Our biggest event, VenueConnect, is now behind us, and we are off to a good start for the year. Evaluations are still being analyzed, but the feedback is very positive, with of course, some areas for improvement. Congratulations to 1st Vice Chair Kim Bedier, CFE, and her
committee on a job very well done, and to Bob Johnson and his team at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for all their support. I know our 2nd Vice Chair, Karen Totaro, CFE, has had many discussions with both of them about how we can get even better in Portland.

Significant decisions were made by IAVM’s Board of Directors at this meeting. You’ll be seeing more about this as the board chair, officers and members share these decisions with you in the coming weeks. I would like to highlight here that the board unanimously approved a new membership model, which we hope will make it more affordable for venues to extend IAVM membership to more of their staff, as well as provide access to staff at smaller, more budget-conscious venues. More work has to be done to outline the program, but a final draft is expected to go before the board for approval in October.

I am also pleased to report that IAVM successfully filed an amicus brief on behalf of the San Diego Convention Center Corp. This is an issue that the Industry Affairs Committee felt IAVM should take a stand on, as it involves the rights of venues to manage as they
see fit, and to have exclusive vendor relationships when it is in the best interests of their venue and the community they serve. For more information, please see the attached brief. It is important to note that IAVM was able to file this brief and act so quickly to defend our
venues thanks entirely to the IAVM Foundation. When this issue arose, they were asked to fund the $40,000 cost. Given the importance of the issue and the need to file within a few weeks, they unanimously voted to make these funds available. I hope this gives all of us a reason to keep supporting the Foundation, so they always have the funds available to aid and support this industry as they have so many times in the past.

Finally, please see attached the IAVM Annual Report. As you’ll see, we have much to be proud of this last year. My thanks to the 2012-13 officers who worked so hard to create  this report for our members.

Regards,

Vicki Hawarden
IAVM President & CEO

Download the complete July 2013 Leadership Report here.

photo credit: patti haskins via photopin cc

What does an arena manager dream about at night? It might involve a talking pink bunny with floppy ears, living under the desk in their office. Perhaps it’s more of a nightmare, where every door of their venue falls off the hinges when they go to open them. A really great dream might involve seeing a photo of their venue on a Venues Today cover showing their arena as presenting the “Top 50 Acts of All Time” – now that sounds like a dream that would make a venue manager happy.

While you might not be able to count on the top 50 acts clamoring to play your venue in a single season, you can get some great insight into the hottest acts and tours just by attending this year’s Arena Management Conference, September 8-10, in Toronto, Canada. If you’re looking for a group of people “in the know” about the top tours and hot new artists to make your venue stand out from the competition – AMC is the place to be. And, one of the “don’t miss” sessions to attend will be Tuesday’s “Promoter & Agent Panel: Hot Acts, Cool Cash.” Continue Reading →

Fan Dies After Fall At Turner Field
–ESPN

The mother of a Georgia man who died after falling from an upper-deck platform at Turner Field in Atlanta says her son was a lifelong Braves fan who followed the team through losing seasons as well as winning ones.

Ronald Lee Homer Jr., fell about 65 feet at Monday night’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, which had been delayed for nearly two hours by heavy rain, authorities said.

See also: Despite Safety Measures, Stadium Falls Occur

Dallas Cowboys to Partner with Texas School District on New Indoor Dome
–Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Cowboys are known for their international brand and high profile partnerships. The stadium rights deal that will re-name Cowboys Stadium as AT&T Stadium is just the latest example, falling after the likes of the Yankees (with Legends Hospitality).

Yet, the Cowboys’ newest partner brings a significantly lower profile. In the years ahead, the Cowboys will be co-tenants of a to-be constructed indoor football facility being constructed to specifications set by the Frisco Independent School District.

Live Nation’s New Groove: Electronic Dance Music and Scalped Tickets
–Bloomberg Business Week

In November, the electronic dance music (EDM) concert promoter Hard Events will host a two-day Dia De Los Muertos-themed festival called Hard Day of the Dead in Los Angeles. The extravaganza will feature over 25 DJs and dance acts, including EDM heavyweights Skrillex, Calvin Harris, and Deadmau5. If you want tickets, you can buy them through Live Nation Entertainment (LYV). Continue Reading →

photo credit: josemanuelerre via photopin cc

IAVM’s Arena Management Conference is a must-attend event for many arena managers. Along with networking in an amazing location – Toronto, Canada, attendees will have access to great educational sessions. One session many are looking forward to will cover the latest trends and technologies in the ticketing industry. We spoke with the session’s co-moderators Scott Mullen, CFE and Executive Director, at the iWireless Center, and Jim Wynkoop, CFE and General Manager at Chaifetz Arena about their session titled, Ticketing Trends and Innovations 2013 #ugottaseethis, scheduled for the morning on Monday, Sept. 9.

The 6 session panelists bringing a broad range ticketing industry experience include:

• Lynne King Smith, Chief Executive Officer, TicketForce
• Jane Kleinberger, Founder, Paciolan
• Blaine LeGere, Senior Vice President, AXS Digital
• Doug Lyons, Vice President-Marketing and Communications, Tickets.com
• Don Orris, Vice President and General Manager-Western US, etix
• Patti-Anne Tarlton, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ticketmaster Canada

Jim Wynkoop opened the conversation by reminding me of the rapidly changing ticketing landscape. “Where once the industry was dominated by large ticketing company, in recent years, smaller ticketing companies and brokers have raised the bar offering a better customer experience. Some of the major players are now investing large amounts of time and money to improve their experience to keep up with the industry. We are excited to hear what these changes will be,” said Wynkoop.

Continue Reading →

IAVM’s 32^nd annual International Convention Center Conference will be held at the Omni Charlotte Hotel, October 3-5. This gathering of the convention industry’s best and brightest will deliver industry updates and trends, professional development through educational sessions and great networking opportunities throughout the conference.

We spoke with Johnna Boxley, CFE, and General Manager for the Spokane Convention Center about ICCC, the industry and the sessions she will be presenting during the conference.

Johnna Boxley, CFE
GM Spokane Convention Center

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference?
The educational content at ICCC is always current and relevant, but what I look forward to most is catching up with industry peers and friends. Through ICCC I have developed a network of experienced, knowledgeable managers that I can call on for information, to get advice or just to share interesting stories about events in our buildings. Having such a great support system makes my job easier.

For your session, “Staying ahead of the Curves,” who will your panel include and what expertise does each of them bring to the table?
The panel for the ‘Staying ahead of the Curves’ session is a collection of industry leaders that includes Cathy Breden, COO of the International Association of Exhibits & Events; Deborah Sexton, President and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Assn.; Katie Callahan Giobbi, VP of Sales for Minding Your Business and our own Vicki Hawarden,  President and CEO for IAVM. Together these women represent all the facets of the event industry – the planners, suppliers and venues.

Without giving away the entire session, what topics in general will the session touch on?
Bringing these organizations together is a first for ICCC. The end goal of each organization is the same – to produce flawless, successful events. That being said each Association has its own view points and perspectives. I predict a lively discussion on current trends as well as the future of the industry and challenges we all face on the horizon. Discussion leads to understanding which leads to better operations and service for the end guests. You won’t want to miss this session!

Continue Reading →