By R.V. Baugus

With all the advances made in recent years for patrons to enjoy their experience at public assembly venues, thanks mostly to technology, it is no surprise that the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium are taking to the skies for the next step of a WOW experience.

Ready for this one? A gondola cable lift is being built at Hard Rock Stadium, giving fans a new perspective of the home of the Dolphins. Think the sky lift ride at your nearby amusement park but with a stunning view of the city skyline.

And to think cup holders were once a significant guest experience invention!

We got confirmation from the Twitter account of Tom Garfinkel, vice chairman, president and chief executives of the Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, who indicated the project should be completed ahead of this season’s Super Bowl at the stadium on February 2. Timing, after all, is everything, and this could bring in very significant revenue to the thousands upon thousands who will be descending upon South Florida for the big game.

The obvious question is will the ride be used as a form of transportation the day of the game, and that answer is no. The ride is for entertainment purposes only and will stretch along the south side of the stadium. The cost per ride is still not known.

Specifics of the ride according to The Next Miami is that the gondola will travel for some 1,800 feet with the ride lasting some 10 minutes. Riders will enjoy a spectacular view of the stadium with the lavish skyline in the background.

According to The Next Miami, the gondola will travel for about 1,800 feet, with the ride lasting about 10 minutes. Those in the gondola will be given a bird’s eye view of the stadium with Miami’s skyline in the background.

The project is expected to cost $3 million and is being handled by one of the very best in Austrian ski lift manufacturer Doppelmayr, which is best known in the U.S. for its work on the Disney Skyliner, is managing the construction process, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The venue is also stepping up its efforts to eliminate single-use plastics ahead of the Super Bowl.

In an interview with Forbes, Garfinkel, discussed the team’s efforts to tackle plastic consumption.

In August, Garfinkel formed an internal committee to study how single-use plastics can be phased out and how the Dolphins can improve recycling efforts after watching a 60 Minutes documentary on how plastic is polluting the ocean. Garfinkel later announced that Hard Rock Stadium has committed to phasing out 99.4 per cent of single-use plastics by 2020, including for Super Bowl LIV.

Garfinkel told Forbes: “If we do something at the stadium and can set an example, what kind of larger impact can that have? I’m fortunate enough to be in a leadership position and I have a responsibility to lead, and I’m fortunate to have an owner (Stephen Ross) who is passionate about climate change and these initiatives.”

According to Garfinkel, Hard Rock Stadium uses approximately 678,000 plastic bottles and 525,000 plastic cups each year.

By R.V. Baugus

Congratulations, Gregg McManners, on your upcoming retirement. Well deserved for a man who so graciously has served his venue, his community, and this association.

And a darn good friend as well.

Among the accolades for Gregg prior to his late January retirement:

–Led Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center for the past nine years as executive director, and prior to that as operations director for seven years.

–Served IAVM as Region III Director, on the Board of Directors, the Convention Center and Sustainability Committees and also as IAVM’s representative to the National Fire Protection Association.

–In 2018, honored by IAVM for his contributions to the industry.

It has always been one of my pleasures to see Gregg at VenueConnect and catch up with him. I believe that one of his strongest attributes has been having the wonderful gift of listening. I will be the first to admit that I am often guilty of thinking about what I want to say next while listening to someone speak. With Gregg, you always just knew that he was absorbing everything you had to share with him before he thoughtfully provided a response. That might not sound like such a big deal, but it truly is a gift and one that Gregg owned quite well.

Listening is just half the story, though. After Gregg heard you out, he would offer a sage and wise response. You always knew that he CARED about you, that what you had to say was important.

All this probably sounds to you like it might have even been something personal between Gregg and myself, and it was.

Gregg was among the very first to express his condolences with my wife, Tanya, suddenly passed away in January 2015. The interesting thing is that at the time I was not employed with IAVM, but the friendships that we as staff get to form with members aside from our professional responsibilities is very cherished and certainly was by me as I heard from Gregg at that dark time in my life.

December 6 will also mark three years that Gregg sent me the following email, shortly upon my return to IAVM and Facility Manager magazine. I kept it because, well, you just keep things when they come from special people who mean a lot to you in life. Taking editorial license here that my good friend Gregg will not mind my sharing this:

“WELCOME BACK! It’s awesome that you have rejoined the team and I look forward to catching up with you somewhere down the line. I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I am that you are back in the IAVM family. Happy, Happy Holidays!”

See what I mean? Thank you, Gregg, for all the lives you have impacted, and now you are the one who better stay in touch with all of us!

By R.V. Baugus

For many venue managers there is work to be done, even on Thanksgiving. Many open their venues to serve meals to the neighborhood needy.

The George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston is preparing for the 41st Annual Houston Super Feast where more than 100,000 of Houston’s hungry will be served, including plates of food for more than 25,000 families, veterans, and senior citizens on Thanksgiving Day.

Once inside the convention center, thousands are served with not only traditional hot nutritious meals, but also employment opportunities, clothing, household items, shoes, blankets, coats, jackets, flu shots, medical examinations, food baskets, and more.

Stories like this abound all over the country at a time when people not only help people less fortunate, but we as individuals count our own blessings.

To that end, I offer my thanks for:

My faith.

My family of wife Charlotte, step-children Brent and Charla, and step-grandchildren Maddie, Austin, Bailee, AJ, and Max.

My wife, Tanya, deceased here but enjoying the fruits and rewards of heaven.

My health.

The men and women in our military services who protect our freedoms in this great country.

IAVM colleagues I am privileged to work with.

IAVM members I so admire for their dedication and friendship.

Fall weather.

Thanksgiving meal tradition of buttered brown-and-serve rolls, fruit salad, and chocolate pie.

Football.

Traditions.

The Nutcracker.

Leading a Grief Share class for the bereaved.

Serving as senior editor of Facility Manager.

Taco Casa.

Getting to participate in that Texas religion by announcing high school football games.

The Eyes of Texas.

VenueConnect and reacquainting with old friends as well as meeting new friends.

Brad Mayne’s dedicated leadership of staff and passion for his beloved industry.

The younger ones on staff and in the industry, who force this geezer to stay relevant. OK, boomer!

My sweet poodle dogs, Trudy and Tia.

Luka magic.

Whataburger.

So many wonderful IAVM members who eagerly sign up to write for our magazine, rather, your magazine.

The great things that I know will happen in 2020, and that is with 2020 foresight.

Getting in a car and driving around this big old state.

Seeing all people equally.

May you find your own list to be lengthy as you contemplate the season!

By Kristen Durst

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Executive Director Gregg McManners,, CVE, has announced he will retire, effective January 24, 2020, from the Madison, WI, venue.

McManners has led the renowned Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center for the past nine years as executive director, and prior to that as operations director for seven years. Under his leadership, the globally recognized Frank Lloyd Wright designed facility achieved its certification as a green building at the Gold level by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program. He also led the facility through two renovations and elevated the convention center’s technological capabilities to offer clients a quality state of the art experience.

“We are grateful for Gregg’s leadership, and his role in making Monona Terrace and Madison a major destination and economic catalyst. He worked hard to make Monona Terrace a welcoming gathering spot for our community regardless of age, race, or income,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.

McManners believes in a purpose-driven organization and is a champion of Monona Terrace’s mission, “to deliver an exceptional and inspirational experience.” The result of this focus was an average customer survey satisfaction rating of 99 percent in 2019. And he helped ensure this community asset was accessible to the public, prioritizing the over 100 free and low cost community events Monona Terrace puts on each year.

“We exist for our customers and our community,” McManners said. “And it has been an incredible honor to serve both. I’m proud of our amazing staff and of the incredible events we host and create. And grateful for a community that values our contributions to Madison, Dane County, and Wisconsin.”

Prior to working at Monona Terrace, McManners spent 20 years managing regional shopping malls throughout the Midwest. He served IAVM as Region III Director, on the Board of Directors, the Convention Center and Sustainability Committees and also as IAVM’s representative to the National Fire Protection Association. In 2018, he was honored by IAVM for his contributions to the industry.

A nation-wide search process for McManners’ replacement is underway.

Kristen Durst is Community and Public Relations Manager for the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center.

By Rita de la Fuente

On Monday, November 11, we hosted IAVM’s Mark Herrera for a security training. This was a free training for our staff and we invited other venues around our region to send members of their team to spread the knowledge beyond our building. We even ran the training twice in order to accommodate two separate shifts and ensure more availability.

“The San Diego Convention Center Corporation has increased efforts to educate employees on the significance of pre-incident indicators, situational awareness and the obligation and responsibilities that all employees have in keeping our facility safe,” said Director of Public Safety Todd Temple. “Mark’s recent presentation on “Securing Events through Exceptional Focus” has provided that continued education we are looking for.”

This was not the first time we have had this training for our staff, but as Mark said, it’s “one more rep.” Each person benefits from having time dedicated to learning and focusing on more than their daily responsibilities, even if it is a refresher.

Another important aspect is that new catastrophes continue to happen and each one brings with it new challenges and new lessons learned for the venues involved. Mark brings some of the most current information so that our team can keep performing our best.

We learned primarily about what to do before tragedy strikes. The goal was to increase our own awareness in order to detect security concerns and mitigate risk. Examples include:
• Dealing with someone uncooperative
• Identifying pre-assault indicators
• Preventing confrontations from becoming volatile
• Leveraging a guest service approach to investigate potential security risks

One of the key takeaways from the training is to “inoculate ourselves.” When a situation escalates and a catastrophe occurs, we need our brain to have previous experience considering what actions we will need to take. This will help maintain control of the physiological effects that happen during high-pressure situations.

Rita de la Fuente is public affairs manager for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.