and assist in enhancing the venue’s back-of-house experience for artists and tours.

Emily Coursey has been named Graphic Design and Analytics Coordinator. An Oklahoma native, Coursey holds several years of experience in customer relations and operations with marketing and event companies. Coursey will primarily focus on graphic design for all venue needs and analyzing customer data to increase revenue trends.

In addition to the new hires, SMG has also promoted long-time team member Valory Dalton to Director of Ticketing and Business Development. Dalton has been an integral part of SMG’s team with years of both Marketing and Box Office experience in Oklahoma City. In her new position, she will continue to excel in leading revenue-generation as well as marketing and premium opportunities for the buildings and their events.

The new team members join current Marketing Manager, Stacey Aldridge, and round out a full team built to develop marketing strategies, build revenue streams, and enhance both customer and tour experiences at Chesapeake Energy Arena and Cox Convention Center.

By Michelle Riehle-Ludtke

The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by AEG Facilities, recently revealed a massive, hand-painted mural created by Portraits of Hope, titled Shaping LA. The mural, spanning the length of four football fields, will be displayed for approximately six months on the LACC’s South Hall facing the 110 freeway and on the ground level of the facility in and around the West Hall parking garage facing STAPLES Center.

The vibrant project was conceived 13 years ago by Portraits of Hope founders and brothers Ed Massey and Bernie Massey. In 2018, the City of Los Angeles Department of Convention and Tourism Development (CTD) began working closely with Portraits of Hope to showcase an upbeat, identifiable mural to the LACC exterior. Geometric shapes are core design elements of the project, as the young participants are responsible for “shaping” the future.

“The Los Angeles Convention Center is the perfect canvas for this one-of-a-kind project.” said Doane Liu, Executive Director, CTD. “Shaping LA has uniquely transformed the landscape of Downtown Los Angeles, proudly exemplifying the creativity of our great city.”

Shaping LA is the largest public art and civic project in the country thanks to the efforts of thousands of Los Angeles residents through civic education and public policy sessions in over 1,000 schools, creative therapy sessions for hospitalized children and persons with disabilities, social service programs and community operations for the public. Additionally, the project was made possible by partners, including AEG who donated $10,000 toward the project, as well as GES and Freeman who donated labor to install the mural.

“We are proud to support the Shaping LA project because it embodies the AEG values of community service and support of the arts and education,” said Ellen Schwartz, General Manager, LACC. “This project has impacted so many lives and we are excited to be an integral part of this story.”

Portraits of Hope is a national non-profit organization committed to developing dynamic, public art projects that enrich the lives of children and adults. This initiative is a continuation of the program’s large-scale, national projects which have brightened and visually transformed public settings and symbols ranging from the NYC taxi fleet, blimps, planes, lakes, and buildings to LA’s coastal lifeguard towers, urban laundromats, animal shelters, and frontline fire and rescue vehicles by working with organizations from NASA to NASCAR. Shaping LA is Portraits of Hope’s first major project within the city of LA since The Spheres at MacArthur Park in 2015.

After approximately six months, the artwork will be donated primarily to social service institutions to beautify their environments.

Photo by Felix Massey