By Amy Procaccini

Sodexo Live!, the global hospitality leader that manages prestigious, cultural, sporting venues, and major events around the world, announced the launch of its new People Ambition initiative – to attract, retain and grow its ranks of best-in-class hospitality providers. Based on quantitative yearlong findings from 50+ surveys of current employees across all roles from culinary to front-of-house to management, the new initiative represents Sodexo Live!’s increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruitment, development, and management, and the prioritization of career development with deeper training and mentorship opportunities for every employee. The company will also provide more mental health resources as part of its increased focus on wellbeing.

“At Sodexo Live!, we are experience makers. We are committed to leading the charge in creating tangible programs that encourage active learning and development while increasing our focus and support on employee wellbeing,” said Tracey Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Sodexo Live! North America. “Our investment in this significant Employer Value Proposition initiative comes at a time when the hospitality industry is at a crossroads. The People Ambition proactively addresses our resolve to be employee-first while engaging team members to build fulfilling lifelong careers here. And yes, we are hiring.”

Sodexo Live! leaders have identified four pillars for EVP and what it represents:

Belong: Ensuring a sense of belonging and purpose, rooted in family and teamwork.
The organization maintains an 80% employee engagement rate and offers nine Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) which foster a culture of inclusion and provide networking, learning, and development opportunities.

Act: Values diversity, equity, and inclusion as a key performance driver for all.
Sodexo received a perfect score on the 2022 Disability Equality Index (DEI), was named by Forbes as a 2022 Best Employer for Diversity and was acknowledged as a Best Company for Multicultural Women by Seramount.

Thrive: Promotes personal and career growth opportunities and establishes opportunities for employees to succeed and be promoted internally.
Over the past year, Sodexo Live! promoted 142 employees across the company – 46% of promoted employees were women.

Be Live: Creating exceptional events and memories that last a lifetime – for 21 World Series, 15 Super Bowls, 14 College Football Championship Games, 12 Final Fours, 6 of the top 10 Meeting Destinations in North America, 15 LEED-Certified Convention Centers and more – starting with employees who are the fabric of these moments.

As part of this new initiative, Sodexo Live! will be creating and implementing new programs that encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion such as “She Leads,” which is a global mentorship program for women. Launched this past October with an inaugural class, participants are taking part in a nine-month program which will introduce them to other female leaders globally within the organization and help them learn more about their individual leadership styles. Sodexo is committed to having women represent at least 40 percent of its global leadership by 2025. Currently, women represent 60 percent of Sodexo’s board members and 45 percent of the executive committee.

Sodexo Live! by the Numbers:

The average tenure for Sodexo Live! full-time employees is seven years. In contrast, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers overall in leisure and hospitality have an average of 2.3 years per job. Sodexo Live! also achieves an 80% satisfaction and engagement rate among employees.

Over the past year, Sodexo Live! expanded its number of employees in management positions by 68%, proving that employees stay with and grow their careers with the organization.

In this time, Sodexo Live! also increased its African American representation in senior leadership roles by 28%.

Additional examples of programs that support the company’s new EVP initiative include:

The Diversity Learning Lab, a mandatory program for upper-level management.

Tomorrow’s Leaders Program is designed to accelerate employees’ development and enhance their current and future leadership capabilities. In partnership with San Diego State University’s esteemed School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, employees develop the curriculum and participate in five virtual sessions over the next calendar year.

A dedicated Mentorship Program gives staffers an opportunity to learn from upper-level management.

A retooled Internship Academy currently has over 50 active students across different disciplines from operations, finance, human resources, data analytics, and more. It includes lunch-and-learns with subject matter experts and client partners.

“A motivated and energized workforce is one of the greatest assets we can provide our venue partners and the top-tier events we host on a regular basis. Working here is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater and build a long-term career,” said Steve Pangburn, CEO of Sodexo Live! North America. “Our experiences are unique, and so are our people. We encourage everyone to bring their personality, their background and a desire for delighting others. In return, we’ll give you all you need to thrive. After giving it all, you’ll return home knowing you’ve played your part in creating truly unforgettable moments.”

Amy Procaccini is Strategic Brand Communications Manager for Sodexo Live!

From ASM Global

ASM Global has named Gary Jacobus as president, business development, to oversee the company’s rapidly expanding business development and account-retention footprint across the Americas.

In making the announcement, ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension said, “Gary’s lengthy blue-chip track record as a senior business development and sales leader directing talented teams to effectively grow businesses is invaluable. His deep relationships across the sports and entertainment ecosystem ensures ASM’s leadership position in our industry.”

Among his many accomplishments, Jacobus was a key architect of the growth of the NFL’s global marketing partnerships program; headed IMG’s global sports and entertainment corporate consulting division; and during his tenure with the NBA, secured the largest corporate marketing relationship in sports to date with Sprint.

“We’re expanding the bounds of what the entertainment experience means to fans and guests in more and more places,” Bension said. “Gary will help us reimagine business opportunities, venue paradigms, private and public partnerships, and collaborations. Also, imperative is his incredible experience on both the municipal and commercial sides of our business.”

In his new role, Jacobus, whose most recent position was senior vice president of business development and sales for Zippin, will oversee ASM Global’s ambitious plans to grow its successful sales efforts and strategies for securing new accounts. Those accounts will join a global portfolio containing the world’s most far-reaching and prestigious sports and entertainment properties.

“The need for ASM Global’s unmatched expertise and experience is greater than ever before,” Jacobus said. “The ASM Global family of venues has enabled it to generate exponential financial growth for companies throughout the world, and our intention is to increase those numbers even more. This includes new service sectors such as aquariums, zoos, and iconic cultural attractions.

“We’re going to passionately pursue enterprise business acceleration as we move deeper and deeper into arenas, stadiums, convention centers, cultural attractions, and theaters across the North and South American regions.”

Jacobus will also provide support and assistance to ASM Global’s European and APAC business development teams.

ASM Global has also appointed Julie Driscoll as the new Chief Executive Officer of Olympia London.

Olympia London Managing Director, Nigel Nathan, will remain in a consultancy role for three months to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Driscoll is an entrepreneurial leader with 25 years of B2C and B2B experience driving stellar growth through building and leading multi-functional teams within Hyve, Ascential, Emap, WVIP and Highbury House Communications plc.

Currently the Divisional Managing Director for Retail, Manufacturing and Engineering at Hyve Group plc, Chair of the Association of Exhibition Organisers and board member of the Events Industry Alliance, Driscoll has a proven track record for transforming legacy brands such as Spring and Autumn Fair, Pure London, Breakbulk, and Cwieme. She joins Olympia London with vast experience in running one of the UK’s largest trade events and cross industry collaboration via the AEO and EIA.

Driscoll commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Olympia London under the management of ASM Global – a world leader of event venues and entertainment. For 136 years Olympia London has been the home of inspirational events. In partnership with the venue’s owners, Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International, I very much look forward to working with the wonderful Olympia London team to position the venue as a world class destination for the next 100 years.”

Driscoll will step down as Chair of the AEO. “Being welcomed so warmly by the industry as the AEO’s second female Chair was an absolute honor. I would like to thank Chris Skeith OBE, CEO of the AEO, the wider AEO team, the Exec and the board for their support and incredible hard work. The AEO is an important organization supporting and nurturing the thriving exhibitions’ industry. It has been such a joy to be part of the AEO community and I look forward to seeing what I know will be their successful journey ahead,” she said.

Chris Bray, Executive Vice President of ASM Global Europe stated: “We are delighted to welcome Julie to the ASM Global team. Julie has an ambitious vision for Olympia London, an eye for operational excellence, and joins us with exceptional experience as a highly skilled entrepreneurial leader, working successfully with renowned brands and some of the UK’s biggest trade events. We are confident that Julie will bring enormous value, drive growth, and lead Olympia London towards a tremendously exciting future.”

Nigel Nathan added: “I am so proud to have worked with such an amazing and passionate team at Olympia London for the last 23 years. We’ve achieved so much together. Finding the right person to lead our glorious venue into its exciting future was vital. Julie brings impressive experience from across the events industry and a strong vision for how to build upon Olympia London’s heritage of hosting events that have helped drive the economy and delighted millions of visitors for the last 136 years.”

Driscoll begins her new role as Chief Executive Officer at Olympia London on 5 December 2022.

By Construction Dive

Dive Brief:

Madison Square Garden Entertainment increased the price tag for the MSG Sphere project in Las Vegas to close to $2.18 billion, up from its prior estimate of approximately $2 billion, according to its fiscal 2023 first quarter earnings report, a 9% increase.

The jump in construction cost primarily reflects the ongoing impact of inflation, global supply chain pressures, and the overall complexity of the project, said David Byrnes, chief financial officer at MSG, during an earnings’ call last week. The completion date remains on track to open in the second half of 2023, he added.

Actual construction costs incurred through Sept. 30 reached about $1.78 billion, including approximately $226 million of accrued, unpaid expenses. MSG expects to fund the remaining construction costs from cash on hand including savings from a cost reduction plan that defers certain discretionary capital projects, according to the report.

Dive Insight:

The construction team had to “refine a third” of design plans in order to adjust to the complexity of the project, said Byrnes, which was a major cost driver.

Both the build-out of the exosphere and the venue’s interior spaces, such as the installation of the interior display plane, are racking up those higher costs, he said.

“We have numerous packages of work that were competitively bid to contractors many months ago, with all of the actual costs being determined on a time and material basis on the back end,” said Byrnes. “As those materials are delivered and as the work gets completed, we’re continuing to see certain costs go up across certain work streams.”

Changes in design plans ranked as one of the top causes of construction claims or disputes, according to global consulting firm HKA’s CRUX Insight report. At the same time, construction analysts and contractors expect even more shortages and price hikes ahead for essential construction materials in 2023.

Nevertheless, Byrnes remains confident the project will finish on time.

“Work continues on the exterior of the venue with the installation of the LED mega panels on the exosphere, where crews have been progressing from the top of the venue down,” said Byrnes. “We’re confident that we have sufficient liquidity from cash-on-hand and cash flow from operations to complete the construction.”

MSG Sphere at The Venetian will be the largest spherical structure in the world at 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide once complete in the second half of 2023. The venue will have a capacity of approximately 17,500 seats, expandable to 20,000 with standing room.

Photo granted by MSG Sphere Studios

By R.V. Baugus

With the 2022 mid-term elections over (well, almost over: hello, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia), the public assembly venue world can once again look back with pride at the civic role many of our IAVM member venues played as hosting sites for their state’s citizens to place their votes.

We all remember how in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that many IAVM venues served as voting sites, many with restrictions such as drop-off voting to ensure the public’s safety from the raging coronavirus. What many may not know, however, is that a large number of our members have for years served as voting sites, a responsibility not taken for granted.

“As a county-owned facility, we have been a polling and election site for many years,” said Harrison Williams, executive director of the Washington County Expo in Brenham, Texas. “Doing prep for elections is pretty straightforward for us as we just have to place signage saying we are a polling site and identify how far from the building political ads and protests can be from the entrance to the building.”

As Williams said, there are indeed governmental restrictions that come with serving as a polling venue, with signs of course being one of those. When you went to vote (and we KNOW our members indeed did that!) were you confronted with a dizzying array of signs as you pulled up to the venue? That comes with the turf, of course, but once again as Williams noted even these signs must meet certain restrictions with where they may be placed and just how close to the venue they may be staked into the ground.

“Gas South District has traditionally been a voting site for almost 30 years,” shared Robyn Ali, assistant general manager of that venue in Duluth, Georgia. “Since our County was looking for more locations for early voting this year, we booked it in our Arts Center instead of blocking out the space in the Convention Center. Voting typically takes place in our Convention Center but half of the rentable space is under construction right now.”

So, even when a venue such as Gas South District faces the challenge of ongoing construction it is not enough to stop a tradition that has taken place for almost three decades. A little maneuvering into the arts space of the venue and — presto! — bring the voters in!

Major kudos go to General Manager Jim Finch and team at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center in Punta Gorda, Florida, which has been a voting site since the venue opened in 2009. This year, of course, saw the city and surrounding area pummeled by Hurricane Ian. Even that monster hurricane was not enough to deter the venue of being ready for its citizens to come vote.

“The Supervisor of Elections also does poll worker training at our venue, too,” Finch said.

To all IAVM member venues who served as voter sites, thank you! See you in 2024.

By Andra Bennett

Sales and marketing veteran Jordan Steffan has been promoted to director of sales for Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC), according to Mike Crum, director of the City of Fort Worth’s Public Events Department.

Steffan has been a key player on WRMC’s sales and events management team since 2019, working with events ranging from equestrian and livestock shows to concerts, consumer shows, and community events. She had been serving as interim director of sales since August.

“Jordan Steffan brings the exceptional talent, expertise, and institutional knowledge needed to help drive WRMC’s continued growth as a leading venue for local, national, and international events, especially in the equestrian industry,” Crum said. “She is an excellent example of the depth of skilled and dedicated staff who make it possible for us to promote from within, which is an ongoing Public Events Department commitment.”

The 120-acre WRMC complex is operational 24/7 year-round, with the exception of Christmas Day.

“Will Rogers is a unique venue with multiple events and various types of shows running concurrently,” said Kevin Kemp, General Manager of WRMC. “After a national search, Jordan’s experience, enthusiasm, and connections will provide continuity as well as fresh perspectives for our sales and marketing efforts.”

Steffan’s goal is for WRMC to compete with other top tier equestrian centers while expanding bookings for concerts and community events.

“I’m looking forward to working closely in a leadership role to continue to elevate the event experience for our elite equestrian clientele as well as increase operations revenues generated by the numerous events we host each year,” she said.

Holding a B.A. in sociology/communications from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., Steffan brings more than 16 years’ experience in events sales and marketing.

Prior to relocating to Fort Worth, she served for five years as director of sales for historic Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. She then served five years at the Rochester Institute of Technology as associate director of sales in the University Arenas Department.

Andra Bennett is Marketing Communications Manager for the City of Fort Worth, Texas.