According to the Convention Industry Council, on average, 205 million people in the United States attend the 1.8M conventions, conferences, congresses, trade shows and exhibitions, incentive events and corporate/business meetings each year. Face-to-face meetings build trust and relationships between professionals that share similar passion, experiences and expertise. Education and training is more effective in a live setting, and live meetings result in a more efficient exchange of ideas and provides the human connection that has become less and less a part of our working lives as we grapple with balancing a virtual business place. Continue Reading →

Few traditions are as sacred to a city as Patriots Day is to Boston. It is a day when the Boston Red Sox host a morning baseball game at Fenway Park and afterwards many fans spill out into the streets to watch runners at the Boston Marathon. The day celebrates all things Boston, New England and even the world as people come from all over the globe to either participate in the marathon or just to soak in the spirit of Boston.

Going forward, though, Patriots Day 2013 will always be remembered for the tragedy when three lives were lost and hundreds injured when two bombs exploded within mere seconds and feet apart near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Just as vividly, stories of heroism will be recounted for the selflessness of first responders and many others who took immediate action to guide runners and spectators of all ages to safety to prevent further injuries.

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IAVM’s condolences and prayers go to those affected by yesterday’s tragic events. We encourage all venues to stay informed and be proactive in their safe operations in the coming days, weeks and months.

IAVM is actively engaged with our venue members in the Boston area and we are in communication with the Department of Homeland Security. We will continue to update this blog post with resources relevant to venue managers as they become available.

Below are several resources that may be helpful as you review your venue’s emergency preparedness plan and safe operations procedures. Continue Reading →

It seems a great deal of IAVM’s content and communications to members this week have been focused on safety and security. We have one more addition to share – WebSITE Spring 2013: Safe Stadium Operations. This hybrid conference will take place May 1, and includes several host-sites for an in-person conference as well as a webinar component for those unable to attend at a host location.

Organized by the Stadium Managers Committee, this program is a great educational and networking opportunity for athletic directors, stadium operations managers, safety directors and their staff to learn best practices from industry veterans, receive event safety tools, and assess venue vulnerability with emergency management specialists.

To kick off the discussion early we spoke with Paul Turner, Director of Event Operations & Security for Cowboys Stadium, and one of the presenters of the program, about his experiences with stadium operations. Continue Reading →

IAVM is excited to introduce a new weekly blog post highlighting some of the most important, interesting or entertaining pieces of industry news from the week. We encourage your news submissions; just email your recommendations to Lauren Kubicki, IAVM’s Interactive Marketing Manager. We hope you enjoy!

Georgia World Congress Center Campus Shines on NCAA Basketball’s Biggest Stage
-IAVM blog

Riveting semifinals and a tightly contested NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game won by Louisville over Michigan, 82-76, were certainly music to the ears for all involved in the planning and execution of this year’s Final Four played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta with numerous ancillary events surrounding the games.

The sweetest music was saved for the clicking of turnstiles as 74,326 guests filed in to the Dome for the title tilt, setting a record for a championship game.

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