VenuWorks, the new management company for the historic Paramount Arts Center, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Hammond as the venue’s new Executive Director. This selection highlights VenuWorks’ commitment to identifying and empowering the best talent in the industry to drive venue success. In this instance, the perfect candidate was found right here in the community, reflecting the “Acres of Diamonds” philosophy that exceptional value often lies in one’s own backyard.

As VenuWorks takes the helm of the iconic downtown theater, the company remains dedicated to preserving the Paramount’s legacy while ushering in a new era of efficiency and growth. Hammond brings both professional experience and a lifelong personal connection to the venue, marking him as a standout representative of the next generation of arts and venue leadership.

A tireless advocate for arts education in the tri-state region, Hammond grew up in Louisa, KY, and first stepped onto the Paramount stage at age fourteen. He has since performed more than 80 times at the theater—an experience that solidified his bond with the venue and the community it serves.

Hammond holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Morehead State University and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration with an emphasis on managing theatrical organizations from the University of Kentucky. His professional background includes serving as Director of Choirs at Lawrence County High School from 2018 to 2021 and as Director of Education at the Paramount Arts Center from 2021 to 2025. During his tenure as Education Director, he oversaw programs that brought over 200,000 students to the Youth Education Series shows.

His leadership style, community engagement and positive attitude have earned him wide recognition, including two nominations for the Best Music Educator Grammy Award. Beyond his work at the Paramount, Hammond serves as the Director of Choirs at Ashland First United Methodist Church and is an executive board member for the Kentucky Theatre Association, where he conducts workshops to foster creativity across the Commonwealth. “I could not be more humbled and excited to be leading The Paramount Theatre into the future,” said Hammond. “This venue shaped my life, and I am honored to help steward it for the next generation.”

“Matt Hammond truly represents the future of venue leadership” said Steve Peters, CEO and Founder of VenuWorks. “His passion for the arts, deep ties to the community, and impressive track record  make him the ideal choice for this pivotal role. We are excited to see the energy and vision Matt brings to the Paramount, and he has the full support and confidence of the entire VenuWorks team as he leads this iconic venue forward.”

Longtime IAVM member, venue manager, and family show executive Dale Adams, CVE, assumes a new role as Executive Director of the Arizona Exposition & State Fair in Phoenix on Tuesday, Jan. 20. He takes over for the retiring Wanell Costello, who has served the Arizona Exposition & State Fair for 35 years.

Adams, who joined IAVM in 1985 when he was Assistant Director at the Lakeland (Fla.) Civic Center, had been at Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Ariz., as GM, where he also acted as VP of Event Development for ASM Global. He has lived in the Phoenix area for a decade now.

Serving the nation’s fourth largest fair (based on attendance of 1.4 million annually) and managing Veterans Memorial Coliseum (nicknamed “The Madhouse on McDowell” when the Phoenix Suns played there) are a welcome new challenge for Adams. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to drive ancillary revenues. There are so many opportunities,” Adams said.

The Fairgrounds feature numerous exhibit buildings, extensive parking lots and an outdoor stage. The Coliseum hosts concerts during the fair and is relatively busy with trade and consumer shows during the “off-season.”

“Dale brings a clear vision for the Arizona State Fair enterprise that aligns closely with the Board,” said Joanne Keene, Chair of the Arizona Exposition and State Fair Board, in a press release. “We look forward to working with Dale to unlock the full potential of the Arizona State Fairgrounds as a year-round, revenue-generating asset for the State of Arizona.”

The Arizona Exposition & State Fair is a self-enterprising state agency that hosts more than 50 events annually, ranging from the Arizona National Livestock Show to community service events, such as the Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association (VNSA) Book Sale and Arizona Veterans StandDown. Its signature event, the annual Arizona State Fair, welcomes over one million visitors each fall.

This will be the first fairgrounds Adams has managed, but he has extensive experience and contacts in the business from his years with Feld Entertainment’s Disney on Ice and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, along with managing various venues for the old Leisure Management International (LMI), Ogden Entertainment, and AEG Facilities, which became ASM Global and is now Legends Global.

Venues he has managed include Prudential Center, Newark, N.J., and Coliseo de Puerto Rico, San Juan.

His ties to IAVM include teaching a variety of topics, like General Revenue, Box Office, and Dealing with Unions at Venue Management School when it was held at Oglebay in West Virginia. He attained his CVE while working at Mullins Center at UMass, Boston, in 1996.

He’s looking forward to making a difference with such an iconic brand as the Arizona State Fair.

Rendering of the OKC Multipurpose Stadium. Photo courtesy OKC.gov

The Oklahoma City Council voted today to approve a construction management services contract with Lingo Construction for the new MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, set to anchor a future sports and entertainment district just south of Bricktown.

“Selecting a construction management firm is a significant step forward for the multipurpose stadium project,” said MAPS Program Manager David Todd. “The Lingo team brings valuable local expertise and a strong track record delivering complex venues and community spaces.”

Construction is expected to begin this spring, with the stadium scheduled to open in early 2028.

“Lingo is excited to be part of this significant project that will serve the community in many ways,” said Stan Lingo, President. “The stadium is designed to be more than a sports venue—it will serve as a gathering place that welcomes visitors from across the nation, supports local teams and events, and creates lasting memories for generations to come. We’re honored to work alongside the City and our project partners to help bring this vision to life.”

The multipurpose stadium was designed by Populous and will be operated by Echo Investment Capital. A first look at the stadium design was announced in December.

The project is funded by MAPS 4, the 2025 OKC Bond, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), private contributions and other economic development sources.

Multipurpose stadium features

The site is located east of the Oklahoma City Convention Center and south of Bricktown near I-40. The stadium will feature a United States Soccer Federation (USSF)-approved field and serve as the future home to both women’s and men’s teams. The venue will also feature a club section, supporters’ section, locker rooms and suites.

While soccer will be its primary function, the stadium is poised to host football, youth sports, concerts and community events.

Learn more at okc.gov/MAPS4.

The Raleigh Convention Center is excited to announce its reopening to events this week following the Dec. 1 fire. The four events set to take place at the venue this week include software company Prometheus Group’s Sales Kickoff, the CHG Roadshow, Smartsheet user group, and City of Oaks Challenge Volleyball tournament. Reaching this reopening milestone quickly is a result of the tireless work by convention center leadership and staff, staff from across all departments of the City of Raleigh, contractors, and community partners. The convention center was able to retain approximately $4 million in revenue and 28,000 hotel room nights by reopening this week.

While the convention center’s kitchen is under repair, a temporary mobile kitchen has been set up in Red Hat Amphitheater. Construction on the temporary facility began on Wed. Jan. 7, and finished on Sun. Jan. 11. The mobile kitchen is approximately the same size as the permanent kitchen and features all the same equipment to ensure no gaps in functionality. The kitchen will be set up as long as needed, but it will be out before the beginning of concert season at the amphitheater.

“We’re so thrilled to have guests back in our building and thankful for all the planners who we’ve gotten to work with this past month to make sure their events can still happen. City of Oaks Volleyball was our first large scale event following the COVID-19 pandemic, so to have them in right now after this is special, that they’ve been part of several great comebacks with us,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “We know how crucial these events are not only to us and our clients, but also to our partners at hotels and restaurants here in downtown Raleigh as well. Our team, other city departments, and our contractors have worked day and night for the last month to get here, and it’s incredible to see where we were on Dec. 1 and where we are today. We’re able to provide the same excellent service our clients expect with an innovative mobile kitchen setup in Red Hat Amphitheater. This is the same mobile kitchen used for incredibly large-scale, high-end events like Formula One racing, so we’re not just making do but continuing to operate at a really high level while our permanent kitchen undergoes repairs.”

The Raleigh Convention Center is bringing in a crane to help remove equipment from the roof following the fire. Two lanes of McDowell St. between Lenoir St. and Cabarrus St. will be used for crane work starting Thursday, Jan. 15, and ending on Sunday, Jan. 18. Officials at the convention center and the City of Raleigh have worked together to carefully plan this closure maximize safety for drivers and crews working to remove the equipment from the building. Traffic will quickly be restored to its regular pattern following the work at the facility.
For a full list of upcoming events, facility updates, and other information, please visit RaleighConvention.com.

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in December 2025. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit here to share your story and photo.

Desiree Ackerman, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Sean Adams-Pantano, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Massoud Adibpour, Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte, NC
Khamari Alexander, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Kaylee Alger, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Nathalie Angus, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Summer Angus, OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA
Achlin Michel Antonio Chinchilla, Expo Convenciones Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Jake Baker, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Sara Bayler, Salt Lake County Arts & Culture, Salt Lake City, UT
Scott Beck, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Dan Bedell, REAL District, Regina, SK, Canada
Alberto Blanco Blanco, CECONEXPO, Morelia, Mich., Mexico
Davis Blank, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Eric Borchert, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Trey Borgrud, Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
Jessica Bostic, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Lisa Brocklehurst, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Kaylee Buggy, Wilmington Convention Center – ASM Global, Wilmington, NC
Delaney Burke, Ensemble Arts Philly, Philadelphia, PA
Luisa Canpuzano, Expo Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
Josiah Castro, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Claudia Castro Tavares, Centro Expositor Y de Convenciones de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
Zachary Chmiel, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
John Cook, Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), Troy, NY
Wils Cook, Western Washington University, Kirkland, WA
Sam Cox, Moody Center – OVG, Austin, TX
Stephanie Curtis, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Jess Davis, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Annie DiRenzo, Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD
Jackie Dolomont, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL
Steve Dongarra, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Carolyn Dooling, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Sophia Drees, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Julie Edge, Greenville Arena District, Greenville, SC
Reagan Edwards, Akins Ford Arena, Athens, GA
Blake Elder, JustPark, Dallas, TX
Gage Eldridge, Music City Center, Nashville, TN
Sismondi Esparza, Centro de Convenciones y Poliforum Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Ian Evans, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Matthew Freeman, Trilith Live, Fayetteville, GA
Catherine Garcia, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver, CO
Catherine Gelinas, Trilith Live, Fayetteville, GA
Brittany George, iVvy, Helensvale, QLD, Australia
Liliana Gil Garcia, CECONEXPO, Morelia, Mich., Mexico
Maura Glascock, University of Kentucky – Department of Arts Administration, Lexington, KY
Lorena Gomez Haro Planel, Centro Internacional De Convenciones De Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Rodrigo Gonzalez, Centro de Convenciones Torreon, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
Veronica Guadalupe Gonzalez Lopez, Buro de Congresos y Visitantes de Aguascalientes, frac. Pirules, Mexico
Russ Gronick, REAL District, Regina, SK, Canada
Paul Gunter, Festival at Sandpoint, Sandpoint, ID
Sergio Eduardo Gutierrez Molina, Expo Convenciones Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Andre Haston, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Mike Hayes, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Grace Hazelwood, Egal Pads, Inc., Somerville, MA
Darren Hazlie, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Michael Hennis, Greensboro Coliseum Complex – OVG, Kernersville, NC
Jake Hervada, JustPark, Dallas, TX
TeOnnie Houston, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Tess Howell, Festival at Sandpoint, Sandpoint, ID
Pedro Huerta, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Amy Kavanagh, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Michelle Kendrick, Irwin Seating Company, Kansas City, MO
Tim Kinzer, Music City Center, Nashville, TN
Veronica Knowlton, Festival at Sandpoint, Sandpoint, ID
Luc Larouche, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Drew Lee, JustPark, Dallas, TX
Maria del Mar Lopez, Expo Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Mariana Lopez, Centro Internacional de Convenciones y Exposiciones de Campeche XXI, Campeche, Mexico
Megan Loponen, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Traci Lowe, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Lisa Lynshue, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Lisa Martin, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Samaria Martinez Toledo, Baja California Center, Tijuana, Mexico
Stephen McCoy, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA
Brent Meade, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Isabelle Mensik, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Andrew Miller, Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH
Kim Miller, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Francesca Missella, Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH
Jantzen Murray, JustPark, Dallas, TX
Beatriz Nino Rosales, Centro Internacional de Congresos de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Rachael Palmer, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Lesley Pilgrim, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Kristian Piraino, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Tuesday Poling, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Claire Rock, JustPark, Dallas, TX
Kenith Rodriguez, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, North Miami, FL
Laura Rodriguez, Queretaro Centro de Congresos Y Teatro Metropolitano, Queretaro, Mexico
Paola Rodriguez, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA
Alejandra Rodriguez Camarillo, Buro de Congresos y Visitantes de Aguascalientes, frac. Pirules, Mexico
Janet Rouge, Portland Expo Center, Portland, OR
Christa Rowe, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Kyle Russell, REAL District, Regina, SK, Canada
Jose Luis Saveedra Vega, Fideicomiso Centro de Congresos y Convenciones Morelos, Morelos, Mexico
Sam Schmalz, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Appleton, WI
Paige Sikes, Great Park Live, Irvine, CA
Derek Stern, Stanford Live, Stanford, CA
Jolene Suchy-Dicey, Floreano Convention Center, Rochester, NY
Ryan Tapper, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Mark Tarver, Wilmington Convention Center – ASM Global, Wilmington, NC
Robin Taylor, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada
Mason Tierney, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Raleigh, NC
Sarah Tracey, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Isaiah Troche, The Classic Center, Athens, GA
Nichole Turner, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Lora Unger, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Taylor Urbina, Jerome Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
Melanie Weir, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA
Brad Wells, St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Lauren West, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI
Dalton White, Columbus Crew, Columbus, OH
John Wiant, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA