Dean Dennis Excited About New Atlantic City Position
Dean Dennis is a 20-year veteran in the convention center world and has seen and done a lot, but his newest professional opportunity
is one that has him excited as he prepares to lead the 600,000-square-feet Atlantic City Convention Center.
“I consider it a real honor to be tapped by Spectra to make the move to Atlantic City,” said Dennis, who arrives from the Owensboro (KY) Convention Center that he opened in 2014. “My 20-plus years of experience in the hospitality and venue industry have provided the skill set I feel is essential to managing a venue the size and scope of Atlantic City. Having spent most all of those years with Spectra, I know well the valuable resources our company offers and the synergies I can build upon with our other similarly-sized managed venues.”
As the new general manager, Dennis will be responsible for supervision and oversight of the convention center as well as Boardwalk Hall. He will serve under the direction of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City, which oversees the center through Spectra’s contract.
“Atlantic City is a fantastic meeting destination and I look forward to creating partnerships and enhancing the existing efforts of the CRDA, Meet AC and our Spectra Team,” Dennis said. “I am also very excited about participating in the upcoming capital improvements planned for the center to ensure it remains competitive and a top destination in the meetings industry.”
Prior to Owensboro, Dennis served as vice president of the Pueblo Convention & Visitors’ Council and president of the Tourism Industry Association of Colorado. As he leaves Owensboro for Atlantic City, Dennis spoke fondly of his experience in Kentucky.
“It has been a privilege to be involved with such a wonderful and progressive community,” he said. “My wife, Michelle, and I moved to Owensboro in early 2012 to open the new venue and we have created wonderful friendships which will certainly be missed. Stepping aside from my business development role into an operations role for Spectra was a great move for me. I have enjoyed creating a great team of employees and organizational structure to deliver quality service and exceed expectations for our clients.”
AEG OGDEN Re-appointed as Managers of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
The Queensland Government has re-appointed AEG Ogden as managers of the award winning Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) for a five year period from 1 July 2017, together with a five year option.
AEG Ogden, the leading venue management company in the Asia Pacific with venues throughout Australia, Asia and the Middle East, has managed BCEC since its opening in 1995.
The re-appointment of AEG Ogden as venue managers, acknowledges the effectiveness of the management of the Centre which this year was voted The World’s Best Convention Centre by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), in July 2016 confirming Queensland’s reputation as a world-class destination for globally recognized conferences and events.
Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Jackie Trad said, “It’s wonderful news that BCEC will again be in these capable hands. Since it was built on part of the former World Expo site, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre has been a centerpiece venue for the people of Brisbane, Queensland – and in a very real sense, the world. BCEC continues to be a major contributor to boosting Queensland’s economy.”
During 21 years of successful and continuous operation, BCEC has hosted 18,000 events and 14 million guests delivering $3.87 billion in economic benefit to Queenslanders.
The Centre’s financial performance has been outstanding, funding operating and asset management costs from profits since opening, and continues with the Centre celebrating its biggest October ever this year. The October performance follows very strong monthly results delivering its best ever results for the first four months of a financial year during the Centre’s 21 year history.
In an increasingly competitive environment, BCEC is looking at strong future growth having secured 140 new conventions for Brisbane during the 2015/16 Financial Year with 1,400 future bookings right through to the year 2029 bringing more than 900,000 guests and an added economic benefit of $1billion.
AEG Ogden Chairman and CEO, Harvey Lister paid tribute to management and staff at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on securing a long-term extension to manage the venue.
GuestX’s Feature Speaker: Bryan Lansing
IAVM would like to welcome Bryan Lansing as the Guest Experience & Crowd Management Conference’s featured speaker:
Bryan is a dynamic speaker and generational junkie who uses humor and poignant personal stories to impact lives and bridge gaps in the workplace and marketplace. Bryan has been speaking for over 10 years in front of a wide variety of audiences including Target, 3M and General Mills. Regardless of who is in the room, he delivers with a fun, dynamic style that can capture the attention of any audience. As a representative of the Millennial generation, Bryan strives to combat Millennial fatigue and show that just because the newest generation works differently doesn’t mean they don’t work just as hard. He is a generational bridge builder who expertly paints the picture of who each generation is, why they behave the way they do, and what traits they bring to the workplace. With his energy, positivity, and professional poise, Bryan lights up the stage and delivers insightful strategies that create meaningful change long after he’s left the stage.
Four distinct generations are working together shoulder to shoulder, each with a unique set of attitudes, values and work styles. It used to be that older workers were bosses and younger ones took orders. Now, roles are all over the map and rules are being rewritten. Organizations are feeling the pain of generations as they struggle to manage productivity and morale while maintaining high standards of quality and service in a challenging economy. Bryan’s GuestX session will give you the tools to convert this form of diversity from an obstacle into an opportunity.
AEG announces AEG Advantage to the World
AEG Facilities’ reputation as one of the world’s most trusted and experienced venue management companies that consistently delivers successful events time and time again, will be the focus of an international awareness campaign targeting convention decision makers.
Launched globally today, details of the “AEG Advantage” were announced by AEG Facilities Senior Vice President of Convention Centers (Los Angeles), Brad Gessner and AEG Ogden Director of Convention Centres (Sydney), Geoff Donaghy.
AEG’s global network of world-class convention venues is strategically located around the globe, with each designed to capture the imagination and inspire every event.
AEG Facilities manages convention centers in Los Angeles, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Kuala Lumpur, Oman, and in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin, Australia.
A Warm Welcome to Our Newest Members
Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in November 2016. Thank you for being a part of the association!
Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit http://www.iavm.org/i-am-venue-management-share-your-story to share your story and photo.