Nashville Predators put plan in place to control secondary market through mobile ticketing.

The word disheartening doesn’t quite do justice to the feeling players and staff of the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL) felt when 9,000 fans of the opposing team descended upon Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn., for games in the 17,000-seat venue.

The Predators decided to do something about it.

“We were losing our home-ice advantage,” said Nat Harden, the team’s senior VP of ticket sales. “If we sell season-ticket packages to fans, we can maintain the home-ice advantage. We made a concerted effort not to resell to ticket brokers.”

Harden said that about four years ago the team saw the issues of ticket brokers buying up season tickets and reselling them to opposing fans. With Nashville a destination city, and the team’s venue located on Broadway, fans of teams other than Nashville were flocking to the arena and filling over half of it. “If you have a lot of tickets on the secondary market, it opens up the ability for opposing team fans,” Harden said. So, in 2015 the Predators formulated a plan and have moved from having one of the highest number of tickets available on the secondary market to next to last in the 31-team league. A more aggressive approach in 2017 has finished off a plan that now has Nashville with an average of 146 ticket listings per game, 64 percent below the NHL average.

The plan to remove ticket brokers from the Predators started with selling season tickets only to those the team knew. With 13,500—about 80 percent—of the building sold in a full-season equivalent, this first step made a difference, Harden said. Sales staff must gain manager approval before selling more than four season tickets to a single party and if someone from out of the area requests season tickets, the team researches who they are. “We want to make sure we are selling to people coming to the games,” Harden said.

Harden said it wasn’t easy for the team to come out to a building over half full of opposing team fans and it really devalued the brand to their own season-ticket holders. Having actual fans buying tickets eliminates brokers, allows the team to manage the price of tickets on the secondary market and helps the team control every single game.

The team also shifted from hard and paper tickets to season-ticket ID cards, helping reduce the deluge of tickets floating about without any way to track them. It also helped the team identify ticket brokers and remove them. But the final piece of the strategy came to play this season, as the team shifted to a fully mobile ticketing platform.

Going fully mobile allows the team to control how tickets get managed, such as not sending barcodes until 48 hours before the event and taking the resale button off the ticket for certain games (fans always have the option on those days to sell back the ticket or exchange it for a future game). “The fan base understands what we are trying to do and why we are doing it,” Harden said. “To build a home-ice advantage we had to build an atmosphere of 95-percent Predator fans.”

Moving fully mobile gives the team a more robust wealth of information about fans, as all fans must download the team app and input information in order to use tickets. Already this season the Predators database of fans has grown by over 20 percent. “They were probably going to our games in the past, but we didn’t know,” he said. The mobile strategy has also eliminated the need for long will-call lines and sped up entry into the venue.

“We have made huge strides,” Harden said. “Going in you hope that it works and you have a plan to be where we are at right now. I am really, really proud of where we are. We put together a plan to control the secondary market and to implement it to where we are now. We are very excited.”
 

A rendering of OVG's renovated KeyArena, Seattle, which cleared a giant hurdle and received city council approval of its MOU this week.

The Seattle City Council approved the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and Oak View Group (OVG) to renovate KeyArena, Dec.4, by a vote of 7-1, with one absent voter. The new mayor, Jenny Durkin, and OVG Co-Founder and CEO Tim Leiweke, signed the MOU on Dec. 6, pushing the promise of implementation of the $660-million project further toward the finish line. (Full disclosure: OVG also owns Venues Today.)

The revitalization of KeyArena is step one in Seattle attracting a National Basketball Association (NBA) team and a National Hockey League (NHL) team to the city. Seattle’s former NBA team, the Sonics, left for Oklahoma City in 2008.

With the MOU signed, the deal between OVG and the city moves to the next phases, lease agreements, entitlement issues and permitting. Signing of the MOU does not guarantee OVG the right to start construction yet; among other necessary steps are completion of an environmental impact statement, community benefits agreement, and an agreement to integrate with other organizations housed at Seattle Center.

Still, “the city council vote was quite significant,” said Joe Mirabella, director of communications, Seattle office of economic development. “This clears the way for the KeyArena/Oak View Group deal to proceed.”

Mirabella said that with this hurdle overcome, the most likely outcome is the completion of the arena. “There’s very little in the way now that would derail the venue being built,” he said. “The next steps are mostly filling in the blanks and a lot of paperwork and filings like settling a lease agreement, going through the entitlement process, and putting all the permits in place.”

Mirabella believes this will take anywhere from six to eight months to accomplish. “Barring a 9.5 earthquake or one of the other worst-case-scenario stipulations in the MOU, the path from here is not perilous and we fully expect OVG will break ground in October 2018 and the new KeyArena will open its doors in Fall 2020.”

“On behalf of OVG, we want to thank the Seattle City Council, City staff, and City consultants and representatives for the cumulative work that signifies a monumental moment with today’s 7-1 vote,” said Leiweke in a statement. “We feel extremely good about the partnership between the City of Seattle and OVG and respect and applaud the City in its ability to be thoughtful, collaborative, and deal-focused throughout this process while maintaining the best interest of its citizens.

“The process over the last year serves as an example of the transparent public/private collaboration that has led to a great outcome that other municipalities will emulate,” he said. “We have enjoyed getting to know our neighbors in Seattle Center, Uptown, South Lake Union, Belltown and Queen Anne. We look forward to continuing our work with the community over the next year as we complete our long form agreements and full entitlement.  We will continue to be good partners and good neighbors and look forward to a collaborative and beneficial ongoing relationship will all community stakeholders.”

Mirabella said the deal was “great for the city of Seattle. Since the money to rebuild the arena is private money, with provisions for the city to revenue-share, it’s a win/win. The city gets to keep its promise that we are not moving backward and the renovated arena will surely have a huge, positive economic impact on the entire city.”

Under the agreement, Oak View Group will lease the arena from the city for 39 years. Further extensions are in place if OVG can land a NHL or NBA team, both of which are likely given OVG’s deep ties to the sporting world. OVG bringing more capital to the project will also kick in extensions.

Part of the MOU will see OVG contribute $40 million over its 39-year lease to a transportation fund to alleviate traffic congestion in the area, a pledge to retain some of the current staff, and construction of a skatepark.

In other Seattle venue news, Seattle Opera has unveiled plans for a $60-million facility to replace Mercer Arena, which was demolished last February.

The new building, which will be named the Seattle Opera at the Center, is expected to be four stories tall and house 105,000 sq.-ft. of space for offices, storage, scene assembly and community spaces.

A rendering of the new four-story  Seattle Opera at the Center. building.

One of the goals of the project is to create "a signature building that unlocks opera for all," said Seattle Opera General Director Aiden Lang. “Education and engagement are at the heart of Seattle Opera's mission.”

The opera is using about $14 million in public grants for the project with the rest of the money coming from private donations.

NBBJ is the architect on the project, Lease Crutcher Lewis is the general contractor and Shiels Obletz Johnsen is the project manager. Construction began in January 2017 and Seattle Opera at the Center is expected to move into their new home in 2019.

Rendering of the new Google offices next to Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.

While cities around the nation await word on whether they’ve won the rose to become the next Amazon hub, Detroit is celebrating Google’s announcement this week that it is moving its Michigan offices from suburban Birmingham to Detroit. The company’s new 100-person, 30,000-square foot office is slated to open in the spring next to Little Caesars Arena at 52 East Henry St.

“Google has officially signed a lease for new office space on East Henry Street alongside the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. The city of Detroit has a rich history of culture and innovation, and we’re excited to be a part of its world class talent and world class companies,” Google’s Birmingham co-site leads Danielle Russell and Guy Schueller said in a statement to Venues Today. “Our new space will not only provide room for future growth, but will also give us the opportunity to contribute to the dynamic economic and community activity happening in Detroit.”

The move is part of an ongoing effort led by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert to revive the city’s downtown as part of the tech hub known as the Madison Block, which already includes businesses such as the Bizdom start-up incubator, Detroit Labs, Avalon Films and the architecture firm Neumann/Smith.

Renderings of the new site show the Mountain View, Calif.-based company’s signature colorful name splashed across the top of the building, with the lights of Little Caesars Arena shining in the background. The placement will give the leading search engine prime visibility for concertgoers as well as Red Wings and Pistons fans attending events at the gleaming new $829-million, 19,000-capacity building that effectively replaced both the Joe Louis Arena and the suburban Palace at Auburn Hills when it opened in early September.

“This exciting move by Google is another clear sign that, in The District Detroit, we’re building one of the best and most exciting places to live, work and play in the entire region,” said Christopher Ilitch, President/CEO of Ilitch Holdings Inc. in a statement. “Google joins other world-class organizations like the Detroit Pistons, the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, Olympia Entertainment, 313 Presents, the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University, Little Caesars Pizza and others who are bringing new development, jobs and innovation to this critical area in our community. We welcome Google as the first of many new tenants expected to join The District Detroit in office, retail and residential developments.”

The 100-plus employees from Birmingham who focus on automotive ads and technical support will make the move downtown after the suburban office closes in spring 2018. 

Dennis Petrullo has resigned his post as GM, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Ky.

Dennis Petrullo.

Petrullo has helped run the arena since 2012. He was hired by AEG in 2009. When the group signed to manage the arena three years later, Petrullo was put in place as GM.

Richard Krezwick, SVP, AEG Facilities, will assume the interim position of general manager until a successor is named. A new general manager will be hired within 30 days, according to a statement from AEG’s Michael Roth.

Petrullo’s departure comes on the heels of the news that Moody's upgraded the KFC Yum! Center's bond rating.  Arena officials say that the improved rating will yield tens of millions in savings toward repaying its debt.

Bob Johnson, OABA; David Margulies, Margulies Communications Group; Alicia Shoults, Ohio State Fair; and E.J. Dean, Fiesta Shows, moderator.

REPORTING FROM LAS VEGAS — The Fireball ride accident in July at the 2017 Ohio State Fair, which killed one and injured four, made international headlines this fair season. The mantra from those who lived the tragedy from the business end was “be ready” and know “this is your business,” take care of your key audience first.

While the police and fire departments and the governor’s office are dealing with the bigger issues and the media, the venue should be focusing on informing their business partners and peers as to what is happening.

It was a by-the-book crisis communication effort from the get-go, but simply beyond comprehension until you’ve lived through it, said Alicia Shoults, Ohio State Fair, who spoke at the International Association of Fairs & Expositions convention here Nov. 26-30.

“We had a safety meeting two weeks before this happened [on opening day of the fair] and, as a result of that meeting, our first aid, highway patrol and off-site emergency services were all on the same radio channel, so everyone was told at once,” Shoults recalled.

It is amazing how quickly things happen, Shoults said. “We knew we had to notify social media,” she said of first responses, because everyone on site had their cellphone out and was taking pictures. The chatter was deafening. “We needed some acknowledgement from an official source.”

She also advised others involved in tragic incidents like this to “stay in your lane, your area of expertise. Don’t step on others’ toes.” The investigation into the cause of the accident and details on the injured, that’s for the police department, not the fair.

At the initial press conference, the fair kept a check-in sheet so they could follow up with media on hand and tied all sound into a multibox so there was only one mike at the podium.

“It’s important to express grief, but not take ownership of that grief,” Shoults said. “It’s not our turn to grieve; it’s the family’s turn. It’s not about us.”

One of the things Shoults needed most was people. As the national media descended on Columbus, she was calling on friends and colleagues around the industry to help. “I never realized I’d need so many people just to wrangle the media.”

She found it best to keep crisis files on Dropbox, everything from talking points to clippings and background, for easy access for multiple needs. She also advised colleagues facing crisis management to be cognizant of all advertising and promotional materials that are out there. “The Fireball was in our TV ads, albeit for less than a second, and that had to change.”

To accommodate the press, they immediately established a media staging area in a parking lot that had a view of rides for TV shots, but “not the shot,” not the Fireball. They surrounded the Fireball with tractor-trailers so the view was obstructed.

She understood the need to “feed the beast,” the media has a job to do, so they established a website, OhioStateFair.com/media-fireball. It’s still up.

They took the press on a tour of the grounds en masse the day after the accident. “Everyone tried to run off and get other shots,” she said. On day 2, the press tour was a golf cart tour. The goal for the fair was fair and equal coverage for everyone.

“Be aware of anniversaries (one month, two months, one year) and events,” she added. The memorial for the deceased was on Day 5 of the fair and the funeral was on Day 6. The fair was lowkey. No decision has been made yet on what to do when the 2018 fair opens, whether the moment of silence will be on day one because it was opening day in 2017, or day two, the actual one-year anniversary.

David Margulies, The Margulies Communications Group, advised managers to enlist a third voice in issues like this. For the Ohio State Fair, that was the Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA). Bob Johnson, OABA president, said he couldn’t get off the phone for a week after the ride accident.

“It was incredible how fast it went viral worldwide,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s first reaction was to contact the carnival owner and Margulies, review the Industry Safety Statistics and Carnival Rides website and develop a spiel for the media calls. It’s important to know that American Society for Testing and Materials standards become regulation standards and inspections are based on ASTM standards.

This was a wake up call, as any accident would be, and the industry is still looking at all equipment and how it might relate to the issue here and many states had to get out in front of the issue, which impacted fairs all down the line post-Ohio.

Margulies added that employees need to know what to do when someone puts a cellphone in front of their face during a crisis. He recommended having a “what to do if…” list ready to distribute in case of an accident. “To the media, anyone who works for you is a spokesperson,” Margulies said.

He also advises his clients against taking center stage. “In a crisis like this, you don’t need to say anything. The police and fire departments are trained to deal with that. You make sure they have the information, but it’s not your turn to hold a news conference.”

It is your turn to reach out to your key audience, from vendors to insurance companies to other fairs and carnivals, he said. “There needs to be strong follow-up.” Other rides were shut down worldwide and the manufacturers were making modifications to similar rides.

The industry is now looking at new testing protocols to combat internal corrosion, which was determined to be the cause, Margulies said. The rides were inspected according to current safety protocols and passed. It’s important to use third-party experts to corroborate those claims.

It was determined early on that there was no operator error “and we focused on that, what the investigations said,” Margulies said. There will always be false rumors to combat, particularly given the social media aspect of news today.

First and foremost, “the focus in on keeping your business, not going after every reporter you don’t like,” Margulies said. “Your business is much more important to you than the media.”

The ride is still shut down, four months later.

The historic Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

The city of Los Angeles Recreation & Parks Department is sold on the open venue concept and, to that end, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to operate the Greek Theatre from Nov. 1 2018-Nov. 1, 2028 to venue management companies only.

Just three short years ago, SMG won the bid in a hotly contested and highly public and political process, to operate the iconic, 5,801-seat amphitheater located in Griffiths Park for one year with two one-year options, which end next November. The next contract will have some differences, including a 10-year term with a five-year option.

But it will continue to be an open venue concept and requires that the successful bidder is not allowed to promote concerts or events “consistent with an open venue model and therefore, any concert promoter, a subsidiary of a concert promoter or a joint venture with a concert promoter will be prohibited from submitting a response to this RFP.”

Prior to SMG's reign, Nederlander Concerts had the exclusive to operate and promote at The Greek for decades. Live Nation challenged that deal upon renewal before the city opted out of exclusive promoters and went with a management agreement.

A.P. Diaz, L.A. Recreation and Parks, said approximately 20 people attended the mandatory pre-proposal conference Nov. 30. Diaz did not have the complete list, but did recall representatives from SMG, AEG, Live Nation, Goldenvoice, Nederlander, Premier and Oak View Group were among them.

Bids are due Jan. 4, 2018. It is a very long and legal RFP, which Diaz said has been streamlined from what the city used to publish and which some of those planning to bid say will require a host of lawyers to help dot all the i’s.

The full RFP can be found by clicking here. 

Besides operating and booking the Greek for a fee, selling premium and seating programs for an incentive, maintaining an open box office (currently inhabited by Ticketmaster and AXS) and handling venue concessions (fee based), the new RFP also includes a fee to operate the nearby Roosevelt Café, which the is open 365 days a year to service golfers and park guests. Premier, a division of SMG, currently operates concessions at the Greek.

This round, the city is also including an open-ended request for the successful operator to make some capital improvements. SMG invested in some food and beverage enhancements last round, but capital expenditures were not part of the bid, Diaz said.

The successful bidder must be prepared to begin the transition Oct. 1, 2018, to prepare for the 2019 season, which runs mid-April-Oct. 31 and includes approximately 70 concerts.

The dedicated core management staff for The Greek must be comprised of a Venue Manager, Roosevelt Café Manager, Booking/Box Office Manager, Operations Manager and necessary restaurant and administrative support staff. It is expected that during off-season months (November-March), the venue may be rented for special events, i.e. corporate, community and other events, the RFP says..

“There will be no exclusive rights to a ticketing vendor.”

Minimum qualifications to bid include, but are not limited to, “a minimum qualifying experience of providing venue management services for a minimum of twenty-five (25) different concert/theatre venues with a minimum seating capacity of four-thousand (4,000) per venue and have been in business for a minimum of twenty (20) years. Proposer must also have a minimum qualifying experience of providing food and beverage services for a minimum of ten (10) different concert/theater venues with a minimum seating capacity of five-thousand (5,000) per venue and have been in business for a minimum of fifteen (15) years. A qualifying venue could be a theater, stadium or amphitheater. If this is a new company, partnership, or joint venture formed for the operation of this concession, describe the background and qualifications of each of the partners or principals.”

Becky Colwell, GM at the Greek for SMG, said the city has been a great partner and is pleased with the financial results to date. Diaz had said the same, saying the Greek management style is predicated on what Denver does at Red Rocks amphitheater.

She shared financials from 2016 (2017 is not due until next week). The Greek hosted 80 events, April-October, with a total attendance of 318,618.

Food and drink at just the Greek grossed $4,931,000, with a per cap of $15.57 (up from a projected $3,832,335 and $12), with a return to the city of  $2,071,000.

Premium seat sales totaled $830,000, of which the RAP received $623,000; and sponsorships, $958,000 ($737,000 to the city).

Other gross receipts included: Ticket Sales, $18,449,000; Facility Fee, $1,564,000; Parking, $2,057,000; and Rent & Service, $5,708,000.

According to the RFP, the minimum annual guarantee (MAG) for the food and beverage concession at the Greek for year one is $2 million. The MAG for subsequent years is the greater of the previous year’s MAG or 90 percent of the actual concession fee paid to Recreation & Parks (RAP) for the previous contract year.

The MAG percentage of gross receipts payable to RAP is forty percent (40%) for all food and beverage sold annually. The Minimum Acceptable MAG for the food and beverage concession at the Roosevelt Cafe for year one is $25,000 or six percent.

According to the RFP, bids will be weighed as follows: 20% — Operational And Management Plan; 25% — Sponsorship And Premium Seating Sales Plan; 15%— Capital Improvement Plan; 20% — Food And Beverage Concession Plan; and 20% —Total Evaluation.

According to Diaz, once bids are submitted it will take through March to evalute them and into April to decide. 

Thank you to all who voted.  We will be honoring this year's outstanding ticketing professionals during the INTIX convention in Baltimore, Md. January 23-25, 2018.

Congratulations to our 2018 Box Office Stars!

Andrew Bragman
Vice President – Ticket Operations
Washington Nationals Baseball Club

For supervising ticketing for the Nationals 81-game season and the National League postseason and overseeing concert ticketing at Nationals Park. In addition, into the fall of this year, Bragman is overseeing the ticketing for Washington hosting the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2018.  With his most recent promotion, he is also taking on additional duties in analytics for ticket marketing. Bragman has worked in professional baseball ticketing and SMG arenas for close to 15 years, the last 2 ½ with the Washington Nationals, during which time he has been promoted three times: from director to senior director to executive director to VP.

Crystal Clinton
Director, Ticketing System Administration
Opry Entertainment, Nashville

For ticketing events and merchandise sales associated with Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, the first to sweep across the entire United States in 99 years - and Nashville, Tenn., was in the largest U.S. city in the direct path of totality. Literally, millions of people came from around the world to experience the almost two minutes in time when the moon completely blocked out the sun. So what do Southerners do when guests come to town?  They open up their home and throw a party, of course, which is exactly what they did at the Grand Ole Opry. Over the four-day weekend, they held 5 Opry Shows, hosting over 18,000 guests. Over 5,600 of them took an Opry Backstage Tour, and thousands spent Monday picnicking on the plaza donning their Opry Eclipse T-shirts, dancing to the live music, playing corn hole and life-size connect 4, and just visiting with newly-made friends. Kids enjoyed face-painting, sno-cones and kettle corn. National news organizations were on hand. The Weather Channel and even NASA were there to record the celestial event. In addition, for managing operations of two separate business units in Ryman Hospitality Properties — Opry Entertainment Group as well as an impressive portfolio of destination hotels providing accommodations bundled with various types of live entertainment experiences. This, after operating as one organization for 20+ years.

Linda Forlini
Vice President
Ticket Philadelphia

For implementing a Customer Service training program and training over 500 staff/partner staff members throughout her organization including Ticket Philadelphia and The Kimmel Center. They called the program GRaCE (Guest Relations and Campus Experience) and it has changed the culture at the Kimmel Center. Their staff was friendly, but now they have a structure that Forlini built with checks and balances plus a formalized recognition program. The program took eight months to put together, roll out and enhance. They are clearly seeing the fruits of their labor daily with the enhanced engagement and experience for not only their external but also their internal customers.  During the process, multiple members of the Kimmel Center team asked Forlini to be their mentor. She was told that they had been watching her interact with her team and noticed the cultural changes that were being made and embraced, and they wanted to hone their skills with her help as well.

David Greenbaum
Director of Ticketing
NRG Park, Houston

For stepping up after Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston and NRG Park was turned into a relief shelter for almost 10,000 guests. Many events were canceled and/or rescheduled, the largest of which was the sold out Coldplay concert. Greenbaum made that scheduling process run as smooth as could be expected given the circumstances. As a 37-year veteran in the industry, Greenbaum has been involved in thousands of events over the years. In 2017 NRG Park will host over 150-ticketed events over 200 event days with an attendance of over 800,000. Highlights for the year include Super Bowl LI and the U2 and Metallica world tours.  In addition to overseeing these NRG Park events, Greenbaum also provides support for the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

********************************************************************************************************************

Contact your Account Executive to Reserve a Congratulatory ad!

Jim McNeil
Southeastern and Midwestern U.S.,
(207) 699-3343 jim@venuestoday.com

Rich DiGiacomo
Western and Northeastern U.S., International
(310) 429-3678  rich@venuestoday.com

Ad deadline is Wed. December 13, 2017.

John Mayer joined Dead & Company at Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas. (Photo Credit: Rick Kern)

After the unexpected success of their summer tour, Dead & Company hit the road this fall with a batch of new tour dates, and their stop at American Airlines Center, Dallas, Dec. 1, made our Hot Tickets chart this week. The venue came alive with the music of the Grateful Dead and the cheers of the 11,000 fans in attendance singing along and grossed nearly $1.2 million with ticket prices ranging from $45-$145. The band, which was created back in 2015, consists of Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. Fans of Mayer were given a unique opportunity to see a different side of the artist as the band covered decades of Grateful Dead hits. Dead & Company will be wrapping up the fall tour on Dec. 8, at BB&T Center, Sunrise, Fla.

Over 12,000 people took a heart-warming journey of self-discovery at David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, Fla., Nov. 28-Dec. 3, when they attended the Broadway musical hit Fun Home. The eight shows grossed a combined $725,000 with ticket prices ranging from $26-$78. This musical, which entwines tragedy with comedy, is a graphic memoir of cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s childhood and her loving, dysfunctional family. The Tony-award-winning musical is scheduled to make its London premiere at the Young Vic in June of next year.

HOT TICKETS is a weekly summary of the top acts and ticket sales as reported to VT PULSE. Following are the top 20 concerts and events, the top 5 in each seating capacity category, which took place between Nov. 14-Dec. 12.

Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, Calif., is building a dedicated eSports arena to debut in 2018.

The Sacramento Kings plan to build the first dedicated eSports facility within an existing arena, taking advantage of the technological advancements and spaciousness of a venue opened in 2016.

Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, Calif., already houses the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Kings and the team’s co-owners own an eSports team entered in the inaugural NBA 2K eSports league for 2018. To give its eSports team a home and open space for competition, the Kings will create a “venue within a venue,” building a training facility, broadcast center and gamer lounge inside the downtown arena.

“The venue-within-a-venue is located on the event level of the arena,” Kings CTO Ryan Montoya told Venues Today. “It is just a hallway away from the Sacramento Kings Training Facility and the main event floor of the arena.”

Montoya said they will build a “dynamic studio space that will host small competitions” in a theater-style design. For larger events, the Kings will utilize a direct link with the club and lounge spaces within the Golden 1 Center, as well as the arena bowl, to display competitions on the NBA’s largest video board and the only one in the league featuring 4K Ultra HD resolution. The arena’s 360-degree audio will supplement the full-arena experience.

“Using technology to engage with our fans and reach new audiences has always been core to our organization’s mission,” said Vivek Ranadivé, Kings owner and chairman. “Golden 1 Center is the most advanced arena for basketball, entertainment and esports. This state-of-the-art facility will set a new standard and provide the best-in-class tools that the next generation of superstar gamers need to train, compete and win.”

A full-service studio and green screen room, complete with 4K cameras, will enable the team to create unique content and share it with fans around the world. The production studio links to Golden 1 Center’s 4K Ultra HD Broadcast Center for streaming. A dedicated LAN setup, backed by Golden 1 Center’s 200 GBPS internet connection and the first Tier 4 Data Center in sports, will deliver lag-free gaming and connectivity. Fans can gain a live look inside the gaming room through a 360-degree camera for advanced livestreams.

Along with state-of-the-art gaming technology, the Kings plan to serve gamers, artists and the community. That includes intentionally designing the studio to serve different audiences, whether students or entertainers performing in the arena who can enjoy the high-tech space down to hundreds of gaming titles, including Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros on Nintendo 64 to the newest, most popular videogames and virtual reality experiences. Along with videogame consoles, the studio will feature a professional DJ rig for guests to record music.

“At the core of our business mission, we want to serve as an agent of change, and this is a unique opportunity for us to use our platform to help local groups improve education outcomes or spark a student with an interest in tech,” Montoya said about partnering with the Sacramento Kings Foundation to lend the room to the region’s nonprofits as an educational incentive, a unique engagement tool to connect with students with tech-driven curriculum.

Students won’t be the only ones getting a little extra on their visit to the building. “On the arena side,” he said, “it is an amenity that no other venue can offer performers or their management right now. It is another one of those special touches—similar to our locally sourced cuisine or unmatched tech infrastructure—that we hope will leave a lasting impression with artists who visit the Golden 1 Center.”

The Kings plan to expose the professional gamers to the same treatment the NBA players enjoy, whether it's the culinary program or training facility. The team boasts an on-demand oxygen bar plus a beverage bar with fresh kombucha and nitrogen coffee to energize the gamers.

The Kings also want to expose gamers to the same fans that cheer on the NBA team. “We have incredibly passionate and engaged fans, including many who are young and excited about gaming,” Montoya said. “Esports is a natural extension for us and allows us to further engage with our fans and grow new ones.”

Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn. and Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn. are teaming up on programming.

A pair of prominent Connecticut entertainment venues have announced a new exclusive partnership designed to build business for both facilities.

Mohegan Sun, a casino and resort in Uncasville with a 10,000-seat arena, and the Webster Bank Arena, a 10,000-seat arena a little more than an hour drive away in Bridgeport, signed the three-year, multiple-level agreement to strengthen their existing relationship and help attract more concerts and sporting events. Under the arrangement, Mohegan Sun will help book events at the Webster Bank Arena and will have a sponsorship presence at the arena.

“This partnership is a good example of how venues can work together, be good community neighbors and help the state of Connecticut become more of an attraction using two of its bigger venues to draw more people, create more fun and memories for life,” said Tom Cantone, senior vice president of sports and entertainment for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “Everyone wins.”

Peter Luukko, co-chairman of Oak View Group's Arena Alliance, which serves as a venue consultant to the Webster Bank Arena and the New York Islanders, said the new agreement was “a sign of a great relationship between two organizations in the state of Connecticut working together to help each other.”

Mohegan Sun Arena has attracted a number of big-name musical performers to its arena since its opening in 2001, and it has hosted a variety of sporting events and other performances. The arena, which is owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, serves as the home of the Connecticut Suns of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the New England Black Wolves of the National Lacrosse League. The arena has hosted the WNBA All-Star Game three times.

Webster Bank Arena, which also opened in 2001, serves as the home of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers ice hockey team (the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders), the Fairfield University men’s basketball team and the Sacred Heart University men’s ice hockey team. The arena is located on the Long Island Sound waterfront and hosts approximately 150 events each year. Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment manages the facility, which is owned by the city of Bridgeport.

“We both are established entertainment venues in New England and we will build on that with programming and sponsorship coverage that will extend Mohegan Sun’s well-known entertainment brand to help generate more tourism in the state,” Cantone said.

Cantone said the partnership is a natural fit for attracting concerts, in particular, to the venues, and that is where the emphasis of the collaboration will be trained.

“Our primary focus will be to do what we do best and that is the concert business as that is the driver for venues like ours,” Cantone said. “With our industry contacts, we will be able to help offer more dates for more artists to play, especially when the tours are being routed or there are some isolated opportunities we may want to pursue.”

Luukko said he also expects the partnership will be especially beneficial for building Webster Bank Arena’s concert schedule.

“I think it’s going to be great for all kinds of concerts,” Luukko said. “Rock, country, any show will be a part of this arrangement.”

Cantone said the facilities’ resemblance in general features and size helps with the planning and promoting of concerts, as does a shared understanding of the region.

“Our venues are very similar so we can model each show with a basic understanding of how it will fit from a production standpoint as well as the marketing of each show,” Cantone said. “Our expertise in both of those areas is a big synergistic advantage.”

Luukko said the Mohegan Sun’s sponsorship opportunities with the Webster Bank Arena will provide it with valuable exposure in the Bridgeport marketplace and help drive visitors to the casino. Mohegan Sun will have visible sponsorship within  Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport, which has a population of more than 140,000, is the the largest city in Connecticut.

In a press release, Kevin Brown “Red Eagle,” chairman of the Mohegan Tribe and MGE Management board, said the agreement reflected Mohegan Sun’s “commitment to Bridgeport, a city rich in history and culture,” and its desire to support its “growth and rebirth.” Jon Ledecky, owner of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the New York Islanders, called the agreement “the beginning of a long-time marriage.”

Luukko said the arrangement should be a boost to the Bridgeport area and to its residents and visitors.

“They’re going to get more shows and get more out of their arena,” Luukko said.

Cantone said the regional economic benefits of the arrangement will be apparent.

“Anytime you draw more people into your venue, you generate more revenue and the local economy benefits as do the thousands of people who work the venue with more opportunities to earn a better living,” Cantone said.

Ticketmaster and StubHub executives in Canada have been biting their nails for weeks about the Ontario Ticket Sales Act, waiting for it to go through the legislative process.

To their dismay, the law was approved Dec. 13, with 50 lawmakers saying yay and 43 nay. 

The act outlines specifications for how tickets are sold, distributed and monitored. It also helps crack down on scalpers and bots that buy massive amounts of tickets and increase the prices — all of which Ticketmaster and StubHub approve. It’s the price caps on tickets that concerns ticket executives.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and the Information Technology Association of Canada also were against the legislation.

The Ontario government got involved in monitoring ticket sales when the consumers were left paying outrageous prices for the Tragically Hip Tour last year, said StubHub’s Jeff Poirier, GM, music and theater, North America.

“The issue that came up was how expensive some of the tickets were,” he said.

At first, Ticketmaster and StubHub were supportive of the legislation and both parties sat down with lawmakers to hash out the language.

The goal was to protect consumers from scammers, which everyone agreed on. The proposed law also initially stated that consumers must know how many tickets are for sale for every show, and Ticketmaster and StubHub were supportive of that provision.

“I think it was to create fairness and transparency for consumers. One of the key points of the law was how many tickets are for sale. That was scrapped,” Poirier said.

Under the Ticket Business Transparency clause, it originally “set out disclosure and transparency obligations for ticket businesses.” The final language of the law was changed from “sets out disclosure and transparency obligations for ticket businesses requirements to disclose the number of tickets available to an event and the face value of the total ticket price” to “certain information before tickets are sold.”

“It’s a shame that they’re going to keep Ontario fans in the dark,” Poirier said.

The new law also “sets out prohibitions that apply to ticket sales and the use of certain software. Sales above face value on the secondary market are permitted providing that certain conditions are met and sales of tickets that are not in a person’s possession or control are prohibited. In addition, the use or sale of software intended to circumvent certain controls and measures on a website, online service or electronic application of a ticket business is prohibited.”

Ticketmaster also takes issue with price caps.

“We remain concerned that the reintroduction of legislated price caps will not serve the best interests of Ontario consumers. When demand is unsaturated, opportunists will no doubt find the opportunity to exploit the arbitrage. Fans will be driven to unsanctioned platforms without consumer protection,” Ticketmaster Canada’s COO Patti-Anne Tarlton said in an email. “Until July 2015, the resale of a ticket above face value was illegal in Ontario, but the law did not deter the activity. The proposed price cap will be equally ineffective. When the law changed in 2015 to allow for resale in the province, it came with two very important consumer protection provisions.  A seller had to either provide a money-back guarantee or assurance that the ticket was authentic and valid; both these provisions have positive consumer protection outcomes.”

Now that the legislation has passed, both Ticketmaster and StubHub are committed to working with the Canadian government to abide by the new law.

“We will abide by the laws of that province,” Poirier said.

Ticketmaster expressed the same sentiment.

“We look forward to working with government throughout the winter as they seek to further define and clarify clauses in the regulation period.  As we do in all jurisdictions in which we operate, we will adapt to the legislation,” Tarlton said.

SMG is wrapping up its 40th year with a new private equity firm as owner. Onex Corporation has agreed to acquire SMG Holdings Inc. in partnership with its existing management team.

It has been a solid path up for the private management and food and beverage firm, which was founded in 1977 by A.N. Pritzger, who formed Hyatt Management Group to manage the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, an account SMG has continued to manage for four decades.

Wes Westley, CEO of SMG, who joined the firm in 1994, was in Europe this week visiting accounts in Germany and England. “I had a series of pre-planned meetings in Europe related to our activities there. This did, however, give me an opportunity to discuss the transaction with our European leadership team,” Westley told Venues Today in an email.

Asked why Onex was the successful bidder, Westley noted Onex was founded more than 30 years ago and is one of North America’s oldest and most successful investment firms having acquired and built market-leading businesses across a range of industries. “Onex is highly supportive of our growth ambitions and we are looking forward to working with them. I want to add that Onex has a true ownership mentality and long-term focus and, as such, values the deep and long-standing relationships that our general managers have cultivated within the municipalities we serve,” Westley wrote.

There will be no change in management’s role going forward, he said, responding to another question thus: “If you are asking whether management will be part owner of the business in the future, the answer is yes.”

Westley would not disclose the other bids received, the length of negotiations or the terms of the deal, but did say “Onex is purely a financial investor. There will be no impact on leadership as a result of this transaction.”

In 2015, American Capital bought SMG for a reported $630 million. Back in 1998, Aramark and the Pritzgers bought out Ed Snider’s one-third interest in SMG for $40 million and a two-year noncompete (after which he founded Global Spectrum.) SMG has also grown by acquisition, buying Leisure Management International and acquiring venue management accounts from Ogden Entertainment in 2000.

Westley said he will “continue to answer to the clients and municipalities to which SMG has answered for four decades.” This sale has no impact on day-to-day business as the executive team, regional leaders and local management will not change and the current organizational structure and offices remain.

“Onex did a lot of due diligence and I think their interest in SMG is a testament to the quality and depth of our organization, and the possibilities for growth that they see in our business,” Westley concluded, saying no units of SMG will be spun off, “absolutely not.”

SMG manages nearly 240 convention centers, stadiums, arenas, theatres, performing arts centers and other venues globally. In 2017, SMG added the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in China and the Aberdeen (Scotland) Convention Center to its portfolio.

This transaction is expected to close in early 2018 subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.  The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

SMG is headquartered in Conshohocken, a suburb of Philadelphia. Besides all aspects of venue management, it includes a food and beverage division, combining Savor and Premier.

Onex has offices in Toronto, New York, New Jersey and London. This investment will be made by Onex Partners IV, Onex’ $5.7 billion fund. Northlane Capital Partners (NCP), which was spun off from American Capital, which was acquired by Ares Capital, was the owner of SMG that sold to Onex.

NCP is owned by the four partners who have managed ACE III since its closing in September 2014: Justin DuFour, Sean Eagle, Eugene Krichevsky, and David Steinglass. They will continue to be supported by the same six-person investment team and be based in Bethesda, Md. NCP invests in control buyouts in middle market companies based in North America, focusing on healthcare, outsourced business services, and industrial technology.

Through its Onex Partners and ONCAP private equity funds, Onex acquires and builds high-quality businesses in partnership with talented management teams. At Onex Credit, Onex manages and invests in leveraged loans, collateralized loan obligations and other credit securities. Onex has more than $30 billion of assets under management, including $6.7 billion of Onex proprietary capital, in private equity and credit securities. 

Onex’ businesses have assets of $45 billion, generate annual revenues of $30 billion and employ approximately 161,000 people worldwide, according to a posting on BusinessWire.  Onex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the stock symbol ONEX.

Del Mar (Calif.) fairgrounds was one of many California venues that housed displayed animals during the recent wildfires.

With fires ravishing much of California over the past week, hundreds of people, livestock and pets have been displaced from their dwellings due to evacuations. In some cases, homes, farms, and facilities burned to the ground.

With shelter in high demand and not enough of it to go around, California venues, specifically fairgrounds, picked up the slack.

Del Mar (Calif.) fairgrounds took in 850 horses and 50 other types of animals. “Last Thursday (DEC. 7) we started taking horses in,” said Tim Fennell, president and CEO, Del Mar fairgrounds. “The fires were raging through the area and people needed a place to take their horses and other livestock.”

The displaced included horses, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep, llamas, turkeys and chickens. As of Dec. 12, the fairgrounds still had 560 horses and 25 other animals still on the property.

“We didn’t wait for someone to tell us to open up,” he said. “As soon as people started contacting us, I made the decision to open up Horse Park to whoever needed the shelter. I reached out to my team and they immediately came out to help.”

Local animal groups eventually reached out; Fennell informed them the fairgrounds was already taking in displaced animals.

There was no charge for bringing an animal to the facility. “People show up and we take care of them,” said Fennell. “We had a tremendous amount of donations of hay and supplies.”

Fennell is unconcerned with the money that needed to be spent. “We’ll probably get some grant money at some point, but that’s not something we’re worrying about now.”

With the winds dying down and the fires somewhat contained, Fennell expects many of the animals to be going back to their homes shortly. “Some of the animals lost their homes and they can stay here until stalls are rebuilt or they find a place to go.”

“Fairgrounds in California have stepped up to the plate and will continue to do that,” said Fennell.

George Bradvica is the volunteer coordinator at Del Mar fairgrounds. “Our whole team mobilized as soon as we all heard from Tim,” explained Bradvica. “We have a written plan so everyone knows what to do.”

“Horses started showing up, and by late in the afternoon, we had 1017 animals on the property,” he said. “Once people knew we were open as a shelter, people showed up; there were numerous properties that were under evacuation.”

Bradvica praised the volunteers who showed up and all the people who donated supplies. “The community really came together. Without their help, we could not have housed all those animals.”

Los Angeles Equestrian Center also acted as a makeshift shelter. “Tuesday morning (Dec. 5) at 5:00 a.m., we got word that horses were about to come in,” said George Chatigny, GM. “We ended up accepting about 450 horses.”

Most of the horses came from the Creek Fire, which was still raging nearby. “We already had about 500 horses on the property,” he said. “Luckily, we still had unused stalls.”

Many of the horses have gone home; 175 horses still remain at the facility. Privately funded, the center will absorb the cost of taking in the animals. “Some of the evacuees have donated money and supplies,” he said.

Chatigny was not only a fire-evacuee hero; he was also a recipient. “I got a call that my horses in Oceanside had to be evacuated and had to be brought to Del Mar fairgrounds,” he said. “There were so many wonderful volunteers and professionals who looked out for my horses. I have heartfelt gratitude for what they did and the Del Mar fairgrounds operators for taking in so many horses.”

Regardless of the help he received, Chatigny was thrilled he could be of help and service to others. “We’re in the equestrian business,” he said. “These were not only people we are familiar with and care about, there was no hesitation to step up in a time of crisis.”

Animals aren’t the only beings that need shelter. Back in October, when fires were storming through Northern California, fairgrounds came to the rescue for people.

“We were activated as an evacuation center for both animals and people, and we eventually housed 400 animals and 450 people,” said Erin Post, CEO, Sonoma Marin fairgrounds.

“We had a dorm building with 325 cots, which was at capacity for three nights,” she said. “We also allowed RVs and camping for those who were displaced, as another option.”

Fairgrounds staff and volunteers manned the efforts. “We set up a medical center, a triage center, and space dedicated to the elderly and those with higher-needs, and a cafeteria.”

“It was a great learning experience for the staff,” she said, not wanting to leave out “all the volunteers who did such a great job.”

Post was also impressed and inspired by all the donations that poured in. “We had so much stuff that after the crisis was over, we had to spend days and days packing up the donations and sending them to other shelters.”

Venues Today is transforming. The Oak View Group-owned facility-industry institution is re-imagining its content, rebranding and relaunching in 2018 as VenuesNow.

“VenuesNow will build on the Venues Today foundation,” said Ray Waddell, president of OVG’s Media & Conferences division. “We’re still in the business of focusing on issues, challenges and opportunities related to the rapidly-evolving sports and entertainment facilities business; providing insight on deals, trends, technology, security, touring content, team relations, operations, marketing, and sponsorships; and ancillary businesses including ticketing, food and beverage, promotions, VIP/premium, and everything else pertaining to this vibrant, robust business.”

“Venues Today was due for refreshment. The redesign is looking crisp, smart and will be user-friendly and contemporary,” said Waddell, who expects the new-look VenuesNow to debut in February.

The debut of VenuesNow is part of an overall focus and investment in OVG’s Media & Conferences division, which includes VenuesNow, Pollstar, pollstar.com, and the newly launched Pollstar Daily Pulse newsletter, as well as a stake in sporttechie.com.

“As far as editorial coverage, we’re looking at it as the content will be focused on the Pollstar side, while where the content plays will be the focus of VenuesNow,” he explained. “We’re revolutionizing the coverage of this industry and anyone who operates venues or does business with venues will understand the way we’re delineating the two sides of our industry.”

“Things we started doing with Venues Today this year, we plan to double-down on next year, such as security, safety and technology; we care a whole lot about branding and sponsorships and partnerships in our business,” said Waddell.

The new design will be user-friendly, informative and entertaining, he said. “We’re going to have columns, guest op-eds, and exciting photography, visuals, charticles and great graphics.”

“It’s worth noting that at a time when a lot of people are running away from print media, OVG is running toward it and investing in it,” he said.

VenuesNow will now use live music-bible Pollstar’s data for tracking box office data, presented in a way that is specifically useful to venue managers and bookers.

“Pollstar is the gold standard for tracking live entertainment in the world, and we didn’t need two entitles collecting the same data,” said Waddell. “We want the charts to be a useful tool for venues making management decisions. We want to provide data that makes sure VenuesNow is on agents' desks, promoters' desks, managers' desks and content-providers' desks to give them something they can’t get anywhere else.”

Waddell emphasized that combining the two entities in terms of data collection will allow for “more information, more data-points, more contextualization, and it will be presented in a way that allows people in this business to make decisions.”

Joining VenuesNow leadership team are highly respected facilities industry reporter Don Muret, who comes to the publication after a 15-year stint at Sports Business Journal (SBJ).

As Senior Editor, Facilities, Muret will lead VenuesNow’s coverage of the arena and stadium business, as well as reporting on news and trends related to festivals and other venues, touring content, sports business, branding, industry deals, and personnel changes across the spectrum of sports and entertainment. Muret will also contribute content and breaking news to Pollstar platforms.

Also coming aboard the VenuesNow team will be Rob Knapp, formerly assistant managing editor at SBJ, in the role of managing editor. Knapp’s career has included stints at the Charlotte Observer and Lexington Herald Leader.

“While Don and Rob have been immersed in the sports business at SBJ they are both fully familiar with the facilities side of the business and they’ll bring a lot of expertise and skills to the next era of venues coverage,” said Waddell. “I’ve known and worked with Don Muret for over 25 years and his reputation and ability to break the most important stories in our business is second to none. Rob is the type of experienced, visionary editor we need as we dive into the next phase of coverage of this fascinating and dynamic industry.”

Both Muret and Knapp will report to OVG executive editor Andy Gensler.

As part of the re-organization, Venues Today offices in Huntington Beach, Calif., will close in January as the back-end operations of VenuesNow move to Los Angeles, with some aspects of production to be moved to Pollstar’s offices in Fresno, Calif.

The restructuring will lead to staff reductions at Venues Today, though some of the current Venues Today staffers, including founder Linda Deckard and senior writer Brad Weissberg, will make the transition to VenuesNow.

“Linda will remain an integral part of VenuesNow," said Waddell. "She’s the legacy of this title and she’s one of the most important figures in the business. We hope she’ll stay with us for many years to come. She’s part of the redesign efforts and she’ll play a significant role in what the new VenuesNow will look like.”

Deckard said the revamp is exciting. “I founded Venues Today 15 years ago and have nothing but praise for the people that helped build it along the way. It’s been an exciting ride and everyone has worked very hard for our position in the industry. I’m very much looking forward to this next chapter, and the insights of fellow journalists and people in the industry, and where VenuesNow is going to go.”

“The Facility business is changing, it’s challenging, it’s complex, it’s fascinating,” said OVG CEO Tim Leiweke. “We need a publication and a source that is focused on giving the industry up to date news, information and intelligence in the space. We need to understand what others are doing and how it effects what we do on a daily basis.”

“Venues Now will be the source for those in the facility business to know everything going on in our industry,” he said.  “And it will cover the critical and impactful issues and topics of our industry and provide a forum for all of us to be a part of. We want it to be irreplaceable and relevant, every day. And we will expand the digital platform to complement the depth of coverage that the magazine will allow.”

In addition to the print magazine and its digital presence, VenuesNow will also
host the second edition of VenuesNow, the premiere facility-industry conference in North America next summer.

“If you’re in the facility business, the conference, the digital platform, and the magazine will be the key source for your information and for your facility to stay relevant,” added Leiweke.

A petition has gone out to stop Nashville Fairgrounds from being the site of an MLS stadium.

Editor's Note: Major League Soccer could choose two new teams as early as this week, and Nashville might not make the cut. Either way, a lawsuit has been filed against the proposed plans at Nashville's fairgrounds.

Nashville’s city council, mayor and fair board all want to see a Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium built on the city’s fairgrounds, but a group of persistent naysayers have filed a lawsuit, saying the preliminary plans will not compensate the Fairgrounds Nashville.

Nashville is one of four cities vying for two slots for a MLS team. Cincinnati, Ohio, Detroit, Mich. and Sacramento, Calif. are the other cities that have bid for a team.

“We think that we’re confident that our current (fairground) uses and a soccer stadium can coexist,” said Laura Schloesser, executive director of the fairgrounds.

If chosen by the MLS, Fairgrounds Nashville will sport a $225-million soccer stadium that seats 27,500 built on 10-acres of the fairgrounds — a proposal that was unanimously approved by Nashville’s Metro Council on Nov. 7.

MSL offered $25 million toward the stadium if Nashville is picked.

Some of the old buildings on the 10-acre site will have to be torn down in order to build the stadium, and Schloesser feels it would completely spruce up the fairgrounds that’s badly in need of renovations and repairs.

Each year, the fairgrounds hosts the Tennessee State Fair. It also hosts a monthly flea market, both of which will continue if the MLS stadium is built, Schloesser said.

“We need investment desperately. (The fairgrounds) hasn’t seen it in decades and decades,” Schloesser said.

The fairgrounds also has an old-school race track that will get a facelift.

“It’s a very cool piece of our history that we want to invest in, too,” Schloesser said.

The fair board has five members, all of whom approved the stadium plans.

“I’m very excited,” said Ned Norton, president of the fair board. “If (the stadium) doesn’t happen then we have to move forward with other plans. We still need new buildings.”

A group called Save Our Fairgrounds filed a lawsuit on Nov. 29, alleging that the proposed stadium will not fairly compensate the fairgrounds and that the MLS will pay only 99 cents a year for the 10 acres of space it will use.

“We’re a citizen-activist group,” said Rick Williams, secretary of Save Our Fairgrounds, a not-for-profit group that raises funds to protect the fairgrounds’ interest, which is how they paid for the lawsuit.

“We have always been proposing upgrades to the fairgrounds,” Williams said, highlighting that giving land to MLS for so cheap is concerning. “Leasing land for a dollar a year to develop whatever they want...We filed a lawsuit.”

Many details about how the fairgrounds would financially benefit from the deal have not been ironed out, Schloesser said.

“There are a lot of details to work out. The scope of the improvements will change based on whether or not we get the stadium opportunity,” she said.

The MLS could decide as early as this week on which cities land the two open slots.

The fair board feels the stadium is the best plan to spruce up the area as of yet.

“We’ve been waiting for the right plan… and then a bid for a soccer stadium came up,” Norton said. “Of course, not everyone wants to see the fairgrounds change… (but) the facility is in desperate need of change. I think everyone believes that Nashville is ready for it.”

On the site where the soccer stadium would set are some sheds and cinderblock buildings used for various exhibitions and rental opportunities.

Schloesser said those buildings would be rebuilt as modern structures. She does not know, however, if the soccer stadium will allow the fairgrounds to use exhibition space in or on the stadium grounds.

Additionally, parking lots are also included in the preliminary plans for the stadium.

“Having another building that hosts the public for events is not out of line for what we do,” Norton said.

Rendering of the proposed new arena, part of the East Austin District.

An open-air stadium and 15,000-capacity arena have been proposed for construction in Austin, with investors hoping the facilities would serve as magnets for sports franchises looking to relocate to one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

The group known as Austin Sports & Entertainment unveiled its plans in early December for East Austin District, a 1.3-million-sq.-ft. project that would revitalize the 1980’s-era Travis County Exposition Center in northeast Austin. That site’s main tenant is Rodeo Austin each March, which generated more than $2.5 million in ticketing revenue and more than 6,000 tickets sold in 2017. Other events at the 6,500-capacity Expo Center include the four-day Republic of Texas Biker Rally, concerts, circuses ad assorted outdoor athletic events on the 300 acres of property.

Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group have signed on to design the project, which is planned to include an assortment of youth sports and other community facilities in a region of Austin that hasn’t experienced the rapid growth and economic development seen in many other parts of the city.

Austin Sports & Entertainment partners said they’ve thus far only secured the money to fund predevelopment work and are in talks with several potential groups about raising the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to build the facilities included in the proposal.

Sean Foley, a partner in the development group and former executive with the Raptor Group that owns the AS Roma soccer team, said the proposal began taking shape in late 2016, with the first meetings with Expo Center leaders happening this past January.

“Austin has such a robust economy, and the growth and income patterns on the east side are a really great thing for what we envision out there,” he said. “We’re focused on building a sports and entertainment hub that will be an asset for the whole community.”

A 2015 report by Hunden Strategic Partners determined the Expo Center property could fill several gaps in the event market in central Texas. The report called for a 15,000-seat arena, 200,000 square feet of exhibition hall space, a 30,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 25,000 square feet of meeting space, 400,000 square feet of space for the rodeo’s midway, and parking for a minimum of 6,000 vehicles.

Rob Golding, CEO of Rodeo Austin, described the Expo Center as “functionally obsolete” and said the East Austin District development would let the rodeo expand its mid-March programming along with opening up ongoing activities for complementary groups such as Future Farmers of America and 4-H.

“We’re too small for top entertainment events and expanding to 15,000 to 20,000 seats serves us well as a location for the rodeo, concerts and other indoor entertainment,” he said. “We’re currently in a no-man’s land from a concerts point of view and if this concept moves forward one of the keys is to design the arena for entertainment purposes.

“The question is, who takes the lead, since Rodeo Austin isn’t in charge of the arena. It’s got to be a decision made by a group of county and city leaders, with the rodeo at the table.”

The path ahead for the East Austin District is unclear since the Expo Center is managed by Travis County, but sits on land owned by the City of Austin on a lease that will last 17 more years. City and county officials have said they’d favor a competitive process for redeveloping the site, with at least one other proposal known to be in the works.

Golding and other leaders have also come out in support of using some of Austin’s hotel tax, which generates around $100 million in revenue annually, as part of the funding for the Expo Center redevelopment, though no final numbers on cost or total public support amounts have been disclosed.

The unveiling of the proposal comes as the owners of the Major League Soccer Columbus (Ohio) Crew team are pushing for a stadium site in downtown Austin that would let them move the team there. Representatives from Precourt Sports Ventures, the Crew club’s ownership group, have said the potential Expo Center site is not an option they’re interested in.

Also in play is the expected demolition of the Frank Erwin Center, which has served as the home of University of Texas basketball teams for 40 years and has been the only arena option in the Austin urban core. That building is expected to be decommissioned in the next five years and the university has indicated it will build a basketball-only arena as a replacement.

Peggy Kaltenbach.

Peggy Klein Kaltenbach, (Margaret Helen Klein) passed away on Dec. 12. With her husband Bob,  Kaltenbach built Klein's Attractions entertainment business.

Kaltenbach was born December 10, 1924 in New Brighton, Pa., and passed away in Barrington, Ill. Kaltenbach ’s journey into the world of entertainment began at a young age. Her parents started a small talent booking agency in 1930 from their home in Ohio. Even as a small girl, Kaltenbach worked alongside her parents learning the business of booking and producing shows that quickly would become her life’s work and passion.

Whether performing on stage, or working behind the scenes, she learned all aspects of the business. As the company, Klein’s Attractions, grew, it quickly became one of the fastest growing talent agencies in Ohio and the surrounding states, specializing in providing all types of entertainment for state fairs, county fairs, and festivals.

Kaltenbach and husband Bob worked side by side building Klein’s Attractions into what would eventually become one of the most successful and most respected agencies in the entertainment industry. As the outdoor entertainment business changed and concerts became more the norm, Kaltenbach was instrumental in bringing some of the biggest artists in the world to fairs and festivals nationwide. Kaltenbach worked alongside artists as diverse as Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Johnny Cash, The Oak Ridge Boys, Boots Randolph and The Charlie Daniels Band for decades. 

Following her husband’s death in 1993, Kaltenbach continued to work day to day in the business alongside her son and his family until her retirement at 85 years old in 2010. Even after retirement, Kaltenbach’s guidance and expertise helped shape the family business – now known as Klein’s Entertainment – as it heads into its 88th year of operation, now spanning four generations (daughter Katie has recently joined the company) of family involvement. Over the years, Kaltenbach was a member of many industry organizations such as the Academy of Country Music (ACM), The Country Music Association (CMA), The International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE), The International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA), The Ohio Fair Managers Association (OFMA) as well as many other individual state fair and festival associations. Kaltenbach and her husabnd were inducted into the IEBA Hall Of Fame in 2014 and Kaltenbach was inducted into the OFMA Hall of Fame in 2010. 

“She was a true role model demonstrating for many, many years that a woman could have a successful career and still be a kind, caring human being,” said nephew John Siehl, VenuWorks VP. “My Aunt’s infectious smile and distinctive laughter will be greatly missed.

Steve Mattson has accepted the position of director of operations for OVG's KeyArena rebuild.

Steve Mattson has been tapped to be the director of operations for OVG’s rebuild of Seattle’s iconic KeyArena. Mattson comes to the project after a 16-year run as VP/GM of Target Center, Minneapolis. (Full disclosure: Venues Today is owned by OVG)

In his new position, Mattson will oversee the approval, construction and pre-opening phases of KeyArena at Seattle Center. Mattson will provide critical operator background on analysis, labor relations, design and overall understanding of how the arena will operate upon opening. Having just completed an 18-month, $140-million renovation at Target Center, Mattson brings relevant experience to the entire design and construction process.

“OVG approached me in the early fall as I was finishing up at Target Center,” said Mattson, who officially started on Oct. 23, and is working out of a Seattle office. “OVG is developing a $600+-million project in Seattle and, while there are historic elements to the arena that will be preserved, I wouldn’t call the project a renovation; it’s essentially the creation of a new National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball League (NBA) capable facility.”

If everything stays on track, ground will break in October 2018, and the new KeyArena will open in October 2020.

“What I bring to the OVG team is arena background,” said Mattson. “As general manager of Target Center, I’ve run an NBA building in a major market for the last 16 years. What my joining the OVG team does is bring someone who understands the building, and the city, to the project.”

“As an arena operator, this project is an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Mattson. “We will deliver a cutting edge and innovative world-class arena to Seattle and make it one of the most desired sports and live entertainment venues in the country.”

The design team is led by Populous and the owner’s representatives are CAA and ICON Venue Group. “We are working on a pretty quick timeline,” said Mattson. 

“We’re just beginning the NHL process of creating an expansion team,” he said. “The facility will be dual-purpose and every element of it will be capable of hosting both NHL and NBA.”

Mattson fully expects to have an NHL team in place for the 2020 opening. “Last week the NHL gave OVG a preliminary OK to proceed in the expansion process,” he said. “That process will begin shortly and, if all is accomplished, we’ll become the 32nd team of the NHL in 2020.”

The road to securing an NBA team is not as easily traveled. “At this point there is not an expansion opportunity, but our whole goal is to prove to the NBA through our NHL process that we’re ripe for a team. The combination of bringing a world-class venue to Seattle and an NHL team will, down the road, certainly get the NBA ready to grant Seattle a team.”

Following last week’s monumental passing of the Memo of Understanding (MOU) between the city of Seattle and OVG, and its signing by Mayor Durkan and OVG CEO Tim Leiweke, come the arduous tasks of completing an environmental study, lease agreements, and permitting. While time-consuming, Mattson does not see any of the long-form documents to be an issue in the process of breaking ground.

“The development is on a fast-track and I don’t see anything that will derail the building of the new arena,” said Mattson. “I’m working with the design group, concessionaire (Delaware North), event-booking elements, hiring of staff, and all the things that relate to the operations of a new building now so we are ready to roll when the construction is over.”

“There’s a lot of hard work ahead,” he said. “We’ve got such a great partner in the city and the path we’re on will see the building only down for two years.”

Mattson said that the KeyArena project is not comparable to the $140 million Target Center renovation he oversaw. “That building was a 27-year-old building, which is half the age of KeyArena. Those renovations covered a lot, but this is a major undertaking.  We’re utilizing the protected roof and landmarks but everything else is brand new.”

Mattson said that once the building is open he anticipates being a part of the project long term.

“Steve is a special talent in our industry and someone who has a track record of excellence and innovation in his work as an operator and in his dealings with the professional sports leagues,” said Tim Leiweke, OVG CEO. “His expertise will be critical as we move into the next phase of our work with the City of Seattle in revitalizing KeyArena and Seattle Center.”

The MOU called for a fully privately funded redevelopment of KeyArena at Seattle Center and for OVG to construct, operate, and maintain a redeveloped arena nearly double the size of of the current venue. It anticipates a 39-year lease with two eight-year renewal options for a total of up to 55 years. The arena will also be designed to preserve the current and historic roofline, and meet LEED Gold or equivalent standards.

“The new arena will be something special and something the city will be proud of,” added Mattson. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

REPORTING FROM NASHVILLE  — "You can never eliminate the risks," said Executive Director Pam Matthews during the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) 2017 Conference held here Oct. 15-17 of the topic of the moment - security, but there are ways to mitigate them.

Michael Downing, chief security officer, Prevent Advisors, spoke during a panel of safety, highlighting the recent risk scenario and laying out suggestions to attendees. He described the shooter at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, on Oct. 1, who killed 58 music fans and injured over 500, as a "black swan." And, that is primarily because a motive really hasn't been uncovered.
But, there have been motives established for other attacks at entertainment venues over the last several years. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists group claimed responsibility for the shooting at the Eagles of Death Metal show held at Le Bataclan, Paris, , Nov. 13, 2015, where 89 were left dead.
The group also took responsibility for the shooting outside an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester (England) Arena on May 22, 2017, leaving 22 dead and 58 injured.
The Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016, in Orlando where 49 were killed was established as a hate crime.
"You should have a play book for all different types of threats," Downing said. "You can use high optic binoculars, high intensity spotlights and even sniper nests. It is really sad that you have to go that far for what should be a peaceful event."
But, depending on the level of the threat environment, looking at tactic options is important.
Downing offered a checklist of five best practices to enhance safety, assuming one has already completed the basics including conducting a baseline risk assessment at their venue/event and prioritizing possible threats by analyzing their likelihood and consequences; having in place a practical security plan that incorporates people, technology and procedures; and making sure there is a trained security staff and a vetted workforce.
The five best practices begin with having more than one plan by creating an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Downing said that an effective EAP includes a preferred method for reporting fires and other emergencies; an evacuation policy and procedure; contact information for, and responsibilities of, individuals to be contacted under the EAP; information concerning local area hospitals; and an emergency notification system to alert various parties of an emergency including individuals at remote locations within the premises, local law enforcement and area hospitals.
"Expand your web of partnerships, such as your relationships with local law agencies," he said. "Have someone on your staff to engage within the community."
He suggested knowing the location of the closest fusion center, a multiple agency center of which there are 79 across the country.
Second, train staff to make eye contact with guests. "If someone is  up to something, they don't want to  be noticed," Downing said. "They don't want to make eye contact with you." Training frontline staff to do this can possibly lead to detection and intervention.
Encourage staff and attendees that if they see something, say something, Downing continued. "Engage both staff and patrons through awareness-building," he said. "It takes a community to protect a community."
Downing said training staff to observe behavior and know who to contact is very important. Be aware if someone is asking employees questions about operations, someone outside is looking at your venue, or if anyone brought something into the venue.
His fourth tip is to show strength. The visible efforts made to protect the people and facility are important. Things like bag checks, vehicle-free zones and uniformed personnel make a difference. Mix up security efforts so if someone is watching, they won't be able to observe a strict pattern.
Securing the outside of the venue along with the inside is another way to show strength. Areas of potential concern include mass transit connections, tailgate areas and merchandise locations. An attacker might look for large gatherings so spreading out the groups will make it more difficult for an attacker to select a target. 
Fifth, maintain vigilance. Downing said while most people understand the need to be prepared to handle the crowd before the event, many don't understand how important it is to keep security measures in place through the entire event.
"You need to be alert from the time the first guests arrive to the time the last one leaves," he said.

SECURITY TIP OF THE MONTH

Ideas and suggestions on live event safety, security and crowd management from our friends at Prevent Advisors.

STAFF TRAINING
Ensure your building conducts renewed and routine staff training around suspicious activity and screening procedures.

Hard Rock Stadium will host the Miami Open in 2019.

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens has more remaking in its future. And this time it's for tennis, not football.

After a more than $500-million renovation to turn the home of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins into a modern venue in 2016, Miami Open owner IMG partnered with the Dolphins and stadium owner Stephen Ross to bring the tennis tournament to the stadium and turn the property into a permanent tennis venue.

Construction on 29 permanent show and practice courts begins in 2018, to be ready for the 2019 tournament.

“We are extremely excited that the Miami Open, a global entertainment event, will remain in our community,” Ross said in a statement. “We are committed to bringing a best-in-class experience alongside IMG to all of the players, fans and partners that will take part in this global affair. The opportunity to showcase the best tennis in the world in Hard Rock Stadium, a venue that brings together the best of culture, art and entertainment, will be an amazing experience for everyone involved.”

The 32-year-old event has long played at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, but needed to find a new home after a 2015 court decision prevented upgrades to the Key Biscayne site.

Moving to Hard Rock Stadium allows the tournament, one of the largest events combining male and female tournaments run simultaneously, the flexibility to grow. The 2019 version of the Miami Open will have 30 show and practice courts, a “tennis oasis” with the largest video screen of any tennis tournament, a sponsorship village with expanded and upgraded entertainment spaces, permanent retail facilities, improved Wi-Fi, media facilities, locker rooms and fitness space for players and tennis staff and hospitality and activation areas.

The new Center Court—the one temporary court—will come as a 14,000-seat stadium within the 65,000-seat Hard Rock Stadium. Screens will cover unused stadium portions, and temporary seats will help create a more intimate spectator experience around the court. 

IMG and Ross expect to spend up to $60 million for the full-time tennis center in the parking lots adjacent to the remade venue. Parking for the Miami Open will grow nearly exponentially. The 29 permanent courts is an increase from 21 at Crandon Park. Practice courts double and lighted courts increase from six to 20. Aside from the Center Court, the permanent space includes a 5,000-seat Grandstand court. Total seating for the tournament will jump from 25,062 to 32,474, including over 5,500 at practice courts.

“The Miami Open has been part of Miami’s culture for as long as I can remember and it’s a tournament that is very special to me and my family,” 23-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams, a member of the Dolphins ownership group, said in a statement. “I’ve enjoyed some of my best career moments in Miami thanks to the amazing tournament team and the supportive Miami fans. I am thrilled the Miami Open is staying in Miami, where it belongs.”

The Miami Open will finish its run at Crandon Park this year. The tournament runs March 19 through April 1.

“The Miami Open belongs in Miami,” WME and IMG Co-President Mark Shapiro said in a statement. “We’re grateful to have amazing partners in Stephen, the Miami Dolphins organization, Mayor [Carlos] Gimenez and above all the people of Miami who have been supporting the Miami Open for decades. While we’re looking forward to creating the new Miami Open experience at Hard Rock Stadium, our priority is to make the last edition of the Key Biscayne event the best it’s ever been.”

The Miami Open had options to move from Florida to sites as far away as South America and China. Landing 18 miles away may remove the intrigue of a waterside tournament, but it does preserve the Miami heritage of the event.