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What does an arena manager dream about at night? It might involve a talking pink bunny with floppy ears, living under the desk in their office. Perhaps it’s more of a nightmare, where every door of their venue falls off the hinges when they go to open them. A really great dream might involve seeing a photo of their venue on a Venues Today cover showing their arena as presenting the “Top 50 Acts of All Time” – now that sounds like a dream that would make a venue manager happy.

While you might not be able to count on the top 50 acts clamoring to play your venue in a single season, you can get some great insight into the hottest acts and tours just by attending this year’s Arena Management Conference, September 8-10, in Toronto, Canada. If you’re looking for a group of people “in the know” about the top tours and hot new artists to make your venue stand out from the competition – AMC is the place to be. And, one of the “don’t miss” sessions to attend will be Tuesday’s “Promoter & Agent Panel: Hot Acts, Cool Cash.” Continue Reading →

Fan Dies After Fall At Turner Field
–ESPN

The mother of a Georgia man who died after falling from an upper-deck platform at Turner Field in Atlanta says her son was a lifelong Braves fan who followed the team through losing seasons as well as winning ones.

Ronald Lee Homer Jr., fell about 65 feet at Monday night’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, which had been delayed for nearly two hours by heavy rain, authorities said.

See also: Despite Safety Measures, Stadium Falls Occur

Dallas Cowboys to Partner with Texas School District on New Indoor Dome
–Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Cowboys are known for their international brand and high profile partnerships. The stadium rights deal that will re-name Cowboys Stadium as AT&T Stadium is just the latest example, falling after the likes of the Yankees (with Legends Hospitality).

Yet, the Cowboys’ newest partner brings a significantly lower profile. In the years ahead, the Cowboys will be co-tenants of a to-be constructed indoor football facility being constructed to specifications set by the Frisco Independent School District.

Live Nation’s New Groove: Electronic Dance Music and Scalped Tickets
–Bloomberg Business Week

In November, the electronic dance music (EDM) concert promoter Hard Events will host a two-day Dia De Los Muertos-themed festival called Hard Day of the Dead in Los Angeles. The extravaganza will feature over 25 DJs and dance acts, including EDM heavyweights Skrillex, Calvin Harris, and Deadmau5. If you want tickets, you can buy them through Live Nation Entertainment (LYV). Continue Reading →

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IAVM’s Arena Management Conference is a must-attend event for many arena managers. Along with networking in an amazing location – Toronto, Canada, attendees will have access to great educational sessions. One session many are looking forward to will cover the latest trends and technologies in the ticketing industry. We spoke with the session’s co-moderators Scott Mullen, CFE and Executive Director, at the iWireless Center, and Jim Wynkoop, CFE and General Manager at Chaifetz Arena about their session titled, Ticketing Trends and Innovations 2013 #ugottaseethis, scheduled for the morning on Monday, Sept. 9.

The 6 session panelists bringing a broad range ticketing industry experience include:

• Lynne King Smith, Chief Executive Officer, TicketForce
• Jane Kleinberger, Founder, Paciolan
• Blaine LeGere, Senior Vice President, AXS Digital
• Doug Lyons, Vice President-Marketing and Communications, Tickets.com
• Don Orris, Vice President and General Manager-Western US, etix
• Patti-Anne Tarlton, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ticketmaster Canada

Jim Wynkoop opened the conversation by reminding me of the rapidly changing ticketing landscape. “Where once the industry was dominated by large ticketing company, in recent years, smaller ticketing companies and brokers have raised the bar offering a better customer experience. Some of the major players are now investing large amounts of time and money to improve their experience to keep up with the industry. We are excited to hear what these changes will be,” said Wynkoop.

Continue Reading →

IAVM’s 32^nd annual International Convention Center Conference will be held at the Omni Charlotte Hotel, October 3-5. This gathering of the convention industry’s best and brightest will deliver industry updates and trends, professional development through educational sessions and great networking opportunities throughout the conference.

We spoke with Johnna Boxley, CFE, and General Manager for the Spokane Convention Center about ICCC, the industry and the sessions she will be presenting during the conference.

Johnna Boxley, CFE
GM Spokane Convention Center

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference?
The educational content at ICCC is always current and relevant, but what I look forward to most is catching up with industry peers and friends. Through ICCC I have developed a network of experienced, knowledgeable managers that I can call on for information, to get advice or just to share interesting stories about events in our buildings. Having such a great support system makes my job easier.

For your session, “Staying ahead of the Curves,” who will your panel include and what expertise does each of them bring to the table?
The panel for the ‘Staying ahead of the Curves’ session is a collection of industry leaders that includes Cathy Breden, COO of the International Association of Exhibits & Events; Deborah Sexton, President and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Assn.; Katie Callahan Giobbi, VP of Sales for Minding Your Business and our own Vicki Hawarden,  President and CEO for IAVM. Together these women represent all the facets of the event industry – the planners, suppliers and venues.

Without giving away the entire session, what topics in general will the session touch on?
Bringing these organizations together is a first for ICCC. The end goal of each organization is the same – to produce flawless, successful events. That being said each Association has its own view points and perspectives. I predict a lively discussion on current trends as well as the future of the industry and challenges we all face on the horizon. Discussion leads to understanding which leads to better operations and service for the end guests. You won’t want to miss this session!

Continue Reading →

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There are particular moments during every conference that stand out above all the educational sessions, networking events and engaging discussions with colleagues beyond the convention center’s air-walls. Most of us have high expectations for things like an opening keynote, a must-attend session on a particularly relevant topic, or an industry debate certain to spark an animated discussion. But it’s those unexpected moments – little gems that are unearthed when we least expect them – that can leave the biggest impact. These moments can make us realize why we invest time and money to attend conferences, and can leave a lasting impression on our personal and professional psyche.

During VenueConnect 2013 in New Orleans, that gem of a moment was discovered by many who attended the Closing Keynote, “The Power of One: Take Back your Life, Ignite your Possibility and Change Your World.” The title itself carried a lofty promise for those who woke early for the Monday morning session in a city known for its nightlife. And the speaker, John O’Leary, was not someone many of us had heard of before.

With the room filled to capacity, John thanked those hearty souls who came to hear him at such an early hour. And then, with particular poise, O’Leary began his story. Taking us back to his youth as a nine-year-old growing up in St. Louis – and to the day he was severely burned in his family home. O’Leary brought attendees into the mind of a child, fearful not of dying, but of disappointing his parents over the mess he’d left at their burned-out house.

He deftly painted a picture of the many individuals who saved his life – his older brother who battled the fire to rescue him, the doctors who gave him a 1% chance of survival, the custodians, nurses, therapists, his parents and even a local legend, baseball announcer, Jack Buck, that stopped by the hospital, first to encourage John simply to survive and then with one simple question, “What more can I do?” returned day after day to help O’Leary overcome the many challenges he would face along the way.

Soon O’Leary had the audience both laughing and crying, as he shared his story of tragedy and inspiration, love and motivation, all woven throughout with humor, humanity and hope. His story was relevant to venue managers – encouraging us to see the impact we make on the lives of those we guide – each staff member with a role, large or small, but all equally important to the success of our organization. O’Leary reminded us that through the investment of love and how we value our personal and professional relationships, we can impact each of those lives we touch. He ended with one simple question for each of us to ask ourselves, “What more can I do?”

I left New Orleans awoken. Cognizant of my own role, and asking myself, “What more can I do beyond my usual duties as a wife and as IAVM Marketing Communications Manager, to make a difference for my family, for our IAVM members and for my community?”

My hope is to ask myself that question daily. I am taking John’s “21 Day Challenge” and I am looking to find ways to inspire and support each individual who enters my life. I know it is a small step towards what our IAVM President and CEO, Vicki Hawarden, has envisioned for our organization – an IAVM with a mission to provide excellent, meaningful and inspirational support for each of our members and even to our own staff. With a goal of working together and asking ourselves, “What more can we do?” as John O’Leary can attest, the answer holds the possibility to change our lives and change the world.