The Coppell (TX) Arts Center announced its Spring 2020 grand opening date with video inspired by the HBO hit-series “Game of Thrones.”

The music video, which consisted of orchestra musicians and a choir, was shot entirely on the Center’s construction site located in Old Town Coppell. The entire cast was comprised of Coppell artists including members from the Coppell Community Orchestra, the Coppell Community Chorale, and the Coppell High School Band.

Important note: The IAVM staff five minutes down the road did not diminish the production as part of the cast!

The featured dancer was Old Town resident and business owner, Elizabeth de Moraes.

“We wanted an exciting way to capture your attention and announce the opening date for the Coppell Arts Center,” said Alex Hargis, managing director of the Coppell Arts Center. “I’m a big fan of ‘Game of Thrones,’ and we wanted to create a video that had the same epic spirit as the show.”

To produce the video, a significant amount of coordination and collaboration was required from local arts group and organizations.

“Alex came to us and said he had this crazy idea to shoot a music video on the construction site with the Chorale singing next to bulldozers and augers,” said Bethany Henze, president of the Coppell Community Chorale. “We said yes immediately. I mean, how many opportunities do you get to sing on top of a shipping container?”

The grand opening announcement video can be seen here,
or online at coppellartscenter.org.

Jeff Kossow, the executive director of the Sanford Center in Bemidji, MN, has resigned to take another job in Washington state.

According to a press release from VenuWorks, the Ames, Iowa-based management company running the facility, Kossow is leaving for an executive leadership position at a law firm and will be relocating to Kennewick, Wash. Kossow’s last day leading the Sanford Center is June 30.

“I am very thankful for Jeff’s leadership at VenuWorks. He will be greatly missed,” VenuWorks President Steve Peters, CVE, said. “However, I understand and support his decision to make this transition.”

The city of Bemidji, which owns the Sanford Center, contracts with VenuWorks to manage the facility. In the press release, Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht said Kossow made “significant contributions to the Sanford Center.”

“He has been a tremendous asset and we are grateful for everything he has accomplished,” Albrecht said. “I wish him and his family the very best.”

Kossow took on the role of executive director in September 2016, succeeding Mike Cronin, who held the role from April-August 2016. Cronin had replaced Curtis Webb, who helmed the event center from late 2012 through April 2016, before leaving to take a similar position at another VenuWorks facility in Bloomington, Ill.

The winners of TheTicketingBusiness Awards 2019 were announced on the evening of April 9 during a private ceremony at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester.

Now in their fourth year, TheTicketingBusiness Awards (previously Ticketing Technology Awards) are the only awards to recognize a whole spectrum of achievements from across the global entertainment ticketing industry.

The awards ceremony took place during TheTicketingBusiness Forum, in front of an audience of senior industry figures.

“Congratulations to everyone who reached the podium,” said Ian Nuttall, founder of TheTicketingBusiness. “Winners included our industry’s leaders, achievers, and stand-out innovators, who should all be very proud of their achievements.”

Kim Bedier, CVE, director of Tacoma (WA) Venues & Events, happily shared the news that Michael Moravick, box officer manager, Ticketmaster for Tacoma Venues & Events, was the category winner for the Unsung Hero Award.

Single-use disposable plastic drinking cups will be eliminated from Sydney Showground venue run outlets and bars from this month.
Sydney Showground has entered into a multi-year agreement with WISE – It’s In Your Hands, for the supply of re-usable cups to events conducted at the venue.

WISE – It’s In Your Hands is a wholly-owned Australian company that supplies re-usable cups to stadium, events, and festivals.
RAS CEO Brock Gilmour said the WISE re-usable cup is a sensible and practical answer to eliminate single-use cups going to landfill.

“Additionally, re-usable cups will significantly reduce daily post-event cleaning costs and assist with improved waste management,” Gilmour said.

WISE CEO and co-founder Craig Lovett said the company’s market research and trials over the past two years have proven the Australian venue and event industry and their customers are looking for an alternative to disposable single-use plastics.

“Over five million disposable plastic cups are going to landfill in Australia each month. They are contaminating our land and are ending up in waterways, rivers, and beaches,” Lovett said. “The WISE solution empowers patrons and venue management to actively participate in the War-On-Waste and make a significant environmental change. This is why we say the solution is ‘In Your Hands.’”

Lovett said market research conducted in Sydney and Melbourne last year revealed respondents were overwhelmingly supportive of replacing single-use plastic cups at stadiums and events.

“Almost 96 per cent of respondents wanted to see single-use cups being eliminated, and they were strongly in favour of donating their $1 returnable deposit to charity,” he said.

WISE cups were used at the HSBC Sydney 7s tournament at Sydney Showground last month.

“We received tremendous feedback from rugby fans and from the Australian Rugby Union and we anticipate Showground attendees will fully embrace our re-usable cups,” Lovett said.

Earlier this month Hobart City Council voted in favour of a by-law designed to restrict the use of single-use plastic takeaway packaging. The by-law encompasses the packaging in which takeaway food is supplied to consumers at the point of sale, including plastic cutlery, sauce sachets, plastic takeaway hot food containers and lids, plastic straws, plastic lined noodle boxes, plastic lined coffee cups, plastic lids on takeaway cups, and plastic sandwich wedges.

The announcement followed Qantas Group’s plans to become world’s first airline to reuse, recycle, and compost three-quarters of its general waste by the end of 2021, and the ACT government’s proposal to ban single-use plastics.

Cleveland’s premier sports and entertainment venue has been renamed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as the venue continues its massive renovation and transformation. Quicken Loans is known for the way it reimagined the future of lending by introducing Rocket Mortgage, the first completely digital mortgage experience available to consumers. The company is the nation’s largest home mortgage lender and continues to operate a tech-driven office in the heart of downtown Cleveland.

The newly named Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is one of the busiest arenas in the world and home to the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, additional signature sporting events, concerts, and family entertainment shows. The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse hosts over 200 events, attracting over two million visitors annually. In addition, the downtown Cleveland sports and entertainment facility has been named the host venue of the 2022 NBA All-Star game weekend, when the NBA will be celebrating its 75th anniversary, and will host the Women’s Final Four in 2024.

The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse announcement was made by Cavaliers Chairman and Quicken Loans Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans CEO Jay Farner, Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO Len Komoroski and Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman. They were joined by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish.

The new name was revealed in a high-energy video presentation in front of hundreds of guests and media prior to Fan Appreciation Night at the Cavaliers final home game for the 2018-19 season.

“Since 1994, Cleveland has shared countless unforgettable moments at this arena. From hosting world-class music acts to multiple NBA Finals games, the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse has been the epicenter of entertainment in Cleveland for decades,” Gilbert said. “Today marks the beginning of the next chapter in the evolution of this incredible facility, as not just one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment venues, but a hub of technology that is leading the charge in innovation, efficiency and fan experience.”

The arena will be completing a $185 million renovation that will increase the total square footage of the venue from 95,380 sq. ft. to 152, 970 sq. ft. A new glass façade featuring 1,475 glass pieces and atrium will add 42,530 sq. ft. of new public space to create a dramatic exterior presence. Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse will have eight new public destination hospitality spaces and feature the latest in cutting-edge technology that will re-define the fan experience.

“There are many synergies between the transformation of this beautiful venue and the nation’s largest residential home lender,” Farner said. “Cleveland has been a great home to us for many years, not only because of the arena naming, but also because our highly successful 600-team member downtown office. We are thrilled to see our Rocket Mortgage brand take center stage while we join the Cavaliers in this exciting new era of Cleveland sports and entertainment history.”

“Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will bring a new identity to a building that has been completely transformed and will remain Cleveland’s sports and entertainment epicenter for decades to come,” said Komoroski.

The 25-year-old publicly-owned facility is a joint-venture between the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, the Gateway Economic Development Corporation and the Cavaliers.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse signage will be prominently featured on the new glass facade that spans the entire north side of the building, reflecting the downtown Cleveland skyline. The new Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse branding will be installed over the coming months and includes exterior and interior signage, LED roof signage, the Cavs and Monsters playing surfaces, and other assets throughout the arena.