VenuWorks of Dodge City and Boot Hill Casino & Resort have partnered on the naming rights to the Conference Center at United Wireless Arena, a 7,000-square-foot meeting and entertainment venue.

“This new partnership between VenuWorks of Dodge City and Boot Hill Casino & Resort will open up opportunities for the rest of the community to develop and grow as a tourist destination for southwest Kansas,” said Chris Ragland, executive director of VenuWorks of Dodge City, in a statement. “We are excited about combining our existing partnership and efforts with United Wireless with that of the Boot Hill Casino & Resort to continue to bring first-class entertainment options to our region.”

The multi-year partnership will be celebrated at a future reception at the venue.

“The City of Dodge City is thrilled about the unlimited opportunities the partnership with Boot Hill Casino & Resort and VenuWorks will provide our community,” said City of Dodge City Mayor Joyce Warshaw in a statement. “The approval of the naming rights agreement demonstrates the Casino’s long-term commitment to Dodge City, Ford County, and our region. In addition, this collaboration meets the City’s core values of ongoing improvement, as together we value progress, growth and new possibilities for our future.”

(Image: Facebook)

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in May 2016—a total of 73 new members. Thank you for being a part of the association!

Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.

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In short, more lines increase worker speed.

Researchers at Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management found that employees worked slower when customers waited in one long line than when the employees each had their own line. The reason being because clearing out the line is a shared task, with each employee contributing to the end goal.

“When workers have clear feedback on the number of customers in line and how quickly they are moving, it can affect motivation in different ways,” said Julie Niederhoff, assistant professor of supply chain management at Whitman. “It also helps if managers provide pay-per-customer or other financial incentives.”

The researchers tested their theories using simulations in the Whiteman Behavioral Lab. Employee performance was determined over a 10-minute work period, and the researchers manipulated customer arrival rate, payment structure, line visibility, and line structure.

“The results of our study indicate that the physical layout of the service environment can influence worker effort and, hence, the system’s overall performance,” the researchers wrote in “Humans are not machines: The behavioral impact of queueing design on service time.” “Specifically, we show that the median service time is higher in single-queue structures than in parallel queues. From a managerial standpoint, when choosing to transition to single-queue structures, one has to be aware of the potential slowdown of servers; otherwise, the managers can overestimate the increase in performance after the move and fail to meet service goals.”

Niederhoff notes that speed doesn’t always mean worse customer service.

“Slower workers might not always lead to lower customer satisfaction,” Niederhoff said. “For example, in settings where customers are not concerned about speed but, rather, prefer a slower and more personalized service, a server slowdown may lead to an increase in customer satisfaction. This is something for a manager to consider.”

(Image: Maarten/Creative Commons)

Bank of America Stadium—home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers—named CommScope an Official Network Solutions Sponsor.

“The entire Panthers organization is committed to excellence, whether it’s in scoring touchdowns or making sure fans absolutely love coming to see this team play,” said James Hammond, director of information technology for the Carolina Panthers, in a statement. “With the help of CommScope, the Panthers are utilizing next-generation network technology to deliver an exceptional experience for visitors.”

CommScope will supply equipment and provide onsite technical engineering support to modernize the wireless and wired communications for the stadium’s visitors.

The Panthers hired Beam Wireless Inc., a DAS and small-cell consultant, to provide technical services and equipment selection guidance. The Panthers and Beam Wireless selected CommScope’s ION-U DAS to enable fans to upload photos and videos, text, and make calls, and enjoy other mobile applications during events. The Panthers installed the DAS in less than 90 days from start to finish, and three wireless operators are now on-air throughout the stadium.

CommScope is also supplying high-performance copper and fiber network infrastructure to help the Panthers deliver an integrated, engaging experience to fans, while supporting stadium operations. CommScope is supplying an Optical LAN (Local Area Network) Solution for a passive optical network in the stadium suites and high performance structured cable/connectivity elsewhere. This integrated infrastructure enables, according to a press release, applications such as high-bandwidth data, voice, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and Wi-Fi services; high-definition TV and hospitality services for the suites; and broadband video.

“The Panthers’ took a leading role in designing and driving these major network upgrades at Bank of America Stadium, highlighting a trend we are seeing at stadiums throughout the U.S. and Europe,” said Ben Cardwell, senior vice president for CommScope Mobility Solutions, in a statement. “Ensuring a premiere fan experience, speeding the deployment process and making upgrades and optimization easier are some of the benefits of venues taking greater control of their networks.”

(Image: Ed McDonald/Creative Commons)

Chris Rogers

IAVM member and longtime Academy for Venue Safety & Security (AVSS) instructor Chris Rogers passed away earlier this month. We’ve been receiving tributes from members and friends and would like to share them with you.

Steven A. Adelman
Chris Rogers, a longtime member of the faculty of IAVM’s Academy for Venue Safety & Security, passed away on May 5, 2016.

Chris joined AVSS back in 2005. He was one of its early innovators, developing the Risk Management curriculum, writing significant portions of the AVSS textbook, and creating the Individual Discussion Groups and “war games” that give students a safe space to discuss and apply the material they learn with their peers. For nearly all of the longtime AVSS faculty, Chris Rogers was one of the first instructors we met and was certainly one to leave a lasting impression.

As a teacher, Chris could sometimes be gruff when he felt that that was necessary to get his point across, but that was only a thin façade over his warm and generous personality and great sense of humor.

Chris was a big man with a bigger heart, particularly for his family. His face never failed to light up when he talked about his beloved wife Stacey, his daughter, and especially his grandchildren. Several years ago, he made the smart decision to step away from his other commitments, retiring from AON Risk Solutions, where he was Director of Risk Control for their National Entertainment Practice, and leaving AVSS, in order to spend more time with his family. Chris and Stacey even moved from southern to northern California to be full-time grandparents.

In an article for the cover of Facility Manager in December 2012, Chris explained that “all business decisions are risk acceptance decisions.” He fearlessly accepted the risk of putting his entire self into his relationships with his students, and with his many friends among the AVSS faculty. Chris was a leader, both in word and in deed. We miss him.

Kevin Mattingly, CFE
Chris was an Allied member of IAVM and a faculty member at AVSS. The Chris I knew approached everything with a laugh and a smile. He loved his family with his whole heart. He worked hard, but loved it. He shared his experience and knowledge with passion and urgency. He was always quick to compliment others. Chris could wear hats and looked good doing so! Chris never met a stranger. When Chris Rogers retired, we immediately missed him. I suspect we always will.

John Siehl, CFE
Chris Rogers was a true friend of AVSS. His dedication and tenacious approach to teaching were second to none, that, combined with his passion for Risk Assessments and the safety of our patrons, created the consummate professional at AVSS for many years. We will miss his jovial demeanor and serious approach.