David Beckham and the city of Miami have come to an agreement to build at privately funded 25,000-seat, soccer-specific stadium adjacent to Marlins Park.

“Today’s meeting with Mayor Regalado was another positive step toward bringing a world class soccer club to Miami,” a spokesperson for Beckham Miami United—an investment group backing an MLS team for the city—said. “We’re still in the early planning stages and several viable options still exist, but our preferred stadium location is the former Orange Bowl site. David, Marcelo, and Simon are thrilled by the initial outpouring of support we’ve received from our fans and we’re excited about sharing our plans with the city, county, and community soon.”

Now talks can begin with Major League Soccer to determine a start date for the franchise.

Twenty-four students are spending three weeks at Penn State practicing the full college experience, including classes, meals, and navigating a large university campus. The camp, organized by the Summer Academy for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, uses the Blind Square app, iBeacons, and a smartphone to provide custom guidance on everything from crossing streets to getting from the salad bar to the cashier in the dining hall.

The guidance provided is highly customized, and, as Frank Ready reports in the Centre Daily Times, can include significant details such as the sequence of beverages available at self-serve drink stations.

As venues continue to integrate location-based capabilities into the tech experience offered to guests, it is inspiring to see new applications emerging that continue to expand the ability to deliver a great visitor experience.

(Image: Jonathan Nalder via Wikipedia CC)

Steve Jones is one of this year’s keynote speakers at the upcoming Arena Management Conference (AMC), Sept. 20-22, in St. Louis, Missouri. Jones is a 30-year music industry veteran, one of the world’s leading radio programmers, and author of two marketing books. He has worked alongside some of the biggest names in music, and at AMC he will show you how music stars like AC/DC, U2, Madonna, Jimmy Buffett, Kiss, Fleetwood Mac, and Taylor Swift have created powerful brands, built legions of loyal followers, thrived in changing times, and turned casual customers into raving fans.

One example of an act offering great customer service is the Foo Fighters, whose lead singer, Dave Grohl, broke his leg during a concert in Sweden in June. But that didn’t stop Grohl and the band from continuing the show.

“An hour later, Dave Grohl was wheeled onto the stage in a wheelchair with his leg in a cast, and he picked up his guitar and performed the Queen/Bowie classic ‘Under Pressure’ as a duet with [Taylor] Hawkins behind the drums,” Jones wrote on his blog. “The fans who were in Gothenburg, Sweden, that night saw a performance they will never forget. Not a single fan, I guarantee you, went home unhappy.”

Jones goes on to show how we can all learn lessons in customer service from Grohl. For example, the customer matters most.

“Your personal pain and suffering don’t matter to them,” Jones wrote. “They paid for an experience, and they deserve to get that experience and then some.”

Check out Jones’ post, “Four Things Dave Grohl Can Teach You About Customer Service” to learn more lessons. And register now for AMC, where Jones will help you understand how to “brand like a rock star” and keep customers and fans coming back for years.

(Top Image: Reddit)

AEG Facilities’ Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) and its telecommunications provider, Smart City, recently installed major upgrades to the venue’s existing Wi-Fi network. The upgrades include increased Wi-Fi coverage, a stronger Wi-Fi signal, and expanded complimentary Wi-Fi availability.

“This project is a critical component of our partnership with the facility and we look forward to delivering a superior service to clients and guests,” said Henry De La Rosa, general manager for Smart City at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in a statement. “We upgraded the existing fiber network, including adding 40,000 feet (or 7 miles) of fiber as well as 76,000 feet of copper (or 14 miles). Also, new Cisco wireless access points have been installed, which results in increased Wi-Fi coverage throughout the building.”

The upgraded network provides the LACC with a robust fiber backbone capable of seamlessly supporting large-scale technology shows. Additionally, Smart City’s partnership with technology vendors such as Cisco will further reinforce the facility’s ability to deliver reliable service to clients and guests.

The facility is very excited about the improvements Smart City has made to the entire Wi-Fi network, which covers complimentary and paid Wi-Fi, said Brad Gessner, AEG Facilities senior vice president and general manager for the Los Angeles Convention Center, in a statement.

“Complimentary Wi-Fi is now available in all public areas in the facility as opposed to only the three food court areas; customers also have the option to upgrade to secure Instant Internet or Exhibitor Internet at a fee,” Gessner said.

The LACC provided the following highlights of the Wi-Fi network upgrade:

• Upgrade to the existing fiber network, including the addition of single mode fiber to every IDF in the building
• New core switch (Nexus 7009)
• New UPS for the core switch
• New 2960 switches in every IDF
• Design establish for 210 New Cisco 3702 wireless access points
• Category 6 cabling project to enable wireless
• 76,000 feet of copper (14 miles)
• 40,000 feet of fiber (7 miles)

(Image: EnerGov)

Being chosen as the inaugural recipient of the Joe Floreano Scholarship for Venue Management School (VMS) was a tremendous honor. As a former VMS intern in 2012, it was a unique experience attending this year as a first-year student. While it was the second time I sat in the Year One classes, it felt like an entirely different experience. The classes were extremely informative and gave us a chance to participate in engaging discussions with our peers within the industry. At the sector and industry topic round tables, it was interesting to hear what issues other venue managers are facing and how they operate. Both programs gave me a chance to reflect on how my venue approaches different scenarios.

Networking was the greatest part of VMS. We were given many different opportunities to meet and interact with fellow venue managers. Whether it was at during lunch, socials, or outside of class, students and instructors formed friendships that are sure to last a lifetime! There is a wide variety of students who attend VMS ranging from different facility types to our allied partners. This ensures that everyone has an opportunity to meet someone from all parts of the industry.

The instructors are a vital part of VMS because of their knowledge and tenure. There is a diverse group of instructors with more than 100 years of experience in the industry and from a variety of venues. Students were able to connect with the instructor that they felt most comfortable with. Many mentor-mentee relationships are formed at VMS, making the program a valuable asset for students.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity given to me by the IAVM Foundation. I never thought I would attend VMS until the Joe Floreano Scholarship was created. The IAVM Foundation is providing opportunities to those who may not have the resources to attend IAVM’s conferences, schools, or professional development courses. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of these opportunities and apply for the various scholarships they have to offer. I am looking forward to my second year of VMS to reunite with my classmates as well as meet the new students of Year One and the Graduate Institute.

Shout out to Class 1B and our room dads, Jason Rittenberry, CFE, and Todd Hunt, CFE! It was a great first year!