Daktronics will continue a long relationship with the Texas Rangers to provide nine LED displays and approximately 1,400 LCD for an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) system at the team’s new Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Eight new SMD (Surface-Mount Device) LED displays, a centerfield 15HD display and all LCDs will be fully integrated using Daktronics Show Control System.

The announcement was made during a media event at Globe Life Field with representatives of the Rangers and Daktronics.

“The Rangers and Daktronics have enjoyed a great partnership that dates back to 1993,” said Rangers Executive Vice President, Ballpark Entertainment Chuck Morgan, who has also served as the club’s public address announcer at Arlington Stadium and Globe Life Park since 1983. “With its state-of-the-art technology, Daktronics has assisted us in providing the best possible ballpark entertainment for our fans for many years.

“The equipment and technology Daktronics is providing at the new Globe Life Field will bring the ballpark experience to an even higher level and it’s been a pleasure working with them on this project.”

The largest display will tower over right field and measure approximately 58 feet high by 150 feet wide. The display in left field will measure 40 feet high by 111 feet wide. These displays feature 15-millimeter line spacing using SMD 3-in-1 LED technology.

Together, these two displays will provide fans with 13,000 square feet of entertainment and information. These displays feature a total of 5.2 million pixels for high-resolution images and it would take 1,220 60-inch televisions to cover both displays.

Both outfield displays are capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics, and sponsorship messages.

“This system will feature a main video display that is beyond HD resolution using the latest SMD technology that is increasingly becoming standard in these large displays,” said Daktronics President and CEO Reece Kurtenbach. “Another eight displays in the bowl and an IPTV network of displays throughout the stadium creates a comprehensive solution of displays around the stadium to deliver an immersive experience for the fans. These technologies, powered by an innovative broadcast-quality control system and service expertise, will take the new home of the Texas Rangers to another level of game-day experience.”

Spanning the length of the seating fascia from foul pole to foul pole, a ribbon display will measure 2.5 feet high by 925 feet long. On the suite level fascia, a ribbon display will measure 3.5 feet high by 211 feet long. These displays also feature 15-millimeter line spacing and SMD technology to provide supplemental information to the main displays while providing the opportunity to highlight sponsors throughout events.

Two displays using 6-millimeter line spacing will be installed on the field-level suite fascia behind home plate and the display in centerfield will feature a 15HD pixel layout and measure 80 feet high by 20 feet wide to provide additional information for fans and sponsors. The Texas Sky Porch will feature a 3.9-millimeter video wall display to connect with fans in the club area. The interview room will feature a 2.5-millimeter narrow pixel pitch display to highlight sponsors as a press conference backdrop.

Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates has partnered with KultureCity to certify PNC Park as a sensory-inclusive environment.

The certification process requires the stadium game-day staff to be trained on how to recognise fans with sensory needs and educate them on how to handle a sensory overload situation.

The Pirates and KultureCity will ensure sensory bags, equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and weighted lap pads, are available to all guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment at PNC Park.

Fans also have access to a quiet area, located in the Legacy Square area, for those who may need a quieter and more secure environment.

“We are proud to work with KultureCity to provide the most inclusive environment for all of our fans throughout the season,” said Pirates President Frank Coonelly. “We recognize that during each game sensory sensitivities may hinder some of our biggest fans from enjoying the game they love. With this in mind, we are working diligently to ensure there are tools at their disposal as well as areas within the ballpark they can take advantage of to make their experience a great one.”

Individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD, and other similar conditions often experience sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation.

“To know that you soon will be able to see families attend a baseball game, a true community binding experience, with their loved ones who have a sensory challenge and who were not able to previously attend, is truly a heartwarming moment,” added Julian Maha, KultureCity co-founder. “Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Pirates are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing.”

Leslie Lotten, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s Assistant Director of Event Services, received the Tourism Matters Award from New Orleans and Company at a National Travel and Tourism Week Rally.

The award is granted to select tourism industry professionals that have distinguished themselves through hard work, dedication, and years of service. Lotten’s 32 years of dedication to the Convention Center have been benchmarked with thousands of events that have visited the city, as well as an exponential growth in the New Orleans tourism industry.

“She was chosen because of her 32-year career at the convention center, her rise throughout her career, and her above and beyond commitment to her clients,” said Stephen Perry, President and CEO of New Orleans And Company. “People like her are the reason people come to New Orleans.” A native New Orleanian, Lotten is one of three industry professionals who received the award from New Orleans and Company.

“Leslie is a hard-working tourism industry professional whose talents help us achieve our goal of being one of the best convention centers in the country,” said New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center President Michael Sawaya. “Her leadership and experience have been invaluable assets to our team, and we are proud to see her honored with this award.”

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE) celebrated a successful Women’s Leadership Forum on April 29-30 at the Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg, VA, that included the selection of Julie Pazina, CEM, National Director of Sales at Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, as recipient of the association’s Woman of Achievement Award.

Raised in Atlanta, Pazina moved to Las Vegas in 2002 while working for the cruise industry. She found her home in Las Vegas and never looked back, joining Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, a family-owned and operated company based in Las Vegas that has grown into the nation’s largest independent temporary utility contractor for trade shows, conventions and special events. In her position, Pazina oversees sales in the Las Vegas market as well as supporting regional and national sales efforts.

Pazina is an active IAVM member and also an IAEE member since 2006, where she has served on various committees and task forces on the national level. Her nomination included support from long-time IAEE members and industry veterans who commended her for her industry involvement, including a very active history with her local chapter. She is well-known among young professionals as a welcoming force who is generous with her knowledge and experience, which also earned her the IAEE Young Professional Award in 2011.

“I am passionate about the events industry, and IAEE has given me the opportunity to learn, grow and build lifelong friendships,” said Pazina. “Being named the recipient of the Woman of Achievement Award is an honor, and I couldn’t be prouder to be among so many smart, accomplished, engaged women in this industry.”

Pazina served on the Board of the Las Vegas Hospitality Association for six years, including her tenure as president in 2013. She is also a member of the Junior League of Las Vegas and an active community volunteer. A graduate of Vanderbilt University with a double major in Political Science and Communication Studies, Pazina recently engaged in a campaign for a Nevada State Senate seat in order to represent her community in upcoming legislative sessions.

“Julie has a passion for the industry and fully devotes herself to her volunteer commitments,” said IAEE Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE. “Her run for a seat in the Nevada State Legislature was very inspirational, and she is a great role model to other women both in and beyond our industry.”

By Glen White

A year after launching its Last Straw campaign, Delaware North announced its plastic straw usage has been reduced by more than 8 million straws across its 200-plus operating locations in the United States. The campaign was launched on Earth Day (April 22) 2018 and was implemented as a commitment to reduce plastic waste by offering single-use drinking straws on a request-only basis.
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“This past year was a tremendous step in our ongoing mission of cutting back on single-use plastics and waste in general,” said Deb Friedel, Delaware North’s director of sustainability. “With our operations encompassing such a large footprint, it’s important that we continue to take these steps to minimize our impact on the environment and this was a relatively simple step that has had great results.”

The Last Straw campaign was adopted at most of Delaware North’s operating locations as a way to cut down on the estimated 38.1 million plastic drinking straws the company uses each year. The program is one of the latest initiatives of Delaware North’s proprietary environmental stewardship program, GreenPath®.

Through GreenPath, Delaware North ensures careful management of its environmental impact by setting strict guidelines for energy and water consumption, waste management and other standards at its operating locations around world, which includes sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Since its inception in the early 1990s, GreenPath has won dozens of awards from the likes of NASA, the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Travel Association.

Glen White is Senior Manager – Corporate Communications for Delaware North.