The International Exposition (I-X) Center in Cleveland, Ohio, designed and installed a flexible, live performance space that includes sound walls, telescopic seating, and custom seating. It can go from a 3,500-seat theater to a 7,000-capacity arena, for example.

“Previously, our barriers attracting major concert promoters and national touring acts included a lack of elevated seating and the sound quality in this industrial complex,” said Jeremy Levine, I-X Center vice president of business development and creative force behind this project, in a statement. “We now offer a state-of the art performance space with remarkable flexibility and world-class sound. The acoustical environment has already blown away expectations and will only get better as we tweak the room.”

The new performance space is a 300-feet by 400-feet enclosed area with acoustic drapery and mass loaded sound panels. A vertical drape “canopy” flows above the audience at different heights for sound management. Also, an expanded flat-floor festival plan in the I-X Center can accommodate more than 23,000 guests in a single room.

“I-X Center’s new transitional arena/theater is a wonderful addition to the facility that already hosts large trade and consumer shows, as well as our growing portfolio of self-produced events,” Levine said. “We’re extremely excited with the capability to add live concerts, family shows, theatrical productions, and corporate events to our calendar, while I-X Center continues to serve as an economic and entertainment engine for Northeast Ohio.”

The center is working with VC Strategic Partners, a division of Venue Coalition, to develop content and introduce the venue to the live performance industry.

“We’re excited to be working with the I-X Center in Cleveland to introduce the market to this new performance space,” said Jeff Apregan, president of Venue Coalition, in a statement. “This new venue will offer multiple venue configurations and can host intimate reserved seat shows for 3,000 to 5,500 with general admission capacities that are much greater. Imagine an indoor music festival for 23,000! Best of all, when you step off your plane at the airport next door, you are only five minutes away from the backstage area.”

(Image: Joe Kleon)

The Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship program is now accepting applications for all 2016 events. Scholarships + Internships will be awarded for the Academy for Venue Safety & Security, the Performing Arts Managers Conference, Venue Management School, VenueConnect, the Arena Management Conference, and the International Convention Center Conference.

“Applying for the VMS internship is the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Miah Moore, a student at Missouri State University student and a 2015 Venue Management School intern. “I want to encourage any students reading this to apply. Take the time and apply for all of the opportunities, because I promise you that you WILL take something away from your experience. You won’t regret it.”

The Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship Program was established after the untimely passing of Joseph A. Floreano, CFE, a long-time IAVM member, Foundation Trustee, and the first and only Honorary Chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees. Floreano was known for giving selflessly in both time and money to worthy industry causes. His leadership was aspirational, and he took great pride in mentoring and supporting the advancement of the venue management industry. The contributions Floreano made to the Foundation are immeasurable and with that we believed that the naming of the scholarship + internship program would be the most appropriate way to honor his legacy that will forever leave a mark on the Foundation.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity given to me by the IAVM Foundation,” said Kenneth Gaudinez, an event manager at the Orange County Convention Center and a 2015 Venue Management School (VMS) Scholarship Recipient. “I never thought I would attend VMS until the Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship program was created. The IAVM Foundation is providing opportunities to those who may not have the resources to attend IAVM’s conferences, schools, or professional development courses. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of these opportunities and apply for the various scholarships they have to offer.”

Thirty-seven Scholarships + Internships were awarded in 2015 thanks to the support of committed donors. Recipients receive full complimentary registration to the respective conference or school in addition to a stipend to assist with travel expenses or hotel accommodations. For more information about the Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship program, click here. If you have any questions about the program, please contact IAVM Foundation staff at Foundation@iavm.org.

“Having the privilege to be part of VenueConnect as an intern was extremely rewarding, and I can’t thank IAVM enough for the opportunity,” said Ashley Molina, a University of Florida student and 2015 VenueConnect intern. “Not only is EVERYONE approachable, but they are also willing to share insight on the industry… I made valuable connections at VC15, especially with the interns. We clicked so well we felt like family by the end. I can’t wait to attend the next conference and be reunited with these wonderful people.”

The Orlando Magic announced today that the organization will implement the VenueNext technology platform into the Amway Center, starting with the 2015-2016 seasons. Guests will experience a new version of the Magic’s mobile app with services that include mobile tickets, wayfinding, and the ability to order food and drinks from their seats.

“In continuing the Orlando Magic’s commitment to our fans and their experiences at Amway Center, we are thrilled to partner with VenueNext,” said Magic CEO Alex Martins in a statement. “VenueNext’s revolutionary innovation will give our fans the ability to be mobile-enabled for Magic games in the Amway Center. In essence, we are turning our patrons’ mobile devices into remote controls for the live experience. We are proud to be the first team in the NBA to launch this application in the fall, as we continue to make our patrons’ experience legendary.”

The Magic became the first NBA team to offer Apple Pay in December 2014. The organization also installed iBeacons throughout the venue, and was the first NBA team to sign a deal with FanDuel.com.

“The Orlando Magic is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking and fan-focused in the NBA,” said VenueNext CEO and Founder John Paul in a statement. “We’re excited to collaborate with this team, not only to improve the fan experience, but also to bring new insights to the Magic about the fans attending the technology-enhanced Amway Center.”

(Image: VenueNext)

These are selected news articles that showed up in our inboxes on Monday morning that we want to pass along to you.

Minnesota Vikings to Install Lactation Suites in TCF, U.S. Bank Stadiums (Minneapolis Sun Times)
“The Vikings say they are the first NFL franchise to offer lactation suites in a stadium to fans.”

Donald L. Tucker Civic Center Sound Set for Upgrade (Tallahassee Democrat)
“With 62 new arena sound system speakers being installed along with a state of the art sound board, the improvements come as a birthday present for the Civic Center building, which celebrated its 34th year in operation on Sept. 14.”

John Carmack Wants to Make Virtual Reality eSports Stadiums (PC Gamer)
“Carmack described a virtual crowd in the thousands that attendees can move through to find groups they want to hang out and cheer with.”

New Caterer to Take Over at Kentucky Exposition Center This Week (Louisville Business First)
“Chicago-based Levy Restaurants has been named the exclusive food and beverage caterer of KEC by the Kentucky State Fair Board after a request for proposals was pursued by the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet.”

Venue Q&A: Jacksonville Jaguars’ Larry Rosen (Sports Video Group)
“In his current role since 2014, he leads the Jags Cinema video-production team, which is responsible for creating a dynamic in-game production for EverBank Field’s new 8K video displays.”

With so much great industry news out there, we’re sure we may have missed some articles. If so, please email and share them with us. Thank you.

(Image: Minnesota Vikings)

Every year, committees get new charges and new personnel to help accomplish those goals. This year, however, there is one more committee than there was before. The Young Professional Taskforce is no more! We’ve grown up (not too much), and made the transition to a full-fledged, card-carrying, secret-handshake-having committee. That’s right, folks. You’re stuck with us for good!

As I begin my second cycle as chair of the Young Professionals (YP), I want to take a little more time to curate and share with you the voices of the YP and student membership. The dedication, determination, and vision of all those I met in my building back in August at VenueConnect was so inspiring that I thought it would be a disservice not to share with all of you. I thought there would be no better way to start than by introducing to you the new members of the committee this year and let them tell you why they want to help the YP cause and what IAVM has means to them:

Julie Gomez, 22, N.J. YMCA sports coordinator – “Being a part of the Young Professionals Committee allows me the incredible opportunity to be surrounded by and learn from the future leaders of our industry as we follow the incredible footsteps of those who have accomplished so much before us. IAVM has so many resources for any stage of your career, and I am excited to take advantage of everything this organization has to offer as I continue to grow as a professional in the sports and entertainment industry.

“The 2015 VenueConnect Conference in Baltimore gave me my first real taste of what IAVM has to offer. Whether it be increasing your knowledge on numerous topics to expanding your network or giving you a boost on your job hunt, I was held speechless by all these resources and the opportunities to meet the leaders of our industry who are so eager to send the elevator back down to us. As a member of IAVM, I want to be molded into one of our industry’s top influencers and be an individual that young professionals will want to come to and ask for advice on how they can cultivate their paths. It is not about getting your foot in the door, it is about kicking those doors off their hinges, and that is exactly what I intend to do.”

Kelly Ortiz, 31, assistant general manager of F&B, BOK Center – “Becoming involved in the YP committee was an easy choice for me. As a young professional myself, I did not realize all of the benefits that IAVM had to offer until just a few years ago. IAVM has given me a valuable networking group that has provided me with insight to improve my business methods and create revenue opportunities that otherwise may not exist. I would like to help other young professionals new to our business and show them just how impactful IAVM can be.”

Zach Sloman, 24, booking and sales coordinator, John Paul Jones Arena – “I graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2013 with a degree in event management. During that time, I had the pleasure of interning for Orlando Venues (Amway Center, Florida Citrus Bowl) where I really got my first taste of the industry working in the operations and marketing departments. After graduating, I accepted a full-time position with FELD Entertainment in the routing and tours department until moving to Charlottesville to become the booking and sales coordinator for SMG and John Paul Jones Arena. I chose to be a part of the IAVM Young Professionals Committee because I believe it to be a great first step in getting my feet wet within the IAVM community as well as hopefully making lasting relationships with current Young Professionals who will grow alongside me within the industry. I also believe the Young Professionals group is underutilized and hope to change that in the upcoming year. Helping IAVM is important to me, because the organization and its members have afforded me great opportunities early in my career, which have put me on a successful path. The mentor connector program has also been a favorite of mine, of which I hope to be on the opposite side of in future years.”

These three come from varying backgrounds, and I came across them in different ways. With Julie, I met her when she reached out to the YP committee prior to VenueConnect after our series of blog posts wanting to know how to get the most out of her membership. I haven’t seen a person work a room like her in my life, and I’m so fortunate to have that kind of enthusiasm on the team.

Kelly Ortiz and I share a special bond as we were the only two Millennials in this past May’s Senior Executive Symposium at Cornell. The conversations that we had with our colleagues about how to manage and incorporate the younger workforce into our industry are the kind of conversations that we hope to promote with the association-at-large at other conferences, chapter meetings, on college campuses, and on social media.

Zach… well…. I just lucked into him. Thanks to the call-for-volunteers each year, Zach made the decision to get involved in an association that he hopes to grow along with. There are many others like him throughout the other committees, and we thank you all for your commitment to serve. You won’t regret it!

The above mentioned three join a committed group of 11 others that have a passion for helping push the dialogue between the generations. If you run into any of the committee members, let us know your thoughts, how we can best serve, and in return, we’ll make sure we put all those “my mom makes my lunch at 25” and “I demand a $70k job out of college,” Millennial myths to bed for good.