Lumen Field and the Seattle Seahawks announced Tunnel Club, the new pre-game hospitality area at Lumen Field, is scheduled to open for the 2023 season. Located adjacent to the Seahawks home locker room, the new Tunnel Club will offer fans all-inclusive premium food and beverages, as well as exciting views of the players as they come and go from the playing field before each home game.

“As part of our overall commitment to Fanovation and providing a superior guest experience at Lumen Field, we are thrilled to introduce our fans to the new Tunnel Club this season,” said Chuck Arnold, President, Seattle Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. “We know fans always want to be closer to the action, and this exclusive space will not only offer unparalleled views of the players leading up to kickoff but will be a fun and unique spot to enjoy pregame festivities.”

Tunnel Club will be a completely reimagined space to replace the team’s existing Field Club. The 1,800 square foot members-only area will open three hours prior to kickoff and accommodate approximately 150 guests. Members will enjoy VIP entry to Lumen Field, as well as all-inclusive food & beverage including a coffee bar and premium beer, wine, and spirits. The space will feature specialty Pacific Northwest finishes, a plush lounge area featuring a 245-square foot bar, private restrooms, TVs to catch all the early NFL game action, and an up-close view of the Seahawks players as they enter the field for pregame warmups and kickoff. Members will also receive a complimentary season kickoff gift, as well as exclusive gameday giveaways, special guest appearances throughout the season, and invitations to Seahawks VIP events.

Pricing will start at $4,000 for a full season Tunnel Club membership and must be paired with a game ticket.

The new Tunnel Club was among the modernization projects the Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. announced in July 2022 as part of the stadium’s 20th anniversary Fanovation campaign. In 2022, the stadium unveiled new north video boards that more than doubled the size of the previous boards, as well as new Cityside Bars located under the Hawks Nest. During the 2022 season, the stadium also opened three new concession locations with Amazon Just Walk Out and Amazon One check-out free technology.

Your Foundation is now accepting applications for Joseph A. Floreano, 100+ Women of IAVM, and Diversity and Inclusive Leadership committee sponsored Scholarships to attend VenueConnect 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA, July 31 – August 3, 2023!

Criteria for each available scholarship are as follows:

Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship Application Criteria

• Applicants must be IAVM members
• Applicants must be employed or recently employed in the venue industry.
• Applications must be submitted no later than the deadline.
• Recipients must be able and willing to attend VC 2023
• Recipients must be willing to support the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives by providing testimonials, photo(s), blogging about their experience and participating in speaking opportunities as an advocate for the Foundation as requested.

Diversity Scholarship Application Criteria

• Applicants are not required to be IAVM members
• Applicants must be American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Latinx, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA, or a person with disabilities.
• Applicants must be employed or recently employed in the venue industry.
• Applications must be submitted no later than the deadline.
• Recipients must be able and willing to attend VC 2023.
• Recipients must be willing to support the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives by providing testimonials, photo(s), blogging about their experience and participating in speaking opportunities as an advocate for the Foundation as requested.

100+ Women of IAVM Scholarship Application Criteria

• Applicants must be IAVM members
• Applicants must identify as a woman
• Applicants must be employed or recently employed in the venue industry.
• Applications must be submitted no later than the deadline.
• Recipients must be able and willing to attend VC 2023.
• Recipients must be willing to support the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives by providing testimonials, photo(s), blogging about their experience and participating in speaking opportunities as an advocate for the Foundation as requested.

Student Scholarship Application Criteria

• Applicants must be IAVM student members
• Applicants must be enrolled in a university/college at the time of the application.
• Applicants must be employed or recently employed in the venue industry.
• Applications must be submitted no later than the deadline.
• Recipients must be able and willing to attend VC 2023.
• Recipients must be willing to support the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives by providing testimonials, photo(s), blogging about their experience and participating in speaking opportunities as an advocate for the Foundation as requested.

The deadline for all applications is March 3, 2023.

All recipients will be notified by April 3, 2023.

From Acrisure Arena

Oak View Group (OVG) announced that respected industry executive John Page has joined the company as senior vice president of Acrisure Arena, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and OVG360 Facilities where he will oversee management and oversight of the three entities. Based in Palm Springs, Page starts his new role effective immediately and will report to Tod Leiweke, president of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Francesca Bodie, president of OVG business development, and Chris Granger, president of OVG360.

“John is a well-respected leader with decades of experience in the live industry, and I’m very proud to officially welcome him to OVG,” Bodie said. “Vision and drive have been the cornerstones of his career and we’re very excited for him to bring the same energy and leadership to our team in Palm Springs.”

At OVG, Page will be responsible for management and oversight of the company’s newly opened owned-and-operated venue Acrisure Arena, AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, and regional responsibility for OVG360, OVG’s full-service venue management company. With more than 30 years of live event and sports industry experience before joining OVG, Page served as president of Spectra, which was acquired by OVG in November of 2021. While there he supported 10,000 employees across the company’s portfolio.

“I couldn’t be happier to join OVG,” Page said. “The company represents best-in-class with tremendous leadership, ownership, and values with unprecedented knowledge of all facets of the business. OVG believes in supporting their people and building great culture. I look forward to sharing my knowledge while guiding the Acrisure Arena and Coachella Valley Firebirds to being the very best. The Coachella Valley is such a unique and distinct market with undeniable upside, and I’m excited to get back out west, plus the weather is pretty nice.”

Prior to his role at Spectra, Page served as president/senior vice president of booking and Content Comcast-Spectacor/Spectra. While there, he was responsible for all facets of day-to-day operation of Wells Fargo Center including premium seating; advertising, sales, sponsorship; and operations, as well as the $300 million renovation of the facility to create a “best-in-class” venue for eventgoers. His career also includes a decade as chief operating officer (COO) with Global Spectrum, and as senior vice president of event production at Wells Fargo Center & Spectrum where he managed teams including operations, security, box office operations, parking, and premium services.

Page holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in public administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and has been nominated ten times by Pollstar as Facility Executive of the Year.

By Steve Mackenzie, CVE

Ungerboeck, the global leader in venue and event management software, is now Momentus Technologies (Momentus), the company announced. This new brand marks the company’s evolution to unify its organization and vertical-specific software under one vision to meet the dynamically changing needs of the venue and event management industry.

The company is expanding to new use cases and providing more comprehensive, purpose-built solutions for convention and exhibition centers, higher education, corporate, stadiums, and arenas, and arts and culture centers. With Momentus, customers now gain a full breadth of intelligent data-driven solutions built on a powerful intuitive platform. Based on the company’s three decades of unparalleled industry experience, best practices and a marquee customer base, the new brand brings greater clarity of the value for customers and vision of the organization.

The new brand identity is a continuation of the accelerated investment in the organization and its bolstered leadership team with decades of collective SaaS and global technology experience. This includes Mike Besecker, chief revenue officer; Mike Cameron, vice president of people & culture; Tim Daniels, chief financial officer; Jenn Kiernan, executive vice president of professional services & support, Steve Mackenzie, CVE, chief innovation officer; and Laurie McGrath, chief marketing officer. CEO Alex Alexandrov is a seasoned software executive who joined the company after serving as chief operating officer, president of the Latin American region and member of the executive board at SoftwareONE.

Momentus’ new name and branding harkens back to Ungerboeck’s legacy, while also evoking huge, impactful occasions and events. This change represents a new phase for the company, bringing a renewed energy and passion for the venue and events industry while maintaining and growing its customer-centric mission.

Alex Alexandrov, CEO, Momentus, said: “As people return to in-person events, creating positive, impactful experiences both physically and virtually has taken on greater importance. This new identity is rooted in the company’s heritage, technology, and people – three key drivers that have made the company and its solutions what they are today. As the organization continues to look ahead, creating a strong unifying brand is essential to our employees and to providing our customers the world’s best solutions to give venues the power to produce extraordinary moments.”

Laurie McGrath, CMO, Momentus, said: “I’m incredibly proud of this new, bold brand position and identity. Knowing the passion, expertise, and commitment of the people behind this brand and the customers we serve, it represents a thoughtful vision for the future of Momentus Technologies. In reality, our purpose is about creating extraordinary moments, whether it’s from concerts to conferences and everything in between. We understand their unique needs and this brand clearly speaks to our commitment to meet them.”

Steve Mackenzie, CVE, is Chief Innovation Officer for Momentus Technologies.

By Richard Oliver

When the San Antonio Spurs hosted the Golden State Warriors on January 13, it may have represented just another regular-season game during a down year in the standings. But for the team’s fans, it meant so much more than that.

It was a celebration of all that came before.

That party, billed as “Back Home in the Dome,” drew an NBA regular-season attendance record of 68,323 to the spacious Alamodome. That total easily surpassed the previous league mark of 62,046, set when the Atlanta Hawks hosted Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls at the Georgia Dome in March 1998.

“Once again, the diversity of the multi-purpose Alamodome was on full display,” said Patricia Muzquiz Cantor, Director of Convention & Sports Facilities for the City of San Antonio. “Over three decades, it has served as an iconic, unique destination for performers and fans alike, lifting the quality of life for our historic community. And there’s so much more to come.”

The ballgame represented the official recognition of the Spurs’ 50th anniversary in San Antonio, a tenure that has included five NBA titles and, at one point, a league-record 18 consecutive 50-win seasons. The Alamodome, enjoying one of the most remarkable stretches of its 30-year existence, hosted the franchise’s games from 1993-2002, including the Spurs’ first championship in 1999.

Those who attended the game found a far different set-up than the last time the team competed at the Alamodome, located just east of downtown San Antonio. In the past, the ballclub had separated the 94-by-50-foot wide court from the rest of the arena with a massive blue curtain that hung from floor to rafters. This time, the court was placed directly in the middle of the Dome’s rectangular floor, built to best accommodate football, with no curtains to be seen anywhere.

The game, won 144-113 by the Warriors, was nationally televised by ESPN just two weeks after the Alamodome was spotlighted by the same network for the Valero Alamo Bowl college football game.

The Alamodome will officially celebrate its 30th anniversary May 15 as part of a three-day celebration that will include a concert by Red Hot Chili Peppers on May 17. Also announced for 2023 are a concert by global superstar P!nk (Sept. 25), and the February debut of the new XFL spring football league co-owned by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. More events will be unveiled in coming days.

“Simply put, the Alamodome is a valued asset that has put our community on the map, time and again, and improved our quality of life on so many levels,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

The Alamodome will host its fifth Men’s Final Four in 2025, and last month was selected to host the Women’s Final Four in 2029.

The Alamodome just completed one of the most successful years in its history. In the final five months of 2022 alone, the stadium hosted five headline stadium concerts that drew nearly 230,000 fans and generated more than $31 million in gross receipts. The events included the Motley Crue and Def Leppard Stadium Tour, Bad Bunny, Rammstein, Grupo Firme and Elton John.

The Bad Bunny and Elton John shows were part of the two largest tours in the world in 2023. The Bad Bunny concert broke the facility mark for gross ticket sales for one show when more than $11 million was recorded for the Sept. 8 performance. A crowd of 54,000 was on hand for the show.

Additionally, the Dome saw more than 150,000 spectators attend seven University of Texas at San Antonio football games, including the Conference USA championship on Dec. 2. In total, the Alamodome held 135 event days in 2022, with a similar schedule for 2023, exceeding the average of 115 event dates in previous years.

Roughly $109 million in capital improvements are planned for the facility by 2028.

Richard Oliver is Communications Manager at City of San Antonio Convention & Sports Facilities.