By ISSA and R.V. Baugus

The Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, announced that Resorts World Las Vegas, a forthcoming resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, has achieved GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation.

“The GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation program is used by facilities around the world to improve their cleaning, disinfecting, and infection prevention readiness,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “The accreditation seal is displayed everywhere from convention centers and airports to office buildings and schools to restaurants and retail facilities.”

Scheduled to open summer 2021, Resorts World Las Vegas is a US$4.3 billion integrated property that will include three Hilton brands – Hilton Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels & Resorts. The property will feature 3,500 rooms across its resort towers and 117,000 square feet of gaming. Resorts World Las Vegas will also house a 24,000-square-foot dining hall with 16 food stalls and a speakeasy, as well as luxury retail, meeting, banquet, and nightlife spaces, a 5,000-seat theatre, spa and fitness facilities, and nine pool areas.

Other public assembly venues that this past week achieved accreditation include:

Convention Center

El Paso Convention Center in El Paso, Texas
Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas

Museums and Cultural Venues

Grapevine Festival Grounds in Grapevine, Texas
Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, Ky.

Stadiums and Arenas

ASM Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, home to the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans
RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., home to the NFL’s New England Patriots and the MLS’s New England Revolution
Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia

Theatres and Performing Arts Centers

Abraham Chavez Theatre in El Paso, Texas
McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre in El Paso, Texas
Palace Arts Centre in Grapevine, Texas
Plaza Theater in El Paso, Texas

“Investing in cleaning, disinfecting, and infection prevention helps organizations reduce the risk of costly closures and outbreaks,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “By successfully completing the GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation Program, facilities can ensure their cleaning staff understand how to properly address pathogens and uphold cleanliness.”

Learn more and apply for GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation at gbac.org/star.

Find accredited facilities and those pursuing accreditation via the GBAC STAR Facility Directory at gbac.org/directory.

IAVM members seeking to apply for accreditation through GBAC, please use the link https://gbac.issa.com/iavm/!

By R.V. Baugus

In basketball, the term “going coast to coast” refers to taking the ball from one end of the court to the other and usually culminating in a made basket.

Sadaf Usmani has moved the term into the public assembly venue world with her career relocation from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, scheduled to open in October of this year and serve as home to the newest National Hockey League Franchise in the Seattle Kraken.

Usmani will serve as Senior Manager, Guest Services, a position in which she has excelled while working as Manager, Guest Services at MetLife Stadium for more than six years. Prior to that, she served another two years at the home of the NFL New York Giants and New York Jets as Coordinator, Guest Services.

The Fairleigh Dickinson University graduate (Bachelor of Science, Hospitality Management) is involved in IAVM as a GuestX Committee member and also serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee for Venue Professional magazine. Usmani is also a master trainer for TEAM Coalition.

By Sue Sung

Go LIVE Together and the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) partnered with Epistemix, a world leading provider of analytical tools designed to understand the spread of infectious diseases, to model anticipated risk levels for events planned in 2021. Using this model, they are able to:

–Forecast the potential level of immunity at a given date based on historical infection rates at a given location, different assumptions about vaccination rates, and future potential impact of new variants
–Estimate the likely number of infectious people who may attend based on the size of the event and origin of attendees
–Calculate the number of infections we might expect at the event given the range of protective measures that could be implemented

The Best News …

With the health and safety measures our industry has voluntarily adopted, and given current infection and vaccination rates and projections, the scientific model by Epistemix predicts nearly a 0% transmission rate of COVID-19 at an event hosting tens of thousands of people in various cities across the country including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and Orlando.

Business events around the world have leveraged current medical information and are actively working with local health officials to define what “safety” means in a post-COVID-19 world.

Go LIVE Together and the ECA are now taking these models to the top trade show cities in the country to request reopening plans. This effort comes at a critical time, when state leaders are beginning to define next steps for their local economies—including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who recently announced his plan for a June 15 reopening. While this is encouraging news, Newsom’s provided plan includes attendee caps and burdensome testing and vaccine-verification requirements that make hosting successful business events all but impossible. These restrictions put California and states with similar guidelines at risk of losing major events—as seen with the American Public Transportation Association’s recent decision to move their event from California to Florida. By outlining the economic impact of business events, our industry’s unified commitment to adhering to health and safety guidelines, and the planning required to produce an event, we’re asking for guidelines to allow us to prepare for reopening events.

Join us in this mission by sharing this overview of the economic impact of business events, encouraging evidence of our ability to reopen safely and the need to take action today in order to plan for events scheduled months from now.

Sue Sung is Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy for Freeman.

The Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, released clarification around revised guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to cleaning and disinfecting for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The CDC’s latest guidance noted that “cleaning with products containing soap or detergent reduces germs on surfaces by removing contaminants and may also weaken or damage some of the virus particles, which decreases risk of infection from surfaces.” ISSA and GBAC wish to emphasize the critical importance that cleaning and disinfecting surfaces must not only reduce exposure to COVID-19, but to other pathogens as well.

“While there are still many uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, it is clear that facilities can better prepare for, respond to, and recover from outbreaks when they have a comprehensive program that starts with a risk assessment” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “There are many layers to this issue, but as authoritative leaders within the space, we feel it’s important to clarify that with the current pandemic, in addition to indoor air quality needs, cleaning professionals should continue their enhanced efforts in cleaning and disinfecting public facilities with added focus on high touch points. When used correctly by trained professionals, proven products and equipment are very effective against SARS-CoV-2 as well as other viruses and bacteria.”

The use of products approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and included on the EPA’s List N is preferable, as it ensures cleaning professionals are applying expert-reviewed formulations that have been approved for use against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, cleaning for health is most effective at mitigating the spread of illnesses when it is a multi-step approach that involves first cleaning surfaces to remove or reduce soil loads and then disinfecting to kill bacteria, fungi, and inactivate viruses.

The CDC also stated that, “in most cases, fogging, fumigation, and wide-area or electrostatic spraying is not recommended as a primary method of surface disinfection and has several safety risks to consider.” While surface disinfection equipment is not necessary for every facility, ISSA and GBAC support the use of sprayers with the proper training, as these tools can be incredibly useful for high-traffic facilities and those with occupants with an increased risk of illness. When using chemicals and disinfection equipment, it is important to read the label and use products correctly to prevent unnecessary overuse and exposure.

“There is a continuum of risk during the pandemic as new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerge, and beyond it due to the fact that illnesses like influenza, norovirus, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can impact public health,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “When combined, cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, air quality controls, the use of face masks, hand hygiene, and other measures can greatly reduce the risk of infection spread and give facility occupants and guests greater peace of mind that organizations are prioritizing their health and safety.”

For more information on proper facilities cleaning and disinfecting now and post pandemic, visit www.issa.com/coronavirus.

By R.V. Baugus

It is with delight that we report that Glen Mikkelsen, CVE, has taken on a new position at the City of Cranbrook, British Columbia and the Recreation and Culture department as the city’s new general manager of venues and events.

Glen is one of our own as an IAVM member and especially6 to this editor with his must-read and entertaining work in every issue of Venue Professional magazine with his always-anticipated In the Quirks column. Even after having lost his previous position last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Glen soldiered on in producing content for IAVM members to enjoy reading.

Glen’s distinguished 30-plus years background as a sports and entertainment manager includes experience working with events such as rodeos, trade shows, conferences, skating shows, Broadway-style shows, and rock festivals. He most recently worked with the CN Centre in Prince George.

Mikkelsen’s new role is an amalgamation of the former facility operations manager left vacant when Stacy Paulsen was named director of recreation and culture, and the former events and marketing position previously filled by Paul Heywood, who now serves as the building and bylaw services manager in Cranbrook.

Congratulations to you, Glen!