By Maren Dougherty, San Diego Convention Center 

The San Diego Convention Center Corporation welcomes Paul Turner, Certified Venue Executive (CVE), to the role of General Manager. He will oversee event management, venue operations, public safety, and guest services for the 2.6-million-square-foot waterfront facility. Turner previously served as Vice President of Venue Management and Entertainment Operations for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“After 26 years and five states, this is a return to Southern California for me and an opportunity to work with an amazing team at an award-winning venue,” Turner said. “I look forward to sharing my expertise and passion for building great operations that benefit our clients, guests, business partners, and the greater community.”

Paul Turner, CVE

Before Caesars, Turner held leadership positions with the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, Philadelphia Eagles, Portland Trail Blazers, and Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Active in the international venue management industry, Turner is a Founding Distinguished Fellow for the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience. He is a former Chair of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) schools, the Academy for Venue Safety & Security and the Venue Management School. Known for developing industry standards and practices for customer service, event management, security, and venue operations, Turner has created numerous training programs and has presented at industry conferences around the world. He is originally from Torrance, California.

Turner begins his new role on October 2, 2023, reporting to Corey Albright, SDCC Chief Operating Officer. Albright oversees all aspects of operations, engineering, procurement, and capital projects.

“Managing the strong demand for our building’s space, our exceptional quality of event activity, and the high service expectations of our customers requires skillful and strategic leadership,” said Rip Rippetoe, CVE, SDCC President and CEO. “The combined expertise of Paul and Corey, along with the professionalism of our entire staff, will propel our success as we enter our 35th year of operation. We are thrilled to add a leader of Paul’s caliber to our team.”

In fiscal year 2024, SDCC will host more than 100 meetings and conventions. Those events are projected to generate a record-breaking $1.7 billion in regional economic impact, including $39 million in hotel and sales tax revenue for the City of San Diego.

Whether you are starting your journey into venue management or on the path to a fulfilling career, certification is your map to career enhancement.

“When you achieve your certification, you are communicating to current and future employers that you are well-versed in all areas of venue management (including venue types you’ve never worked at), have invested in your professional growth and the growth of others, and are dedicated to the advancement of the venue industry,” stated Beth Wade, CVE, Chair of the IAVM Certification Board about why members should seek to become certified through IAVM.  “I know the certification process is challenging and requires time, but the pride you will have when you join our growing group of CVP’s and CVE’s, will be immeasurable. It’s time to become certified…DO IT FOR YOU!”

The Certification Board has recently made a few notable changes to the process for achieving certification-

• the number of years of service for a CVE has been lowered to 5 years
• 20 points are now being given for CVE and CVP candidates with a 2 year/Associates/TAFE diploma program. 

Now’s the time to take the steps and join that group of your peers who have reached the pinnacle of achievement with IAVM by becoming a Certified Venue Executive (CVE) or Certified Venue Professional (CVP).

To learn more about how to earn your CVE or CVP designation, click here.

Applications for CVE are due no later than November 1, 2023.  Don’t delay!  Submit your application today! 

“If you had a Buffett date, you just couldn’t get the happy off your face,” said Russ Simons, Venue Solutions Group.

Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, Texas, lost an anchor tenant when the legendary lifestyle singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett passed away Sept. 1.

MacDonald, a member of IAVM for 47 years and in the business for 48, booked Buffett in all six buildings he has managed (Lakeland, Daytona Beach, Miami, Memphis and Houston’s Summit), but most frequently at the Pavilion. Buffett holds the record for the most plays — 25 performances there, including in the opening year, 1990.

Photo provided by Nick Zazal, CVP, Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR

“From a building standpoint, there are some shows you want to play every year,” MacDonald said. “That helped our food and beverage per cap, season ticket sales, box seat sales. Dave Matthews, Santana, Earth Wind and Fire, are also anchor plays. Buffet always helped sell season tickets and box seat sales. It was important.”

Buffett always preferred outdoor dates, much to the chagrin of Parrothead Lee Zeidman, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, who strived but failed to book Buffett. “He’s never played any of my venues even though I threw out numerous offers. If there was one act in my 40-year career I regretfully failed to book, it’s Jimmy Buffett. As hard as I tried, working everybody I knew.”

Like many in the venue industry, Zeidman posted a great tribute to Buffett on social media, LinkedIn in his case. “I’m a Parrothead. I saw him numerous times at the MGM in Vegas. I bumped into him backstage because I had some access. I told him I would turn LA. Live into Margaritaville and our event deck into a tailgate area – whatever he wanted. He said, ‘You’ve got to talk to Howard [Kaufman] and Irving [Azoff].’”

“Since I’m a Parrothead. I was devastated over the weekend. Buffett was one of my all-time favorite artists, singer/songwriters. To some extent, you could say I sort of patterned my lifestyle — beaches, bars and harbors — around what he did,” Zeidman said.

There are several Parrotheads (Jimmy Buffett fans) in the ranks of venue managers, perhaps none more so than Nick Zazal, CVP, Walmart AMP, Rogers, Ark.

“For me, it was a really big day [when Jimmy Buffett finally played Walmart AMP June 9, 2022]. I’ve seen him 16 times in concert. Those are some of the best memories of my life,” Zazal said.

Hosting Buffett, booked through Live Nation, meant coordinating with the local Parrothead Club to accommodate tailgating. That club includes a group called Fin Men, for the four-foot tall shark fin hats they wear, Zazal said. “The Fin Men all gathered at the concert here in Northwest Arkansas because most of them are from this region. It was the largest gathering of the Fin Men ever. When they played the big hits, the Fin Men would parade down the aisle. It was a sight to see,” Zazal said.

Even though his is an outdoor venue, Buffett’s tour was a logistical challenge because Walmart AMP is landlocked, surrounded by office buildings with which they share parking use agreements. They had to find a remote shopping mall on the other side of the river for the tailgate contingent, a big part of the Buffett festival experience. Then they had to shuttle them to the show.

“The thing about Parrotheads, and why I love them so much, is they make the best of everything. They were going to find each other and have a party no matter where we put them,” Zazal said.

Photo provided by Nick Zazal, CVP, Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR

Zazal will always treasure the “first and only time I got to host Jimmy.” The tour was still pretty locked down in terms of the Covid Bubble around Jimmy, with no meet and greets. As much as he wanted to, Zazal didn’t do any presentations of gifts, respecting the bubble, thinking “I’ll get him next time.They were fully intending to come back because they had such a good time.”

He does, however, have a gift of his own to remember the show — a  Margarataville Frozen Concoction Blender —which he received in the mail a month after the show.

“It’s the only gift I’ve ever gotten from a tour,” Zazal said.

Coordinating with the local fan club, the Parrotheads, is critical to a Buffet tour. For Michael Marion, CVE, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Ark., advancing a Buffet date had added dimensions.

“The mayor at the time of North Little Rock was a Parrothead. Normally, when we do a show, we meet internally and the director of event services interacts with the local police. But for Jimmy Buffett, we had a meeting in City Hall with all the department heads. It was a major away-from-the-building operation in terms of making room for these people, organizing them. The city had to handle that because it’s not on our property. Our building is right on the Arkansas River. Right down the street is the River Wall (flood wall), that’s where we put ‘em all. We set it aside for the Parrotheads.”

Buffett dates bring a colorful crowd, everyone wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Backstage, it’s a straight ahead operation, not real eventful, said Marion, who managed to book Buffet twice in his long arena career.

“We were supposed to do him three times, but the show scheduled for December, got snowed in in Tulsa and he couldn’t get here,” Marion remembers. “We had to cancel the show. Everyone was here, ready to go. Jimmy did a video on YouTube saying ‘well, so much for the winter tour.’”

Photo provided Michael Marion, CVE, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

For the longest time Buffett did nothing but outdoor dates. Finally they decided to come back inside, so it was a big, big, big deal in North Little Rock, Marion said. His first play there was March 1, 2012. He came back June 6, 2019. “We had our hand up a long time to get [a Buffet date],” Marion said.

“I can’t believe I got something Lee Zeidman didn’t get and I did it twice,” Marion chortled.

Allen Johnson, chief venues officer, Orlando Venues, first booked Buffett when he was in West Palm Beach in the mid-80’s, though he did work a Buffett date as a ticket seller at Camping World Stadium, Orlando, in 1979. That year, Buffett opened for the Eagles Hotel California tour, he recalled.

When he managed the Lakeland (Fla.) Civic Center, the tour rehearsed there for a week because they had added a new back-up singer.

“My favorite show would be April 14, 2018, a double bill at the [Camping World] stadium with Jimmy Buffett first and the Eagles second. It’s one of my top five for sure, Even though I was working and I had 45,000-plus of my closest friends around me, it was memorable. It was a typical Buffett show with everyone dressed in Hawaiian/casual shirts and when the Eagles came on, they shifted into laid-back Eagles mode.”

He also booked Buffett at the Amway Center arena, which made tailgating a challenge. “We roped off Division Street and sold parking spaces for RVs, and even a trailer and boat. We also had Margaritaville on the street and on the top floor of our parking garage. His shows always had a tailgate experience, from sitting around vehicles to venues setting up Margaritaville pre-parties.”

You had to involve the local Parrothead Club, because they were going to do something, and you wanted to make sure you did it together so it had some sort of organization to it, Johnson said.

They had a history of closing the street in front of the arena for Orlando Magic games, which led to the RV parking idea. The arena concessionaire at the time, Levy, wanted to plan the rooftop party to capture early sales opportunities.

On a Buffett show, you also knew food and drink would do well.

One Buffett memory that will always stick with Simons is the excitement displayed by Chris Reynolds, his number two in food service for Delaware North when he had booked Buffett at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Reynolds had done a lot of due diligence advancing the date. “He made (and I’m probably overstating this) 50 65-gallon garbage cans full of Margaritas. They were everywhere. His excitement was palatable to all of the rest of us,” Simons said.

A Buffett date was certain to be great for building, staff, fans, and downtown. “We regularly do events; we’re really good at them. But from anticipation to event to sheer exhaustion after the show, it was special,” Simons said.

Buffet made sure of it. His concerts were festivals, and the supporting events went well beyond tailgating. He had his political causes. He was known for his “Save the Manatees” outreach in Florida, for one.

Photo provided by Nick Zazal, CVP, Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR

Day of show, he sent a specially designed golf cart with crew to video the day’s tailgating parties, which became part of the live show video later that night.

He would do his Bing & Bong Show schtick on Margaritaville TV and Radio before each show, MacDonald recalled, interviewing various tour pros like Michael Utley or Mac McAnally or visiting celebrities, like J.J. Watt of the Texans. J.J. then played bongos on stage with Buffett. And every show was broadcast live. 

“He has a connection here in the Woodlands, Coleman Sisson,” MacDonald said. Sisson helped Buffett start Margaritaville Radio and TV. Their longtime relationship began when Sisson was an IT guy with Compaq and Buffett needed tech help when he bought his first computer. He called Compaq, got Coleman and they became great friends. When Buffett made it big, he hired Sisson to do all his IT. Sisson came up with an idea how to broadcast and televise Buffett’s shows every night. And Sisson lives in the Woodlands.

“When I was in Miami, Buffett had courtside season tickets to the Miami Heat; we gave him a special parking place,” MacDonald said of his long history with the legend. “He would fly up from Key West.

“One year, when I was in Houston, Buffett got a little excited at a Miami Heat game in Miami and the referee threw him out. We had him booked a week or two later in Houston [at the Summit].

“When he came here, I presented him with an official NBA referee jersey, might even have had the number of the guy who threw him out. He put that on and wore it the whole afternoon.”

Someone gives someone a blender. Someone gives someone an NBA referee’s jersey.

It’s a relationship business, top to bottom. That always fun relationship with Jimmy Buffett will be greatly missed by venue managers worldwide.

As Zeidman says, “It’s just a major loss.”

US Representatives Garret Graves (R–Louisiana) and Mark Pocan (D–Wisconsin) have announced the launch of the Historic Stadium Caucus. The caucus will bring together a bipartisan group of Congressmembers to work on preserving the legacy and protecting the integrity of these treasured venues across America while enhancing their capabilities, so they are able to continue to host world-class sporting events and concerts for generations to come.

“When Tiger fans walk into Death Valley on Saturday nights, they do more than watch a football game – they walk into a 99-year-old local icon that supports our regional economy. Every bowl of jambalaya scooped and Tiger Dog served injects jobs and resources into our community,” said Rep. Graves, who represents Louisiana’s 6^th Congressional District which includes Tiger Stadium, home of the LSU Tigers. “I am proud to join Rep. Pocan to preserve the legacies of some of our most historic landmarks and create new memories for future generations.”

In launching the Historic Stadium Caucus, Reps. Pocan and Graves recognize the significance of these iconic venues and are seeking to protect their value while adapting them to meet evolving needs. The caucus will bring much-needed attention to historic stadiums that were among the first major athletic venues in the United States and continue to host some of sport and entertainment’s most marquee events each year. Furthermore, these historic venues are economic catalysts for their local economies and emergency preparedness centers for local, county and state agencies.

“Historic stadiums, like Camp Randall Stadium where the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers play, serve a vital role in our communities,” said Rep. Pocan, who represents Wisconsin’s 2^nd Congressional District. “Not only are they where memories are made and young people get inspired to play sports, but they’re often hubs of economic activity. We must do everything we can to protect these iconic venues in our communities. I’m glad to join Representative Graves in forming the bipartisan Historic Stadiums Caucus and look forward to the work we’ll accomplish together.”

Among the stadiums that the caucus includes is the oldest remaining football stadium in the United States, University of Penn’s Franklin Field that opened in 1895. The Rose Bowl Stadium, built in 1922 in Pasadena, California, has hosted five Super Bowl games, gold medal matches for two Olympic Games with a third coming to the venue in 2028, two FIFA World Cup Finals, the 1982 Army-Navy Game, UCLA Football since 1982, and the annual Rose Bowl Game® since 1923. Now in its centennial year, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host its third Olympic Games in 2028 after hosting in 1932 and 1984. The Rose Bowl Stadium and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will become the first venues in history to host the Olympic Games three times. Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium has been home to the Wisconsin Badgers football team since 1917 and witnessed the rise of football icons like Heisman Trophy winner Alan Ameche and J.J. Watt. Entering its centennial season in 2024, LSU’s Tiger Stadium has seen multiple NFL superstars jumpstart their careers, from quarterbacks Y.A. Tittle in the 1940s to Joe Burrow in the 2010s.

“Historic stadiums, such as Tiger Stadium at LSU, play an important role in the environment that makes college athletics special. The game day traditions in iconic venues around the country are unique and are worthy of discussion,” said LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward. “I appreciate the Historic Stadium Caucus co-chairs, Garret Graves and Mark Pocan, for recognizing the need for healthy dialogue around the protection of historic stadiums.”

The launch of the Historic Stadium Caucus marks a pivotal moment in the preservation and modernization of historic stadiums. The caucus’ commitment to protecting some of America’s national historic landmarks will help focus attention on the infrastructure needs of historic college football stadiums throughout the country.

“Since I was 10 years old, the Rose Bowl, the Coliseum and so many others have truly been pillars in what they represent to so many people around the country,” said Ronnie Lott, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer who won four Super Bowls in his career and former USC Trojan. “We must protect these historic buildings around the country due to what they mean in their communities and to those who use them daily. The infrastructure is truly important to keep these iconic places going for many more years to come.”

“I’ve had the honor of playing in so many historic stadiums over the course of my career, from the Rose Bowl to Cotton Bowl, and a variety in between. It’s not just about the athletes taking the field, but the environment that these iconic stadiums create for the fans – the energy feels electric and as a soccer player, creates the ‘12th man,’ so to speak,” said Cobi Jones, a National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and the all-time leader in international appearances for the United States Men’s National Soccer Team. “The preservation and appropriate infrastructure developments of these stadiums should be front and center, as they are a link to our past and a gateway to our future for families, sports, entertainment and more.”

At the launch, eighteen of the most iconic college football venues are committed to participating in the Historic Stadium Caucus. These include:

• Beaver Stadium (Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania),
• Camp Randall Stadium (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin),
• Cotton Bowl (Dallas, Texas),
• Davis Wade Stadium (Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi),
• Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania),
• Husky Stadium (University of Washington, Seattle, Washington),
• Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama),
• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California),
• Memorial Stadium (University of California, Berkeley, California),
• Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois),
• Memorial Stadium (Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina),
• Nippert Stadium (University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio),
• Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, California),
• SJSU Spartan Stadium (San Jose State University, San Jose, California),
• Tiger Stadium (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana),
• Vaught–Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field (University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi),
• Wallace Wade Stadium (Duke University, Durham, North Carolina), and
• Yale Bowl (Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut).

“Historic stadiums like the Rose Bowl have been the backbone of American sports and entertainment for over a century, but their viability and continued operations are in jeopardy with the evolving landscape and expectations of modern-day sports and entertainment,” said Jens Weiden, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Rose Bowl Stadium. “History is the soul of these stadiums, and they hold a special place in the heart of our communities as valuable engines for economic impact and emergency preparedness. We thank Representatives Graves and Pocan for their leadership in the formation of the Historic Stadium Caucus and are grateful to the other members who have joined the caucus. The Rose Bowl has been a critical voice and a leader in the need for the Historic Stadium Caucus. We believe the launch of the caucus will be a crucial step forward in protecting these iconic venues from being overshadowed and will undoubtedly work towards the appropriate preservation and infrastructure necessities that can continue to energize their existence.”

The mission of the Caucus is to assist representatives of historic stadiums – and those who are passionate about safeguarding iconic venues – in ensuring the stadiums can stay up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and security measures, as well as environmental practices, all while preserving their rich historical legacy.

Some of the key areas that the Historic Stadium Caucus will focus on are:

• Security and Safety enhancements: With growing concerns about safety and security in public spaces, the caucus will focus on how the historic stadiums are able to implement cutting-edge security measures without compromising the historical character or footprint of the stadiums. This will enable these venues to continue to host events with an iconic energy, such as major college and professional sporting events, national and globally-significant competitions, and concerts by world-class musicians.
• Technological Upgrades: Given the amount of fans each venue welcomes annually, the Historic Stadium Caucus will help focus attention on the fact that these stadiums – many of which are over or nearing 100 years old – are in need of technological upgrades to ensure that these iconic venues can meet the modern-day patron standard as well as the expectations put forth to remain leaders in compliance related to local, state and federal safety standards.
• Funding for Infrastructure Updates: As with many historic buildings, some stadiums could benefit from essential infrastructure upgrades. While these venues have stood the test of time, ensuring their continued functionality and longevity requires investments in their infrastructure not just for significant sports and entertainment events, but for the appropriate use by the communities that they serve in times of positive togetherness, but emergency needs, as well.

The historic stadiums are not only the locations for some of the most significant sporting events of all time, but they are also where sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork are fostered and on display from the student-athletes, coaches and administrators that steward their continued existence.

“It is important to remember that these historic stadiums are not just grass, goalposts, and concrete. They are a point of pride for cities and states where generations have come together to cheer, celebrate, and create lasting memories,” said Dedan Brozino, President of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, which has a mission of protecting, preserving, and enhancing the future of the Rose Bowl Stadium. “By investing in infrastructure, we are not only preserving the physical structures, but also strengthening the cultural heritage, sense of identity and sportsmanship initiatives that these stadiums represent. This effort will undoubtedly ensure that these hallowed grounds continue to serve as symbols of unity, passion, and community for the next generation.”

The Historic Stadium Caucus’ co-chairs, Reps. Graves and Pocan, will circulate a “Dear Colleague” letter to ask other members of Congress to join, and move forward discussing strategies to preserve the historic stadiums across America.

For more information on the Historic Stadium Caucus, please contact the following:

• For Rep. Pocan: Erin Schnell at erin.schnell@mail.house.gov or (202) 225-2906
• For Rep. Graves: Logan De La Barre-Hays at logan.delabarrehays@mail.house.gov or (202) 225-3901

For more information on America’s historic stadiums, please contact Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President Dedan Brozino at dbrozino@rosebowlstadium.com or (626) 577-2540.

As part of its rapidly expanding ASM Global Acts worldwide sustainability and equity program, the world’s largest entertainment- and venue- operating company has announced granting a record number of U.S. college scholarships and additionally unveiled a major global university student program — “GROW” — providing unprecedented opportunities for the industry’s next generation of leaders.

Funded by the ASM Global Acts Foundation, ASM Global Stars Scholarship gives students in under-resourced communities across the U.S. educational and career development opportunities, creating accessible pathways to pursue their education and career goals. The program this year has awarded 50 scholarships valued at $125,000 (up from 28 and $70,000 last year) to students in 39 cities (up from 14 in 2022).

The new GROW program focuses on cultivating similar experiences worldwide. It provides the world’s largest portfolio of venues with the necessary resources to create internship programs and meaningful work experiences for university students. It fulfills ASM Global Acts goal to provide job opportunities, experienced networks, purposeful work and entry opportunities in the live entertainment business throughout the world.

GROW career experiences are available in marketing, operations, event management, human resources, finance, IT, sales, procurement, guest service, security, and food and beverage.

By the end of 2023, GROW will be hosting over 100 university students around the globe and looks forward to growing that number significantly in 2024.

ASM Global’s President and CEO Ron Bension said, “GROW is an acronym for gathering knowledge, realizing your potential, opportunities awaiting and engaging in work that matters. We intend to deliver all of that and more to students who want to be a part of the next generation of leaders in one of the world’s most exciting and fulfilling careers: live entertainment.”

Shauna Elvin, chief human resources officer, said, “We’re committed to curating introductory opportunities and exposure in the universe of venue management throughout our business units internationally. Through engaging hands-on opportunities, students from diverse backgrounds will develop business acumen, grow their professional network, and meaningfully contribute to the organization and brand’s growth.”

As it continues to elevate the guest experience in its portfolio of arenas, stadiums and theaters, numbering over 350, ASM Global recently completed its second international virtual “collaborative job fair” encompassing five continents that shattered the record for live entertainment job fairs with over 3,000 applicants.

ASM Global leadership hopes that such unique global searches will surface new talent and expand the company’s reach within its local communities as the live-entertainment experience continues to prosper.

To learn more and to apply, visit: https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/ASMGlobalStars