Internships and experiential learning programs aren’t long enough for students, according to new research from the University of Houston.

“There is a gap between the expectation and the reality of the students’ experiential learning opportunities, like internships,” David Walsh, clinical assistant professor in the University of Houston department of health and human performance, told writer Marisa Ramirez. “We have to ask if we are failing to prepare and support them when the newness of the experience wears off.”

Walsh studies human development and is conducting a longitudinal study of students participating in a four semester program called “The Super Four Experience,” which includes working with staff from the Hoston Super Bowl and the Final Four host committees in event planning, event management, sports marketing, project management, facility management, and guest services.

“The Super Four Experience requires four semesters to complete, but traditional internships require about 300 hours in only one semester. If an internship ends on a low, the learning opportunity is lost,” Walsh said. “One semester may not allow the full experience of the internship to play out, denying students valuable time to work through the challenges.”

Please read Ramirez’s article for more about Walsh’s study.

(Image: University of Houston)

VenuWorks will manage the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, Illinois, starting April 1 under a 90-day transitional agreement while a five-year contract is finalized by the city. CIAM formerly managed the venue.

“It is an honor to have been entrusted with the management of the Coliseum by the City of Bloomington,” said Steve Peters, president of VenuWorks, in a statement. “We are eager to make a positive impact at the Coliseum and to become part of the Bloomington community.”

According a press release, VenuWorks will be responsible for all operations of the Coliseum including staffing, booking, food and beverage, ticketing, sales and marketing. A new venue manager will be named within the next 60 days. VenuWorks hopes to retain most of the incumbent Coliseum employees.

“I am extremely pleased to recommend VenuWorks to manage the Coliseum,” said City Manager David Hales in a statement. “They have a proven track record of success managing venues of similar size and scope, and I am confident they will be a great community partner.”

The Coliseum will also continue working with Ticketmaster, VenuWorks’ national ticketing partner.

Family. Team. Band. We’re all one group when it comes to venue excellence, education, and service and this year’s awards prove it.

Excellence for all. Check. Easier submission process. Check. Multiyear application. Check.

“I’m so proud of the updated Venue Excellence Awards program! The task force has worked very hard to make it both easier to submit and far more inclusive for every kind of venue within our membership,” said Kerry Painter, CFE, CMP, CEM. “From race tracks to complexes who may have struggled in the past to squeeze into a category, the guidelines will now meet your needs. We want every venue to have a chance to brag about the great things they are doing to move this industry forward. And the best part is…your submission will now remain on file for three years to save you some of the work in applying”

The deadline to submit your application for review is May 16, 2016. Your application may be submitted as a Word document, and you may also choose to embed photos within the text.

“We’re honored to be the stadium recognized by IAVM for the accomplishments of our staff and stakeholders. The 2014 Venue Excellence Award is significant for our team at MetLife Stadium, as IAVM has great influence in the global world of venue management,” said Brad Mayne, CFE, president and CEO of MetLife Stadium. “No doubt the professional development our six IAVM members have received from the association has played a part in our ability to be recognized as one of the premiere stadiums in the world by professionals in the sports and entertainment venue industry.”

Each application submitted will be eligible for consideration for a three-year period. As an example, an application submitted for the 2016 award will remain in the application pool for 2017 and 2018 unless the applicant wins. No further action is required. However, applicants may update or modify their application prior to the annual submission deadline in 2017 and 2018.

To submit your Venue Excellence Award application, please click here.

Continue Reading →

Microsoft Research is making some great strides with its HoloLens technology. For example, the above video shows off holoportation. Holo-what, you say?

“Holoportation is a new type of 3D capture technology that allows high-quality 3D models of people to be reconstructed, compressed, and transmitted anywhere in the world in real-time,” the company wrote in the video’s description. “When combined with mixed reality displays such as HoloLens, this technology allows users to see and interact with remote participants in 3D as if they are actually present in their physical space. Communicating and interacting with remote users becomes as natural as face-to-face communication.”

Check out the video, and let us know your thoughts about this new development.

You, as an IAVM member, are our most important asset. Without your commitment to the association and to the venue management industry, we wouldn’t be here. Because of your support, we are featuring member profiles in our I Am Venue Management series. If you are interested in participating in the I Am Venue Management series, please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story.

If I wasn’t doing this I’d: love to open up a farm-to-plate smoked meat barbecue restaurant or charcuterie bistro. Spending time working with craft beers and smoked meats seems like a cool way to pass the time. I just need to grow a beard. But I truly don’t think there is any other profession that operates at the same speed as the sports and entertainment world.

Most impressive person I’ve ever met: was Wayne Gretzky. Getting the opportunity to work at Rexall Place (Northlands Coliseum) and meet Wayne in the place where he built and solidified his legacy has been pretty special.

I unwind by: cooking, usually smoking some form of barbecue. On days off I tend to go to a local butcher, figure out what I want that day, go home and experiment with brisket, pork belly, depends what I feel like on the day.

On my desk right now is: the latest copy of Avenue (local Edmonton magazine) to see what Edmontonians are interested in and spending their money on, Sports Business Journal to continually keep a beat on what is happening in sports business, my Downtown Edmonton Community League membership card, and a pair of cufflinks made from original seats in Rexall Place.

My favorite IAVM program I ever attended was: definitely Venue Management School (VMS) at Oglebay. It’s such a unique setting to learn and interact not only with peers and up-and-coming managers within the industry but also some of the most accomplished venue managers. There’s a huge social component to VMS, which is appreciated by young leaders, such as myself. Speaking with individuals from all levels within the industry builds confidence and helps develop relationships. This is a great skill to bring back to work.

If I were on the other side of the seats, I’d be: an agent. I’ve always been attracted to what they do.

One trait an up-and-coming venue manager should have is: a “never say NO attitude.” Take this attitude to every decision you make. If the job seems too small, ensure yourself that it will benefit your career if you’re the person willing to roll up your sleeves and get it done. If the job seems too large or daunting, take on the challenge and learn the skills necessary to get the job completed. Make sure you understand the difference between a “never say NO” and a “Yes” attitude, because in this industry there are certainly times you won’t be able to say yes.

One up-and-coming venue star in the arena industry is: Tricia Bedard, the manager of guest experience at Rexall Place. In the past few years, Trish has engaged herself in the industry at an alarming rate. She has taken it upon herself to plan and execute trips to other North American venues to establish best practices and implement these here at Rexall Place. Tricia has become not just a trusted advisor within our leadership team at our venue and organization, but also to our tenants and touring guests that frequent our building.

One of my goals for this year is to: completely reinvent the way our organization approaches sports and entertainment. We are entering a transition period where our long-term tenants, the Edmonton Oilers (42 years) and Edmonton Oil Kings (10 years), will be leaving our building. Through this, we will maintain our commitment to deliver new and diverse entertainment options to the people of Edmonton as they have come to expect from us.

How do you plan to help elevate the profession? I have been exceptionally lucky throughout my young career in the industry to have excellent leaders and mentors, both within my organization and throughout my IAVM network. I plan on helping up-and-coming venue managers map their careers for success in the industry.

Where do you see new growth opportunities in the profession? The use of predictive analytics is where I see the most growth for this profession. I would love to see this used on a large scale to see how different events are going to perform in venues. Everything from ticket sales, expected attendance, food and beverage per caps, merchandise to guest concerns can be tracked and analyzed quantitatively to help properly steer the business decisions of your venue.

How do you stay current with industry trends and developments? I would have to say that Twitter is probably my first resource to be in the know with industry trends. I’m on there a few times a day making sure I’m not missing anything that is going on in the industry. I follow a bunch of the agencies, leagues, teams, etc. Beyond the industry, I’m constantly researching what people in the local market are doing and what events are impacting their spending habits. I’m continually intrigued by how global events shape the local economy, throughout Alberta and especially in Edmonton.

Who are three people you’d invite to a dinner party and why? I would want to invite Arthur Fogel (CEO of Global Touring for Live Nation) for his insight into the world of live performance and touring entertainment, Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX) for his ingenuity and entrepreneurialism, and Mark Parker (CEO of Nike) because he runs the most powerful brand in the sports industry. I think there would be an enormous amount to learn with all that power in the room. Or, one hell of a sports and entertainment event would be planned.

Mike Warkentin is the venue manager at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta.