Ribbon Cutting celebrates $95 million in upgrades, modernization

Photo credit: City of Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth marked a major milestone in the first phase of the Fort Worth Convention Center’s expansion with a VIP ribbon cutting Monday, December 8.

New additions to the center, which remained operational during the past two years of construction, are now fully complete and open to convention clients and to the public.

Elected and tourism officials, business leaders and construction partners gathered at the striking new southeast entrance, which includes a lantern box atrium lobby and retail coffee bar called Beltbuckle Brew.

Speakers at the ceremony were Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck (Dist. 9), Public Events Director Mike Crum, and Visit Fort Worth President & CEO Bob Jameson.

“Fort Worth provides the Texas experience that meeting planners want, and the Phase I convention center expansion and modernization exceeds those expectations,” said Mayor Parker. “This milestone, along with Phase II construction, will increase capacity to host conferences from across the nation, bolstering our already impressive convention and tourism industry.”

Tourism is a $3.5 billion industry for Fort Worth and one of its largest employers with more than 30,000 jobs, according to Visit Fort Worth. In 2024, Fort Worth welcomed 11.5 million visitors, generating $251 million in state and local taxes. The convention center expansion is part of the city’s larger economic development strategy to attract meetings from across the state and nation.

“This is only the first step in a bolder future for Fort Worth as a convention destination,” said Crum.  “We’ve delivered Phase 1 on budget and on time, and design is almost complete for the second phase of expansion and modernization. We will have floor plans and renderings to share within the next few months that will illustrate big horizons ahead for Fort Worth’s meeting business.”

The expansion is taking place in two phases and the facility is remaining operational during both. Totaling 76,794 square feet, the $95 million Phase I includes a grand Southeast entrance and terrace, state-of-the-art food & beverage facilities, a retail coffee bar for casual networking, 11 new loading docks (up from seven), and realignment of Commerce Street to create a site pad for a future convention hotel and additional retail or restaurants.

The project emphasizes pedestrian access and improving the area’s walkability and connection to the surrounding neighborhood, which includes the Water Gardens, Trinity Metro Central Station, the new Texas A&M Fort Worth campus and surrounding hotels.

Phase II construction, estimated at $606 million, is anticipated to begin in late 2026 and run through early 2030.

The Raleigh Convention Center is making substantial progress toward welcoming events back after a fire on the evening of Monday, December 1st. The fire damaged portions of the roof, but thanks to the quick action of the first responders with the Raleigh Fire Department, everyone in the building at the time exited safely, and the interior of the building was unharmed by the fire. Convention center staff, other City of Raleigh departments, and contractors have worked diligently toward resuming operations at this important Raleigh civic asset.

Event spaces were largely unaffected by the incident. Within the week, work crews quickly removed water from the building, applied a temporary seal to the roof, and began restoring the boiler to operation. Affected staff areas are currently undergoing repair.

Staff at the Raleigh Convention Center have worked with the event organizers through the remainder of December to reschedule, move, or cancel their event. Organizations that were unable to host their event at the venue will have their deposit refunded.

“We can’t express enough how grateful we are for the fast action and bravery of our amazing first responders,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “We appreciate Chief Griffin and every one of the more than 60 personnel who responded. And every department in the City of Raleigh has played a vital role in the progress we’ve made toward getting events back in our venue. The support and collaboration from our colleagues and community have been incredible. This challenge was just such a beautiful testament to all the wonderful people who make Raleigh what it is, and we’re so thankful.”

The Raleigh Convention Center team will continue to provide information on progress and future events. For the latest updates, please visit RaleighConvention.com.

VenuWorks is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Thomas as the new Executive Director overseeing its Cedar Rapids facilities. In this role, Thomas will manage operations for the Alliant Energy PowerHouse, the historic Paramount Theatre, McGrath Amphitheatre, and the ImOn Ice Arena Cedar Rapids. He brings nearly two decades of industry experience to the position, with a strong background in multi-unit operations, talent buying, and strategic growth.

“We are excited to welcome Robert to the VenuWorks family and look forward to the fresh perspective he brings to our Cedar Rapids team,” said Steve Peters, VenuWorks Founder and CEO. “Robert’s impressive history of driving revenue growth and his deep experience in talent buying make him an exceptional choice for this leadership role. We are confident that under his direction, our venues will continue to thrive and serve as vibrant hubs for the Cedar Rapids community.”

Robert Thomas joins VenuWorks with over 18 years of experience in the music and venue management industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Programming & Talent Buying and President at TempleLive, where he oversaw operational performance across multiple historic venues. During his tenure, Thomas successfully grew the company to eight-figure revenue, achieving consistent year-over-year growth and facilitating expansion into new markets including Columbus, OH, and Peoria, IL.

His career also includes significant roles with Live Nation Worldwide Inc., where he spearheaded talent buying efforts that resulted in record-breaking profitability. Thomas has a proven track record of revitalizing venues, managing P&L for cost control and revenue enhancement, and developing fan-friendly environments. His booking history includes a diverse array of major acts, ranging from rock and country to comedy, demonstrating his ability to curate programming that appeals to a wide audience. “I’m honored to join VenuWorks as Executive Director in Cedar Rapids,” said Thomas. “I look forward to working with our talented team to serve the community and bring outstanding events to the city and citizens of Cedar Rapids.”

VenuWorks is known for its collaborative approach and commitment to community enrichment. The organization focuses on maximizing venue potential while maintaining the unique character of each facility. With Thomas at the helm, the Cedar Rapids venues are well-positioned to continue offering world-class entertainment that stimulates economic vitality and cultural growth in the region.

Oak View Group (OVG), the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services including venue development, venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales, today announced that the Board of Directors has named Chris Granger as Chief Executive Officer of Oak View Group, effective immediately. Granger had served as Interim CEO since July 2025. Prior to his appointment as Interim CEO, Granger had presided over tremendous growth in his prior role as President, OVG360. As CEO, Granger will lead all aspects of OVG’s global businesses.

“Chris’s performance during his tenure as Interim CEO has been exceptional,” said Lee Wittlinger, Chairman of the OVG Board of Directors. “He seamlessly stepped into the role during a pivotal time and demonstrated tremendous leadership. Chris understands the entire ecosystem of sports and live entertainment and the Board is confident that he is the right executive to lead OVG into its next phase of global growth.”

OVG senior partner Irving Azoff commented, “I have known and worked with Chris for nearly 20 years. No one is better for the CEO job.  He is uniquely qualified to lead OVG as we continue to build it bigger and better. He shares our passion to deliver for all our clients, fans and artists.”

Granger stated, “I’d like to thank the Board for their confidence. I am honored to serve in this role and build upon an incredible foundation. I look forward to working with our deep roster of entrepreneurial leaders and talented teammates, across North America and around the world, as we continue to deliver on our mission to disrupt positively and with purpose. We will work tirelessly on behalf of our partners, we will root for one another, and we will lift the communities in which we operate. Let’s go.”

Granger has more than 30 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry. Prior to joining OVG360 in 2021, Granger was Group President, Sports and Entertainment of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Sacramento Kings. He also spent fourteen years in increasingly senior roles with the National Basketball Association, including as Executive Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations. Granger began his career at Walt Disney World and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Cornell University and an MBA from Yale University’s School of Management.

Part of the Convention Center’s new initiative to create greater food security in Raleigh

Photo courtesy RCC

The Raleigh Convention Center hosted an event on Monday afternoon to pack over 11,800 servings of soup to be donated to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Staff from the Convention and Performing Arts Complex and catering partner Sodexo Live!, as well as volunteers from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, hospitality partners, and other city departments lent their time and hands to supporting the effort. In addition to The Complex, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts resident companies, the North Carolina Symphony and PineCone, both joined as first partners to support this initiative, bringing the total number of meals to 13,000.

This volunteer event launched a larger, ongoing effort from the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex to provide visitors to conventions and other events at the venues the opportunity to leave their mark on Raleigh with a soup packing event of their own. This vision provides event participants with the chance to make their time in Raleigh a meaningful experience beyond what most convention and event goers ordinarily expect. 

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of something that brings real care to our community,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “There’s a special kind of energy that comes from doing good together, and our team feels it deeply. We believe in the power of kindness to create memorable moments, and we’re excited to see more events in our venue embrace that same spirit. It’s a beautiful reminder that what we do here can reach far beyond the walls of our building.”

The Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, and its catering partner Sodexo Live! will facilitate this giving opportunity for events visiting Raleigh that want to add an impact-oriented element to their event. This effort is part of the Convention and Performing Arts Complex’s mission to continue broadening the venues’ impact as The Complex expands to bring more events to Raleigh. This ongoing vision is aimed at not only increasing the number of events in Raleigh, but also making them part of a larger legacy of meaningful community moments.