By Emily Eades

The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), in partnership with Orange County Government, hosted an Earth Week celebration showcasing its premier sustainability initiatives and green meeting practices.

During a time in which the meetings and events industry is laser-focused on green initiatives and conservation, the OCCC leads the way in the development of sustainable practices. The Center of Hospitality has continuously pioneered stewardship that models how large venues can contribute to safer, more efficient environments. Sustainability remains a top priority for clients as groups focus on expanding corporate social responsibility practices and green meetings.

The OCCC’s Earth Week event gave Orange County employees the opportunity to interact with various departments, vendors, and partners to learn more about sustainable practices and businesses in the community. Those in attendance included Orange County Environmental Protection Division, Orange County Mosquito Control, Orange County Utilities Department, O-Town Compost, Urban Smart Farms, Honey Frames, Sodexo Live!, UF/IFAS, Grainger, and the OCCC Sustainability Team.

“The Orange County Convention Center is a tremendous leader in green meeting initiatives,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “Together with Orange County Government, the responsible management and conservation of our natural resources ensures we maintain a clean and healthy environment to live, work and raise a family. I am very proud of the Convention Center’s contributions toward making our County more sustainable for both our residents and our visitors.”

Mayor Demings and Orange County District 6 Commissioner Mike Scott were in attendance to provide a summary of the County and the Center’s impressive programs, emphasizing the critical role each department has in making the region a more environmentally safe and resilient place to live and do business.

One of the OCCC’s main priorities is its charitable contributions to the Central Florida community through partnerships with several of the region’s non-profit organizations. In fiscal year 2021-2022, nearly 23,000 pounds of furniture, lighting fixtures, office and art supplies, worth more than $37,000, were donated to local organizations. These included A Gift for Teaching, West Orange Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Osceola County Public Schools, and Orange County Public Schools. The Center’s clients also collectively contributed more than 222,000 pounds in food donations to local non-profits.

“Sustainability is absolutely essential in the meetings and events industry and for years it has been of top importance to our Center,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “The OCCC sets the standard for what green meetings should look like in the current state of the industry, and we are grateful to our clients for helping us achieve our social responsibility goals.”

The Center’s innovative sustainability strategies stretch from growing and harvesting more than 44,000 fresh, non-GMO plants, directly from the OCCC’s Center-to-Table Gardens, to supporting natural energy by maintaining the largest municipal solar array in the southeast U.S.

Learn more about the Center’s pioneering sustainability practices by clicking here.

Emily Eades is Public Relations/Information Officer | Marketing & Communications for the Orange County Convention Center.

Pictured: Orange County Convention Center Executive Director Mark Tester, Orange County Chief Sustainability and Resilience Officer Carrie Black, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, Sodexo Live! Corporate Director of Sustainability Molly Crouch and Orange County District 6 Commissioner Mike Scott gather to celebrate Earth Week at the Orange County Convention Center

From StadiumBusiness.com

Co-op Live, a new 23,500-capacity arena scheduled to open in Manchester later this year, has appointed former Ticketmaster UK executive Gary Roden as its executive director and general manager.

Roden will oversee operation of Co-op Live and spearhead the future vision and strategy of the venue, which will be the UK’s largest live entertainment arena.

He joins Co-op Live after eight years at Ticketmaster UK, most recently serving as senior vice-president of client development and commercial. Roden will assume control of the strategic and operational delivery of Co-op Live, leading the arena’s eight-strong executive team.

Co-op Live is a joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group and will form part of Manchester’s Etihad Campus. The arena is scheduled to host over 120 shows annually.

Roden said: “I am delighted to be joining Co-op Live, leading the team in Manchester to launch and operate a game-changing arena experience for both fans and artists. I can’t wait to get started, working with Oak View Group, City Football Group, key stakeholders and partners to launch what is not only set to be a groundbreaking arena for the UK, but one that will see Manchester firmly leading the way globally.”

Jessica Koravos, co-chair of Oak View Group International, added: “Gary Roden’s experience speaks for itself, and we’re thrilled to have him join an already phenomenal team of exceptional industry leaders and to continue to drive Oak View Group and City Football Group’s joint vision to deliver world-leading, planet-friendly entertainment.”

Prior to joining Ticketmaster, Roden worked as managing director of Parkwood Theatres and previously spent time as general manager at the Edinburgh Playhouse and the Bristol Hippodrome.

Co-op Live recently revealed details of The Bentley Record Room, an exclusive members’ club that will be limited to 100 people and include tickets to every publicly ticketed event at the arena.

In October, OVG revealed further details of the innovative ‘smart bowl’ that will be at the heart of Co-op Live. The bowl takes inspiration from Harry Styles, a private investor in the project who has been instrumental in the design, offering personal insight having performed at major venues and arenas worldwide.

Construction work commenced in May 2021, with UK consumer co-operative Co-op acquiring naming rights to the arena in September 2020.

Co-op Live has committed to becoming the most sustainable and socially responsible arena in the UK. It has pledged to support Manchester City Council’s target of becoming net zero carbon by 2038 and will donate at least £1m (€1.1m/$1.2m) annually to the Co-op Foundation to support local and national initiatives focused on young people, food security, education and sustainability.

From Blue Jays media

On the heels of fans first experiencing the newly renovated Rogers Centre Outfield District, the Toronto Blue Jays announce three new premium clubs to open during the 2024 season as part of the next phase of Rogers Centre renovations.

The new premium clubs will be located beneath a completely reimagined lower bowl, connected to the best seats in the ballpark, with entertainment experiences. Each club offers a differentiated experience to satisfy unique fan interests, with personalized level of service including private members entrance and in-seat dining. Capacities are limited and are available as full or multi-season memberships.

“The types of entertainment experiences fans are looking for have evolved dramatically since Rogers Centre opened in 1989, and our ballpark currently has among the fewest premium experience options compared to MLB and other entertainment venues in Toronto,” said Mark Shapiro, President & CEO, Toronto Blue Jays. “The next phase of renovations will introduce more of the amenities we know Blue Jays fans want – compelling premium experiences that uniquely cater to the Greater Toronto Area.”

Three New Premium Clubs

Batting Tunnel Club (behind home plate – third base side) – for passionate fans to enjoy an authentic – yet elevated – sports bar atmosphere, punctuated by direct views over the home dugout and into the Blue Jays batting cage; design and décor feature memorabilia and tributes celebrating the team’s greatest moments (pictured).

Home Plate Club (directly behind home plate) – from all access to exclusive, the Home Plate Club is the very best that Rogers Centre has to offer with an unprecedented culinary experience, prestigious best-in-ballpark ‘In the Action’ seats, and the only membership with access to all three clubs.

The Lounge (behind home plate – first base side) – a private and intimate atmosphere with Blue Jays baseball as the backdrop, where fans can proudly host colleagues, family, and friends; as the largest of the three clubs, fans can seamlessly flow between work and play with an expanded culinary menu, live preparation chef’s table, in-club entertainment from pre to postgame, and a professional ambiance for hosting.

By Meghan Risch

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) president and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE, announced Sandra Marcus and Nicole Kern have joined the CEMA team as Vice President, Strategy and Operations, and Manager, Community Development, respectively.

“Our commitment to providing the CEMA community with new and aggressive innovations remains,” Karamat said. “The greater vision is to provide value through additional and deeper content as well as enhanced connections by leveraging a robust and global infrastructure. Sandra and Nicole will be integral as we develop new value opportunities for members and business partners that leverage the combination CEMA and PCMA, two of the global business events industry’s most powerful communities.”

As Vice President, Strategy and Operations, Marcus will work collaboratively with the PCMA team and the CEMA Advisory Board to execute the vision and lead growth initiatives for CEMA including brand marketing, new program development, events, membership, and on-going community engagement. She joins the CEMA team with more than 30 years in the corporate industry as an event professional and a marketing leader, 20 of which were with IBM in a variety of event leadership roles. She officially joins CEMA on April 24, 2023, and will report to Junior Tauvaa, PCMA’s Chief Business Officer.

In the new role of Manager, Community Development, Kern will manage CEMA membership retention and acquisition with support from the PCMA Community team. Most recently, she was the Publications and Communications Coordinator with American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Kern joined CEMA on April 17, 2023.

Karen Galatis, a long-time CEMA veteran and former Oracle executive, has supported CEMA operations on an interim basis and will continue through CEMA Summit.

Meghan Risch is PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications.

From Celebrity Access

The Nashua (NH) Center for the Arts, a new state-of-the-art performing arts venue in downtown Nashua, NH, opened its doors on April 13 with Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken and has over 20 concerts and shows on the schedule with more to be announced.

Peter Lally, President of Spectacle Management, has been contracted by the city to manage the venue and is excited about the opportunities ahead.

“The Nashua Center for Arts will serve as the premier venue in the region for entertainment, including concerts, plays, musicals, and family performances,” he said. “We’re looking forward to hosting the 100th Anniversary concert for Symphony New Hampshire later in April and the impressive line-up of artists and productions committed to playing this beautiful new space.”

In addition to Symphony New Hampshire, Spectacle Live has already announced concerts with noted musicians Boz Scaggs (May 11), Pat Metheny (June 9), Dopapod (April 20), Jake Shimabukuro (July 15), Menopause the Musical (June 10), Girl Named Tom (April 21), Safe Haven Ballet’s production of Beauty and the Beast (April 22), Mary Chapin Carpenter (August 20), Ace Frehley (August 26) and more.

The centerpiece of the Nashua Center for the Arts is The Bank of America Theater. Designed by Boston-based ICON Architecture, the $25 million project is home to a 750-seat multi-purpose performing arts venue. In addition to the 350 seats on the mezzanine and partiere levels, the auditorium features 400 telescopic seats in the orchestra, which retract into the wall, creating a space that can accommodate up to 1000 people for standing events.

“The Nashua Center for the Arts will enrich what is already here,” said Mayor Jim Donchess. “This completely changes the nature of Nashua’s downtown. It’s Visible. Vivid. Vibrant. The Center will attract audiences to Nashua, entice residents to our downtown core, and enhance Nashua’s standing as the creative community within the region.”

Planning for the center began in 2015 under former Mayor Donalee Lozeau and then president of the Board of Aldermen, Brian McCarthy. The city owns the facility and is supported by Nashua Community Arts. Richard Lanna, President of Nashua Community Arts, noted that McCarthy, who passed away in 2018, “loved the city, and he loved our downtown. Brian would be thrilled that we’re opening the doors on this beautiful addition to Downtown Nashua.”