The ink had barely dried on the press release announcement that the naming rights to the new stadium in Santa Clara, California, that will become the home of the San Francisco 49ers beginning in 2014 were awarded to apparel company Levi Strauss than the National Football League quickly piggy-backed with its announcement that the stadium would host Super Bowl L (or 50, for those more into numerals than the Greek alphabet) on February 7, 2016. Build it and they will come, indeed!

Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Convention-Visitors Bureau President & CEO Steve Van Dorn remarked that, “There is no better place than this brand new stadium to host the NFL’s historic Super Bowl L. Attendees are really going to enjoy the California sunshine and beautiful San Francisco Bay Area region. We expect a huge surge in hotel occupancy for the entire region for the week the Super Bowl is here. Overall, the economic impact will be in the millions.” 

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High school graduation is a time for celebration, but for the three graduating classes of 2013 in the Moore (Oklahoma) Public Schools, this Saturday’s ceremonies will be raw with emotion as the city south of Oklahoma City copes in the aftermath of the Monday, May 20 EF5 tornado that claimed the lives of 24 and injured hundreds.

The graduations for Moore, Westmoore and Southmoore high schools will take place as planned on May 25 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City in what will surely be a challenging day in many respects.

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It was an early morning breakfast in Phoenix at the 2011 VenueConnect, an occasion marked to welcome new members and new attendees to the IAVM annual conference and trade show.

After a series of speakers gave talks about IAVM, the program in Phoenix and how those new to the Association and industry could best benefit from their time at VenueConnect, it was time for Erin Jepson, director of events and patron services at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas and a wily veteran attending her second conference, to get up and speak.

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Every day, public venues around the nation assume responsibility for the safety of tens of thousands of people who walk through their doors to experience exciting live entertainment, events and conferences. While safety planning is not a revenue driver for venues, the results of the efforts, if put to the test, have huge implications. This information from a recent IAVM VenueDataSource report serves as a benchmark for venues assessing safety and security activities and opportunities. The complete report can be purchased here.

For venues unable to commit a significant amount of time and money to safety planning, developing a comprehensive action plan may seem like a daunting task. IAVM has numerous safety and security resources available to venues, such as conferences, courses, webinars, and reports. IAVM strives to help keep venues informed and connected, and we hope the information provided here is valuable to our member venues.

The Emergence of the Intelligent Venue
–Populous

Innovation in stadium design is driven in particular by the impact of technology affecting both the venue design itself and the fan experience. Emerging technology is having an all-encompassing impact on stadium design: venues are operationally smarter, they are more sustainable and they ultimately offer a far more engaging, social fan experience. Stadia have to continue to innovate to entice people to gather and share experiences in person at the venue, experiences that they cannot get in the living room at home or at the pub with friends.

The continuing competition with the in-home experience is the driving force behind the emergence of the intelligent venue. There is a critical balance between the in-game experience and the remote experience in order for both to coexist. Designers and venue owners are now looking to augment the in-stadium experience through cutting edge technology providing access to unique information and unique experiences. I believe there are three areas in which the stadium of the future can be smarter: Continue Reading →