By Rick Van Warner

Global design firm Populous and owner Oak View Group celebrated the completion of Southern California’s newest world-class venue, Acrisure Arena, which opened its doors to the Greater Palm Springs public on December 14. The new performance and sports facility will introduce a state-of-the-art music venue to one of the world’s most notable music destinations.

Populous was engaged as architect of record by the arena’s developer, Oak View Group (OVG) — the global venue development, advisory, and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industry — to create an indoor music venue for the Greater Palm Springs and Coachella Valley region, providing architectural, interior, branding, and wayfinding design services. The arena also serves as home to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, affiliated with the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. Populous completed the new home of the Kraken, Climate Pledge Arena, last year.

“We approached the design of Acrisure Arena by first immersing ourselves in the local history, landscape, and culture of Palm Springs, one of the nation’s iconic music destinations,” said Robert Norvell, Populous principal and lead architect of Acrisure Arena. “The result is a venue that changes the performance and hockey landscape of the West Coast, simultaneously authentic to its site and leading the industry into the future of entertainment experience.”

Acrisure Arena, with a concert capacity of 11,000, marries an intimate and personalized venue with the infrastructure and technology to serve as an ideal jumping-off destination for artists beginning major tours along the West Coast. It is the first indoor/outdoor hockey arena — unique premium amenities harness the warm, year-round desert climate, giving guests access to outdoor concessions and club balconies with a breathtaking array of views, all while remaining inside the arena’s gates. The arena features several sustainable design elements, working with the landscape’s geographical conditions and leveraging its desert climate.

“Populous is one of the best in the business and that’s why we’ve partnered with them on a number of our other buildings such as UBS Arena and Climate Pledge Arena,” said Tim Leiweke, chairman and CEO, Oak View Group. “Palm Springs is well-known for its signature architecture and its beautiful surrounding mountains, so with Acrisure Arena, designing a building that perfectly fit the landscape, with sustainability in mind, was essential. From unobstructed sightlines and premium eateries to modern artist dressing rooms and sports facilities, Acrisure Arena will be the crown jewel of the entire Coachella Valley.”

Populous conducted an audit of the Palm Desert area, studying local architecture and capturing colors, materials, language, and local design to incorporate into Acrisure Arena, from exterior expression to interior design. The team wanted this space to be a leading sports and entertainment venue while also fitting seamlessly and authentically into its community. As such, the windswept forms of the exterior reflect the natural vernacular of the desert landscape with palm tree islands as an oasis and respite from the harsh sun.

The arena’s seating bowl is buried in the earth, downsizing its overall height and allowing direct access to the main concourse through a seamless at-grade entry experience. The arena footprint also includes the Berger Foundation Iceplex, the training facility for the Firebirds that is open to community use and events. The Iceplex is home to a 5,000 square-foot training facility, with a 1,500 square-foot players’ lounge for the AHL team.

Made for Music

Acrisure Arena will host some of the world’s most popular artists, fitting for a region with a rich history in musical entertainment. In order to serve as a first stop for large west-coast tours, the arena’s infrastructure, along with its artist amenities, rival those of any major venue of larger capacity. Acrisure Arena’s rigging system boasts the same capabilities of the nation’s major performance venues, allowing artists to fully test their touring setup and entertainment assets in their first show. Also a hockey arena, the conscious choice to forgo a center-hung scoreboard allows for artists to rig their stage show any way they choose with easy access to multiple catwalks, making the location ideal for rehearsals before a tour begins.

In addition, the intimate size of the venue allows for optimal performance acoustics. The rigging grid is approximately 60 feet above the ground, compared to a tradition 120 feet in a larger arena. This, coupled with sound paneling and the two-level structure of the bowl, creates excellent acoustics, while also generating a loud atmosphere for hockey games.

An arena designed for some of the most popular artists in the world requires detailed, bespoke interior spaces. Populous led the interior design of the arena, from concourses to artist areas, premium clubs and suites. A large premium club hosts exterior balconies with views of the San Jacinto mountains, while the two sponsor-branded end stage bars bookend the arena, allowing for a unique concertgoer experience. These spaces, along with the two Founders’ Suites and 20 premium suites, employ a unified, intimate and locally inspired style that flows easily from one space to another. The design includes local influences and artwork, warm neutral color tones, stone such as marble and quartzite, and notable iconic Palm Springs photography.

Specialized premium areas include the Bunker Club — a Hollywood retro-inspired club on the arena floor with darker tones, a dramatic backlit palm leaf feature wall, and historical black-and-white photos — and the two sponsor-branded center-ice bars, which reflect a classic Palm Springs pool party, complete with yellow baffled ceilings and black-and-white pool tile on the bars.

One of the most attractive aspects for artists visiting Acrisure Arena is the expansive artist compound. A space that is traditionally hidden underground, the star areas at the arena are both indoors and outdoors, with an outdoor space that includes sports areas, a bar and an eating area for artists and their groups. In addition, all indoor star areas are located directly off the loading dock, so artists and their crews can position their vehicles at the loading dock and walk right into their green rooms and crew areas, all outfitted with lounges, restrooms, and prep areas.

Sustainability

Populous designed Acrisure Arena to solve for a notable feat — hosting two ice sheets in one building in a desert climate — while using sustainable design techniques to lessen the environmental impacts of a cold building in a warm climate.

The sustainability of the arena begins with the structure. Both ice sheets are buried several feet below grade to harness the cooler nature of the ground, limit solar exposure and increase energy efficiency. The reflective roof of the arena reduces heat gain, while the landscape uses native and locally adapted plant material to reduce required maintenance and irrigation and minimize stormwater runoff, which has the potential to provide benefits to local wildlife. Recycled water is used for some on-site irrigation, and trenches capture and infiltrate the storm water runoff, recharging the groundwater supply. The rest of the site uses vegetated swales that are incorporated into the site landscape.

From a visitor-facing perspective, the arena will promote alternative transportation by providing bicycle racks and pathways and areas designated for rideshare. The arena uses all LED lighting and sports lighting, and the design eliminated glazing at the south and west façades to reduce heat gain and provide a more energy-efficient exterior.

Rick Van Warner is with Great Ink Communication. Photo of sold-out Doobie Brothers’ show.

From StadiumBusiness.com

The NHL’s Minnesota Wild has debuted a new store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at Xcel Energy Center.

Wild Market, which debuted during the Wild’s home game against the Chicago Blackhawks, enables guests to buy food and beverages without waiting in line.

The store also features Amazon One technology, which gives guests the option to enter the store and pay for their items with a hover of their palm. Xcel Energy Center is the first arena in Minnesota to feature Amazon’s Just Walk Out and Amazon One.

Once fans are inside the store, the technology determines what items they have taken or returned to the shelves. After they leave, the credit card they inserted or linked to their Amazon One ID is charged for the items they took.

Wild president Matt Majka said: “The fan experience is extremely important to us, and we are excited to open Wild Market featuring Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One at Xcel Energy Center for Wild games and all our arena events. Our fans will experience the added convenience of quicker transactions getting them back to their seats faster with less time standing in line.”

Meanwhile, Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center has debuted its own Just Walk Out shopping experience powered by Amazon.

The store, dubbed 816 Market, allows fans to enter without waiting in line to check out. Guests will also have the option to enter the store and pay using Amazon One.

816 Market will sell water, beer, seltzers, soft drinks, and other select food and beverage items. Guests aged 21 or older can purchase alcohol by showing their ID to a store attendant for age verification.

By Julian Bowman

Fair Park First in Dallas announced that it received a generous gift of $5 million from The Rees-Jones Foundation to fund the all-abilities, all-ages Children’s Playground at the Community Park. The Community Park Complex at Fair Park is set to break ground in 2023.

“The Rees-Jones Foundation is honored to support the new Fair Park Community Park and, in particular, the Children’s Playground,” said T. Hardie, President of The Rees-Jones Foundation. “Our hope is to see children, parents, and families in the 13 surrounding neighborhoods experience more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, engage with their friends in this unique greenspace, and participate in the renewed vitality that the Park will bring to our city and especially to these nearby communities.”

The Children’s Playground is one of three playgrounds slated for the Community Park that will provide children in the surrounding neighborhoods and DFW Metroplex with a state-of-the-art, safe, inclusive place to play. It will feature various custom play structures inspired by the native ecology of North Texas, interactive water features, sensory gardens, slides carved into the topography, and whimsical sensory pieces that provoke joy and discovery. The playground will also include a splash pad, additional interactive water features, and an adjacent tot lot.

“Greenspace is vital to our children’s overall health – physically, socially, and cognitively,” said John Jenkins, Director, Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. “Children need a place to play every day in order to be active, happy, and healthy. We are focused and committed to providing greenspace access for our community. We are thankful for our partnership with Fair Park First and the generous support of The Rees-Jones Foundation to continue making the Park a reality.”

“The focus of the Children’s Playground will be creating opportunities for multi-generational play,” said Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Unity Co-Chair of the Fair Park Your Park Phase 1 Campaign. “No matter the family composition, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.”

The Fair Park Your Park Phase 1 Campaign Honorary Co-Chairs are President George and Laura Bush. The Unity Co-Chairs are Ambassador Ron Kirk and Matrice Ellis-Kirk, along with Margo and Jim Keyes.

The primary goal of the Community Park Complex is to create access to greenspace for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. The Community Park is the signature capital component in Phase 1 of the 2020 Fair Park Master Plan Update and has a funding goal of $93 million from philanthropic support.

“We have been focused and diligent in delivering on a promise made to our neighbors in providing a Community Park accessible to all and open year-round,” said Darren L. James, President, Fair Park First. “This Park is designed to be a true community asset and a direct investment in families. The significant gift from The Rees-Jones Foundation to fund the Children’s Playground supports turning this promise into reality.”

Julian Bowman is Senior Director of Marketing for OVG360 / Fair Park / Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.

By Sara Picchioni Williams

Populous-designed TQL Stadium was awarded the Prix Versailles Sports 2022 World Title — the world prize for architecture and design from UNESCO.

The Prix Versailles is an original program with the aim of fostering better interaction between the economy and culture. It underlines the role economic agents across sectors can play to enhance, embellish and improve living environments. The honor is awarded annually to the world’s top project in each category based upon innovation, creativity, reflection of local heritage, ecological efficiency, and the values of social interaction and participation which the United Nations holds in high regard.

“We are thrilled that TQL Stadium has been honored with the Prix Versailles World Title,” said Jonathan Mallie, senior principal at Populous and design lead of TQL Stadium. “We worked closely with ownership to create a truly remarkable, one-of-a-kind soccer experience for the people of Cincinnati and the world. Its design stands apart due to its bespoke nature, combining innovative technology, cultural influences, and impeccable interior artistry to create an iconic experience.”

The World Judges Panel, selected to evaluate the year’s best in contemporary architecture, was chaired by philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky (France), and included the architects Thom Mayne (United States), Lu Wenyu (China) and Thomas Vonier (United States), the designer Jasper Morrison (United Kingdom), the disc jockey Charlotte de Witte (Belgium), the filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad – France) and the mountaineer Samina Baig (Pakistan).

TQL Stadium, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been heralded as one of the world’s top soccer venues. Earlier this year, the stadium was named the Best Venue of 2022 at the World Football Summit Awards. TQL Stadium opened in 2021 as the new home for Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati, pairing a world-class soccer atmosphere and energy with a design that truly reflected the Cincinnati community and history.

TQL Stadium was one of two U.S. projects to win a 2022 World Title, and one of just three projects in the U.S. named to the initial World Selection group among the four major categories of airports, campuses, passenger stations, and sports. The MLS stadium was selected from a group of six World Selection projects in sports, which included Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), Nakia Arena (Tampere, Finland), Tochigi Sports Park – East Area (Utsunomiya, Japan), Stade de Luxembourg (Luxembourg City, Luxembourg), and Al Thumama Stadium (Doha, Qatar).

A striking design from afar and up close, TQL Stadium defies stasis by wrapping itself in over 500 mass-customized aluminum fins. When viewed from down Central Parkway, these articulated aluminum façade elements create the stadium’s signature form: a singular twisting motion that signifies the tension between two teams about to take the pitch. When viewed straight on, they provide a glimpse into the stadium, fostering a heightened sense of anticipation for the match within.

The stadium is one of the league’s largest, and includes The Bailey, the club’s legendary supporters’ section that hosts more than 3,000 fans at the steepest permissible slope, creating an imposing wave of sound that crashes over the pitch below. It pairs this atmosphere with interior hospitality at its finest. The high-design clubs and suites take inspiration from historic Cincinnati architecture, materials, and cultural elements, from the city’s Roman emperor namesake to Cincinnati’s robust brewery scene.

On the exterior, TQL Stadium connects directly to its neighborhood with a plaza entrance that is nestled into Cincinnati’s urban fabric, inspired by monumental public places such as the New York Public Library and the Spanish Steps in Rome. With views overlooking the Over-the-Rhine district and downtown, the plaza serves as the end point to the traditional supporters’ march to the match.

Sara Picchioni Williams is with Great Ink Communications.

By Kelly Luecke

Wendy Edwards has been named Managing Director of VStar Entertainment Group (VStar), one of the premiere producers of live family entertainment experiences in both the U.S. and internationally.

Since joining VStar in 2017, Edwards has assumed a number of positions, initially serving as Senior Vice
President of Touring Operations and Executive Producer. Early endeavors included managing the construction and day-to-day operations of a new modern facility in the Twin Cities, which consolidated the production studio and costume shops into one corporate headquartered facility; and overseeing production and operational logistics during VStar’s 2018 acquisition by global live entertainment leader Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.

In 2021, Edwards added Vice President Operations & Production to her title and was tasked with a massive relaunch of VStar productions post-pandemic. In addition to relaunching domestic tours of PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure,” Trolls LIVE!, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, and the international tour of PAW Patrol Live “Race to the Rescue,” Edwards also produced and relaunched the Blue Man Group domestic and international tours in 2022, including a redesign of the World Tour.

Edwards will work to launch VStar’s third collaboration with Nickelodeon, PAW Patrol Live “Heroes Unite,” in February of 2023.

Prior to joining VStar, Edwards toured for 14 years with various production companies, beginning her career as an Audio Engineer and continuing to advance through the technical, production, and operations trades serving in positions as Stage Manager, Performance Director, Production Manager, and Technical Director in the touring show divisions of family entertainment companies.

In addition to freelancing for key projects such as the 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastic Champions and
2015 COPA America Centennial opening and closing ceremonies, she also served as Director of Production for both Premier Exhibitions, Inc. & Feld Entertainment’s Circus Division.

A native of Florida, Edwards earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, with a concentration in
Technical Communications and a minor in Resource Economics from the University of Florida.

Kelly Luecke is Director of Public Relations, Affiliate Shows Division for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.