Cowbella, the Alameda County Fair mascot, was a popular motif for Instagram users, including these two ambitious youngsters.

A heat wave at the Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton, Calif., that saw temperatures rise to an average of 106 degrees each day for seven days prompted a nearly 27-percent drop in attendance over last year’s all-time, 100-year-anniversary high of 534,577.

The attendance came in at 391,426, which also was a 13.5 percent decline over the 2011 attendance of 452,747.

The heat wave was preceded by two days of rain, said Jerome Hoban, the fair’s new CEO, who took over for longtime leader Rick Pickering, now at the California State Fair, Sacramento.

However, Hoban said, “These numbers are impressive with the heat wave. We have really robust promotions. Two-dollar Tuesdays is a big one. And we have Feed the Need on Wednesdays. Fairgoers bring in a can of food for free admission.”

Hoban, the former CEO of the Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, Calif., began his new job on May 20, less than a month before the beginning of the June 19-July 7 fair, which already was pretty much planned by the time he came on board.

“There is a great staff in place,” he said. “They had things handled. I just came in and I watched. I got involved in a few things but for the most part, I spent time learning about horse racing. The Orange County Fair didn’t have horse racing. That was all new to me.”

Fairfield, Calif.-based Butler Amusements was down, Hoban said. Pay-one-price carnival wristbands cost $27 Tuesday through Thursday and $30 Saturday and Sunday, said spokeswoman Angel Moore. The fair had a $22 discounted wristband prior to the fair at select retailers.

The new log flume ride and the roller coaster were the most popular rides, Hoban said.

Gate admission was $10, the same as last year, he added.

The Big O Concert Series was presented in the 3,000-seat Safeway Amphitheater. The most popular concerts, which were free with the price of admission, were Disney Channel star Zendaya and “Weird Al” Yankovic.

In addition to the 3,000 concert-goers who get seats, up to another 5,000 or 6,000 fans can watch the show on a 20-foot video screen.

"'Weird Al’ Yankovic was crazy," Hoban said, estimating that up to 7,000-8,000 watched his show, with an additional 2,000 watching Zendaya.

Other shows that packed in fans were Air Supply, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Clay Walker, who closed the series.

Additional acts included Kix Brooks; the Marshall Tucker Band; The Spinners; Loverboy; Journey tribute band Evolution; Christian singer Francesca Battistelli; Pablo Cruise; Los Caminantes; Santana tribute band Caravanserai; Led Zeppelin tribute band Zepparella; and the Red, White and Blues Festival.

The fair paid about $400,000 for the acts, Hoban said, about the same as last year.

The fair’s budget is about $20 million, Hoban said, compared to the Orange County Fair’s $32 million.

In fact, he added, Hoban was drawn to the Alameda County Fair from his lifelong home in Orange County because of the similarities of where his new fair is now compared to the Orange County Fair years ago.

“I see that Alameda is on the exact path that the Orange County Fair was about 15 years ago,” he said. “Fifteen years ago, the attendance was 500,000-600,000 with a $15-million budget and it was about to embark on a master plan.”

The master plan at Orange County Fair soon will be ready for updating, while at Alameda, a new one will be drawn up so Hoban’s new fair can begin to grow at what he hopes will be a similar pace as the Costa Mesa fair.

Another difference between the fairs is the governing structure. The Orange County Fair has a nine-person board appointed by the governor, while the Alameda County Fair originated as a private, nonprofit fair with the land eventually deeded to the county for preservation.

“I was intrigued by the governance structure of a private, nonprofit,” he added.

In spite of Orange County besting Alameda in most numbers, including attendance, which was about 1.4 million last year, Hoban’s new fair has a much larger grounds, about 260 acres compared to 164 acres in Costa Mesa. That is mostly because of the horse racing that takes place in Pleasanton, he said.

The marketing budget at the fair also is about $400,000 for advertising buys, and more and more of that is being shifted to digital from print publications.

Many social media contests helped draw in fairgoers, including Fun Pack Friday, in which a contest was posted on Facebook on Fridays and a random winner won a Fun Pack to the fair.

In another contest, fairgoers were encouraged to post a video to Facebook for a chance to win fair admission tickets.

A third contest utilized fiberglass fair mascot Cowbella, who could be photographed out at community events for another opportunity to win tickets.

“The new stuff is mostly a big focus on viral – Twitter feeds and Facebook,” Hoban said. “We’re hitting those hard and transferring those dollars to digital, away from print.”

The 2014 dates will be June 18-July 6. 

Interviewed for this article: Jerome Hoban and Angel Moore, (925) 426-7600. 

Outside First Direct Arena, Leeds, England.

The construction crews behind England’s newest arena thought they had until early September to put the finishing touches on the $93 million First Direct Arena, built for the city of Leeds outside of Manchester. Its unique shell-shape and ultraintimate 13,500-seating bowl had the teams at Populous and SMG Europe racing to get the building opened by early fall in time for a Sept. 4 concert by Elton John.

That is until a funny thing happened. The Boss came to town.

“This opportunity came for us to open early with a concert by Bruce Springsteen, who had been playing stadium shows in the U.K.” said John Knight, regional VP for SMG Europe. Knight approached Live Nation’s Toby Leighton-Pope with an offer for Springsteen to be the first artist to play the new arena before it officially opened, a “road-test” of sorts explained Knight.

“(Springsteen) had just sold out 65,000 seats in Cardiff, and we knew the demand was there. In fact when we did put the show on sale, all 12,000 seats sold out in about 10 minutes,” he said of the July 24 concert. “Thankfully, Toby trusted us that we could get the building open six weeks ahead of schedule and gave us the show.”

Knight said Springsteen made several positive comments from the stage about Leed’s unique fan-shaped orientation, described as a “supertheater.” Instead of the typical in-the-round or horseshoe feel of most modern arenas, all 9,500 seats in the facility face the stage with the top section nearly 100-feet closer to the stage than your typical arena. The GA floor has a capacity of about 4,000.

This diagram shows First Direct Arena's unique seating configuration.

“We wanted to create something where every seat was a good seat and you don’t have to turn your head to see the stage,” Knight explained.

SMG was selected to manage the facility in 2008 in a RFP process that included bids from AEG, Live Nation and Global Spectrum.

“The Leeds City Council awarded us the contract before they had a design for the facility, or even an architect,” Knight said. “They very wisely recognized the importance of bringing on the operator to help design the facility and inform on how it should be done. The idea for the supertheater design came from our Managing Director John Sutherland, who saw the importance of creating Europe’s first purpose-driven, fan-friendly arena.”

SMG pays a straight rental fee to the city of Leeds for the building and is able to keep all ancillary fees, including ticketing charges from its European partner CTS Eventim and in-house catering. The lease for the building runs 25 years.

“It’s a straight profit-loss deal,” said Knight, who wouldn’t disclose his annual rent payment to Leeds.

First Direct Arena’s naming rights partner is a Leeds-based bank owned by British multinational firm HSBC. First Direct is an “online-only bank,” explained Knight, and will help SMG market shows to the arena using the bank’s massive social media and customer data-base.

“It’s not just about getting a check, but what the sponsor can give to you in terms of access to customer data,” Knight said.

The new arena will also serve as SMG Europe’s unofficial “flagship venue” in Europe and the fourth arena in the U.K. for the firm, which also manages Phones 4U Arena in Manchester, Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle and Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“We now manage 44,000 arena seats in the U.K. and our centralized booking office in Manchester will offer a one-stop shop for promoters to compare all of our avails at once,” he said.

Managing the building will be Ben Williams, previously the Marketing and Commercial Director at the Manchester arena. Alisa Oliver is the building’s Assistant General Manager and John Webster is the building’s Operations Director.

Elton John officially opens the building on Sept. 4, followed by Leonard Cohen on Sept. 7 and the Kaiser Chiefs on Sept. 13. So far, the arena has 22 shows listed through the end of 2013.

Interviewed for this article: John Knight, +44 161-950-5333
 

At this point, just about every major summer festival has a VIP package that includes elevated platforms with undisturbed sightlines, catering, upgraded bathrooms and open bars.

But a few have taken an extra step and given a new class of Ultra-VIPs the best seats in the house, literally. From major fests like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo to upstarts like Cincinnati's two-year-old Bunbury, VIPs are increasingly being given the chance to get as close as possible with new viewing areas carved out just behind the main stage photo pits.

Bunbury offered VIP front-of-stage access for the first time in July and founder Bill Donabedian said he decided to add the upgrade after careful consideration of how it might impact the rest of the attendees. "I heard someone talk about the Lollapalooza VIP experience but, with cabanas, you are really far away from the stage, so I thought it would be neat to combine the two," said Donabedian.

"What we did is add the VIP area this year and then you walked out into a grove with trees and hammocks and to the right was unfettered access to the front of stage." The 20-foot-deep and 30-foot-wide area behind the photo pit was fenced in, giving the VIPs their own unique space, with plenty of room to roam during headlining sets by fun., the National and MGMT.

With 500 VIP tickets sold in total (at a cost of $295 each), the pit area could hold around 300 max, which Donabedian said seemed like the right amount to avoid leaving a bad taste in the mouths of general admission attendees. With the success of the pit view this year, Donabedian said he's thinking of adding a similar area to one of the other main stages in 2014.

Lollapalooza got into the game this year with its Platinum Pass, with included access to Platinum viewing areas on the four main stages, in addition to such amenities as hospitality areas on both ends of Grant Park, access to artist lounge areas, dedicated golf cart transportation and an exclusive on-site concierge. Guests were escorted into and out of the fenced-off areas by staffers for an unobstructed, as-close-as-possible view of sets by the Cure and Mumford & Sons.

"I don't think it really changes our security plan, but it definitely enhances the guest services plan," said Thushan Rajapaksa, vice president of StaffPro, which handles security for Stagecoach, Coachella, EDC and other major events. "The whole industry is talking about the guest experience now and when you have a high-profile area like that it's almost like adding suites or premium seating."

Rajapaksa said StaffPro treats these premium viewing areas and VIP sections as if they were suites by staffing them with a highly trained special division within the company called EST (Executive Services Team). For some events (though not Coachella due to the heat), these EST staffers are dressed in all-black suits and they are assigned specifically to VIP and special viewing areas.

"It's almost like a VIP host through a security function," he said, noting that more than three-quarters of the time those EST staffers are acting in a host function, with around 20 percent of their time spent checking credentials. "I think in the future I see security more and more as a function of guest services," he said.

The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans has been offering similar standing-room, front-of-house access since 2009 under the name Loa Front Row to its Loa VIP attendees, according to a festival spokesperson. The Front Row benefits are available on all six stages and costs for November's event are currently $500 (rising to $650 week of show).

This weekend's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco will offer two stages with cut-out VIP areas, one at the main stage and also one at the Twin Peaks stage, included in the $545 price of a VIP pass; Outside Lands has offered the areas in all six of its years. Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo also has the areas at the Which Stage (a second stage), just off the side, but not directly in front. That is included as part of a $1,449 package for the weekend.

Contacted for this story: Bill Donabedian, (877) 752-5195;  Thushan Rajapaksa, (714) 230-7200

During a previous tour, Michael Bublé stopped at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Carlos San Miguel)

Canadian crooner Michael Bublé pulled in huge numbers from 10 dates at the O2 Arena in London. The Live Nation-promoted shows brought more than 155,000 fans to the arena June 30-July 13. Ticket prices started at more than $75, for a total gross of more than $16 million. Bublé will take a short break before bringing his show to 28 venues across the U.S, starting with United Center in Chicago, Sept. 7. He will continue around the U.S. until his Nov. 30 performance at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., after which Bublé will hop on a plane for the Australian leg of his tour, which begins April 26 at Perth Arena.

Osheaga Music and Arts Festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal drew a huge gross of nearly $9 million this year. The festival has been held annually since 2006, with prices this year reaching up to $355. Headliners included The Cure, Beck, and Mumford & Sons.

Bruno Mars is in the U.S.-stages of a tour that's set to include Puerto Rico, the U.K., many European countries, Australia and New Zealand. His July 30 date at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., sold more than 12,000 tickets, for a gross of more than $800,000. The Maverik Center concert inSalt Lake Cityon Aug. 2 brought more than 10,000 fans to the venue. Next, Mars heads to Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Aug. 8, followed by Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 9.


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 July 10-Aug. 7.

Hank Ratner, president, Madison Square Garden, New York, and Irving Azoff, Irving Azoff Music, regale the press with plans for the renovated Forum, Inglewood, Calif. (VT Photo)

REPORTING FROM INGLEWOOD, CALIF. — Madison Square Garden Co. heralded its new foothold on the West Coast with announcement July 30 that the Forum will reopen with three concerts by the Eagles in January 2014 and will be positioned as exclusively a music and family entertainment venue, no longer hosting sports.

At a press conference here, executives from Madison Square Garden Co., New York, along with Los Angeles music moguls and Inglewood politicians, announced that by the time the Forum reopens, they will have spent $100 million on renovations, gutting the venue and reconfiguring it for optimal concert experiences. The rigging will be able to handle up to 350,000 pounds. There is no scoreboard, no luxury suites. And there is a catwalk grid around the ceiling, which will make rigging a dream for stagehands.

Chase has signed on as presenting sponsor, with the Forum henceforth referred to as Forum presented by Chase. The grand reopening event will be three performances by the Eagles, Jan. 15, 17 and 18. Irving Azoff, who manages the Eagles, declared the revitalized Forum one-of-a-kind for the L.A. market, a music-oriented arena, “with acoustics as good or better than ever and good, cushioned seats.”

Announcing Chase as a corporate partner, Hank Ratner, president and CEO of Madison Square Garden Co., said Chase is involved in all Madison Square Garden Entertainment venues, including new Chase Bridges and Chase Square as part of the transformation of Madison Square Garden, and will be visible at the Forum “inside and outside.” There will be a Chase Lounge only accessible through select affiliations with Chase. It will have a dedicated entrance and top tier food and beverage amenities. Chase Lounge will be positioned on the opposite side of the arena from the famed Forum Club, the Forum’s historic VIP experience which is being completely redone and also boasts a dedicated entrance.

The Forum expands what Hank Ratner referred to as “MSG’s roadshow” to the West Coast, and adds a seventh venue to the company’s portfolio, which include: Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre in New York; Chicago Theatre in Chicago; The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, and Boston’s Wang Theatre.

The Forum will book a broad scope of events with a focus on music and entertainment, including concerts, family productions, award shows, television/film productions, as well as a few select sporting events.

BBB Architects is directing the Forum revitalization, which is inspired by the venue’s original 1967 design, and includes upgrades to the entire venue site.

There will be seven dressing rooms that feature upgraded amenities. Sports locker rooms are gone, but there will be a dedicated area for production and touring crews, which will include an exclusive dining space.

Among the key features that will be resurrected in an effort to replicate the original design is the exterior color of the venue, which will be repainted to the 1960’s “California sunset red.” The revitalization of the 40,000-square-foot outdoor terrace surrounding the perimeter of the building will offer upgraded food and beverage amenities. In addition, a distinct and iconic Forum marquee that reflects the architecture of the venue will be located at Manchester and Prairie.

Melissa Ormond, president, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, will be very involved in booking of the Forum, though she told Venues Today there will be a full staff on the West Coast, including a full-time booker. Ormond told the press that she spent 10 years of her career in L.A. and is very pleased that the Forum is “now eligible for the National Register of Historic Places."

“We’ve done everything we can to maintain the best of the building — the acoustics, iconic feeling, the sightlines,” Ormond said. “But there will be no professional sports, though we might do boxing, tennis, and extreme sports. Think about it as being a more theatrical feeling, warmer. We’ve upgraded everything after years of lack of attention.”

She emphasized the modernized bowl, the flexibility of the venue with a 17,500-seat capacity scalable to an 8,000-seat half-house. “And it will have one of the largest general admission floors in the city.” The ceiling will be enhanced with an LED starry-night effect, a sight fans historically saw dominated by a scoreboard.

The Eagles reminisce about their experiences at the Forum in the 80's. (VT Photo)

Ormond did not position this arena as competition to Staples Center, Los Angles, because, “though Staples Center is a great venue, it has three professional sports teams and therefore is overtaxed. There are artists that can’t do the number of performances at Staples they can here.”

“Frankly, I think it will grow the market. Having this option and an unfettered calendar will grow the market,” Ormond added.

Community Players

But like Staples Center and its L.A. Live destination, there is hope that someone will develop a retail and restaurant destination in Inglewood. Several MSG executives pointed out the potential for revitalizing the entire neighborhood, with special emphasis on hopes of doing something to turn the adjacent Hollywood Park track into a destination. “This location is very important. They have continued to have faith as this venue has been renovated. We want it to continue to be part of the community,” Ormond said.

Nick Spampanato, GM of the Forum for MSG, has been on the premises since August 2012. It is a return trip for him also, having started his career working 14 years at what was then Universal Amphitheatre (now closed) and working as GM of the Hollywood Palladium, which was also renovated. He moved to New York to manage the Beacon Theatre in 2009, but when the opportunity came up, he couldn’t pass on the chance to return to L.A. to manage the Forum. He took up residence in Westchester, three miles away, “to make sure I was here if I got a call.”

Spampanato said they are hoping to do 65-80 shows a year. “The amenities and production values we put in here are unsurpassed, including 10,000 sq. ft. of sky deck over the top. We’re making the building production-friendly for concerts and family shows and we’ll do occasional one-offs in sports, but no residency in sports.”

In keeping with the pledge to engage the community of Inglewood, the Forum will also host a weekly Farmer’s Market in the parking lot, Ormond said. Ratner also noted that the venue will provide Inglewood with 260 full-time job openings when it reopens and over the next 30 years, it will have a $1.4 billion total economic benefit. Under MSG’s ownership, it has already hosted community events like the Shuttle Endeavor’s homecoming.

Spampanato said it would be a couple of months before they name a concessionaire for the Forum. Historically, Madison Square Garden operates food and drink in house at its venues. Contemporary Services Corp. has the security contract through May 2014.

Seats have been ordered from Irwin Seating, signage from Daktronics. “It’s only the exterior that is historical. The seating and interior are being updated. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. For music it works well,” he added.

Then and Now

The fact that the Forum will now be designated as an Historic Landmark was of particular interest to many in the industry with ties to the venue.

“I am thrilled to see the Forum will be reborn, filled with music, laughter and happy people; it should never be dark! I understand it will be named an Historical Landmark, so it will go on and on. Oh Happy Day,” said an exuberant Claire Rothman, longtime manager of the Fabulous Forum in its heyday.

Jim Granger, Contemporary Services Corp., recalled his start in the business at the Forum. He recalled a policeman who visited him on the graveyard shift when he was guarding trucks and later brought him coffee. He greeted that policeman at the press conference. It was Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr.

“The greatness of the Forum is unmatched,” Granger said. “It was the showcase of the 70s and it sounds better for concerts because there are no suites, no glass.”

He was particularly interested in the historical fact that the original architect of the Forum, built in 1967 for $16 million, was Charles Luckman of Charles Luckman Associates, who also designed Madison Square Garden. It has come full circle, he noted.

For members of the Eagles, memories are less esoteric. Glenn Fry told the press that he saw his first hockey game at the Forum and first played there as opening act in a band called Poco. Joe Walsh joked that “I spent a couple of days in the Forum Club one night…Thank you for a real place to play in L.A.”

Interviewed for this story: Melissa Ormond, Hank Ratner, (212) 465-6000; Nick Spampanato, (310) 330-7353; Jim Granger, (818) 885-5150
 

Turner Madden, International Association of Venue Manager’s chief legal counsel and lobbyist, died unexpectedly on July 22 at the age of 61.

“I have worked with Turner on many IAVM projects over the last 30 years,” said former IAVM Chairman Randy Brown (2011-2012) with the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. “From legal briefs to changes with ADA regulations, he always had the best interests of our members at heart. We will miss him.”

Madden represented the venue industry on a number of national issues, but his colleagues said one of Madden’s greatest passions was his advocacy for the disabled. His firm Madden & Patton, LLC, created and implemented the National Football League Community Affairs Disability Services Program, and he was the author of the NFL Super Bowl Accessibility Guide. 

He was licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia with an office one block west of the White House. He was the former General Counsel for the Washington Convention Center Authority.

"He knew the workings of Washington, and with his comprehensive knowledge of the assembly industry, he represented the interests of venue managers across the country with professionalism and integrity," said former IAVM Chair (2007-2008) Steve Peters with Venuworks. "He was witty and fun to be with, a wonderful guy. We will miss him."   

Turner served as an outside attorney and director of community affairs for disability compliance matters for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, assisting the Olympics and the Paralympic Games with regulatory and compliance efforts in venue construction, security, employment and housing. 

In 1996 he was appointed General Counsel and Government Affairs Director for IAVM. Besides his work for disabled individuals, he is credited with fostering and promoting IAVM’s relationship with the Department of Homeland Security, and served as Chairman of the Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security and the Commercial Sector Council, which addressed the need for security at major public facilities. He helped IAVM and its members secure a number of training grants from DHS and in 2006 was appointed to the prestigious Cyber Security Working Group.

“His efforts especially in Washington, D.C., on our behalf, were instrumental in providing information and guiding legislation that was for the benefit of all public assembly facilities particularly related to ADA rules and regulations,” said former IAVM Chairman Jimmy Earl (2004-2005) with the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. “More recent, his work with Homeland Security put us at the forefront for education and grant opportunities for our association and fostered a very favorable relationship with that agency.”

Besides being IAVM’s chief counsel, he was also its main legal advisor and would regularly lead legal briefings at IAVM’s annual meetings. His column ‘Legal Corner’ appeared in Facility Manager magazine and, despite his busy schedule, Madden was known to be accessible to IAVM members who needed help understanding complex federal rules, whether it be changes to the American with Disabilities Act or the soon-to-be implemented Affordable Care Act.

“Turner is going to be deeply missed by the IAVM community,” said IAVM President and CEO Vicki Hawarden. “I know I relied on him for his expertise, and I always enjoyed his bigger-than-life presence and his booming laugh. I know all of our members are thinking of his family during this difficult time and would want them to know how grateful we are for his service to IAVM and the venue management industry.”

When needed, Madden would lobby directly on behalf of IAVM members. In 2007, he filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Tampa Bay Sports Authority after the American Civil Liberties Union sued the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for its pat-down policy.

"His books and Amicus Briefs in support of the NFL, Tampa Bay and others are just examples of his love and dedication to the industry," said former chairman Larry Perkins (2006-2007) with the PNC Arena in Raliegh, N.C. In fact, Perkins awarded Madden with a Presidential Citation "for his outstanding work in Washington for ADA, Homeland Security, FEMA and the Red Cross. His personal relationships with heads of these agencies, inviting them to his home, was the catalyst that pushed IAVM to the head of their list as a reliable partner."

News of his untimely death came as a surprise to many at IAVM, especially just days before the start of VenueConnect, IAVM’s annual meeting, held July 26-30 in New Orleans. Past Chairman Shura Garnett (2009-2010) called Madden "a dear friend as well as trusted colleague and advisor of mine,” and credited his “counsel, valued insight and unshakable support” as an extremely valuable asset during her tenure atop IAVM. Her successor as chairman John Seihl (2010-2011) with VenuWorks told Venues Today that “Turner's insight into the world of sport and entertainment, coupled with his passion for the industry, positioned IAVM both politically and legally to strive for the safety, security and enjoyment of the public sector at our diverse mix of venues".

A resident of Newark, Del., for 35 years, he was born on Jan. 31, 1952, in Mechanicsburg, Pa. to Jean Profater Madden and Turner David Madden Sr. He attended Mechanicsburg High School and placed sixth in the National Championships for Wrestling in 1970 and played in the prestigious Big 33 Championship, recognizing the best football players in Pennsylvania. He earned a full athletic scholarship to West Chester (Pa.) State University and graduated in 1974 with a BA in history and education. In 1983, he received his law degree from Northern Virginia Law School.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Joan Justice Madden and his daughters, Margo Jean and Katherine Lee.

Interviewed for this article: Jimmy Earl, (512) 471-7744; Randy Brown, (260) 482-9502; Vicki Hawarden, (972) 538-1008; Shura Garnett, (636) 669-3000; John Siehl and Steve Peters, (515) 232-5151; Larry Perkins, (919) 861-2300
 

Jennifer Chapin said "I do," to U.S. Navy Commander Judd Krier Aug. 3 on Treasure Island, Calif. The bride is a Senior Manager, Executive Communications, Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems engages fans at venues with products like StadiumVision and StadiumVision Mobile, and was recently named the official network infrastructure supporter of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

The 2013 Women of Influence are Kim Stone, EVP and GM, AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami; Maureen Ginty, EVP Marketing Services and Human Resources, SMG; Adina Erwin, VP and GM, The Fox Theatre, Atlanta

REPORTING FROM NEW ORLEANS — Three outstanding women executives regaled the crowd with sincere thanks and shared experiences as they were officially toasted as Venues Today Women of Influence July 28 during the International Association of Venue Managers convention here.

Representing performing arts, arenas and private management, they come from diverse backgrounds yet share an industry history and willingness to mentor others that inspired the crowd.

Kim Stone, EVP and GM, AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, thanked peers and family for their support and constant willingness to help, saying she has received more calls about her WOI award than the three times her Miami Heat won the National Basketball Association championship.

Maureen Ginty, EVP Marketing Services and Human Resources, SMG, also thanked her executive team for their support. Ginty created the company’s SMG’s proprietary professional education system k’nekt which focuses on customer training and sales and is utilized by nearly every employee at SMG.

Rounding out the group was Adina Erwin, VP and GM, The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, who quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes in her acceptance speech saying, “Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it — but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

Erwin explained that she liked the quote because it defines greatness “not as a destination, but as a journey. And all the women who have received this award today, as well as previously and the ones in the future are all great” because they recognize the patience required to achieve success.

“These women are also resilient and they stay relevant and that passion is extremely important in this industry,” she said. “It’s an ever-changing industry and we have to stay on top of things and these women represent the ability to absorb change and remain constant in who they are and what they believe.”

Erwin thanked her mentors Sporty Jeralds with the University of South Carolina who worked with Erwin at the Charlotte (N.C.) Coliseum, as well as Robin Timothy from the SMG-managed Jacksonville (Fla.) Veterans Memorial Arena “who showed me how to lead like a woman” and who gave Erwin “permission and even empowered” her to ask questions and admit that she doesn’t know everything. Thanks also went to Brad Mayne at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. who worked with Erwin at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Jane Kleinberger from Paciolan, Venues Today’s Publisher Linda Deckard and Erwin's husband and family.

She also took a moment to thank her colleagues at the Fox Theatre, “noting while we are about revenue generation, we’re also there to ensure that the community we live in is strong because we are only as strong as the community we serve. We do mission-driven work at the Fox and it’s a full 360-existence for us."

When Stone took to the stage, she recalled the trauma of her first NBA championship parade just a few months after becoming GM of AmericanAirlines Arena, including the moment she had to push a woman out of the way, hand in face, to slam the door to the arena closed. She describes it as a “peaceful riot” and remembers wondering what she had gotten herself into.

A month later, she attended an IAVM conference for the first time and went to a session on the horrific effects of Hurricane Katrina. Doug Thornton had a picture up showing the high water mark at the Superdome and showed how he was not an inch away from complete and utter disaster. “Being in South Florida, another area hit by hurricanes a lot, I walked out of that and thought what in the world have I gotten myself into?” Stone said of the venue management business.

Six years later, she declares it “the most rewarding, fulfilling and exciting industry to be in as a professional. I’ve had the great opportunity of working with people that are the most caring, compassionate and kind people there are. That’s what gets me up every day to get through these crazy moments.”

Thanking the leaders and staff at AmericanAirlines Arena and The Heat Group, her family that puts up with the weekends and holiday hours, and the vendors who serve AmericanAirlines Arena, Stone also singled out the Florida Facility Management Association, of which she is president this year. “When I was a newbie to the business, they welcomed me with open arms and always answered my emails and phone calls asking what is this, how do you handle that? What do you do about a nightclub in your building? It’s been fantastic.”

Thanks and gratitude was a theme that ran throughout all the acceptance speeches. When Ginty took to the stage, she said, “They say that success has many fathers, and I think it has many fathers and mothers. In my case, the opportunities at SMG in the 22 years I’ve been there are really attributable to (SMG President and CEO) Wes Wesley, whose vision has represented tremendous growth and tremendous opportunity for all of us who believed in it.”

She also thanked her staff who “I can give responsibility to so that I can do other things like development programs, and respond to RFPs and other things that have helped drive our company,” she said. “And I want to thank my coworkers and fabulous management staff — John Bolton (with the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.) and Doug Thornton (with the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans) because they have a vision about how we treat our employees and the company we want to be.”
 

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo didn't have to look far for a new president and chief executive officer. Joel Cowley will lead the 81-year old event, having joined the show in 2005 as the executive director of agricultural competitions and exhibits. Before his time with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Cowley worked for Certified Angus Beef, where he began as executive account manager in the international division and finished as assistant director of the food service division. Before that he spent time at a couple of universities in positions such as lecturer, livestock judging team coach and beef cattle specialist. Cowley holds a bachelor's degree in animal science from Colorado State University, a master's in animal science from Texas A&M University, and an MBA from Michigan State University.

In its first year as the rebranded K-Days, the event saw a 5.6 percent attendance increase, from last year’s 740,339 at the final Edmonton’s Capital Ex to 781,743 in 2013.

“I think it was a lot of different things,” said Jennifer Sheehan, public relations manager at Northlands, the park which hosts K-Days. “The weather always plays a factor. But with this year as the first year for K-Days, we recognize that it’s more than a name; it’s the programming we put into place. So this year we really ramped up the programming.”

K-Days, held July 19-28 in Edmonton, Alberta, started out as Klondike Days, but in 2006, fair officials changed the name to Capital Ex.

“With Klondike Days, what we noticed was that Klondike Days did not resonate with a lot of individuals,” Sheehan said. However, "Capital Ex" also did not resonate. So we gave it to them. We told the community, ‘This is your chance to decide.'"

First, community members could submit nominations to fair officials at Northlands, who then narrowed it down to six choices.

“And the community had the opportunity to vote on what they wanted the festival to be called,” Sheehan said.

About 50,000 votes came in and more than 30,000 of those votes were for K-Days, so it was the clear and decisive winner.

“So the community decided on K-Days,” Sheehan said. “The response was overwhelming.”
Sheehan did not have any figures on the cost to change the name but noted that the facility has an in-house sign-making operation, so that mitigated the cost of changing signage.

North American Midway Entertainment placed 48 rides on the midway, said Scooter Korek, VP of client services, including the new Mach 3 by KMG in Holland that “proved to be very successful.”

NAME was up 12 percent, Korek added, which he attributed to good weather and the fair’s “exceptional programming.”

For gate admission and ride passes, fairgoers had different choices, Sheehan said. For $29.99 Canadian ($29.14 U.S.), fairgoers could purchase a K-Days Pass for admission to the fair every day.

A one-day ticket was $14 Canadian ($13.60) or $10 ($9.72) in advance. For $45 ($43.72), a fairgoer could buy admission and a ride-all-day pass for one day, she added. 

In another change, the fair introduced an outdoor entertainment stage, the Koodonation Stage, sponsored by a cable company.

In addition to standing around the stage to catch the concert, fairgoers also could spend time at the nearby Boardwalk Beach and Beer Garden, which  featured a rib cook-off called Ribfest every evening. The Boardwalk Beach offered the opportunity to play regulation beach volleyball all day into the evening.

“Ribfest wasn’t new but it was in a different location,” Sheehan said. “What we heard was that people wanted things to engage in and take part in. So we partnered with the Edmonton Sport & Social Club and they had their league games on the beach.

That was for one or two days. “The rest of the time, the fairgoers could play.”

Several artists appeared each day. The lineup included, July 19, Joshua Seth, Boogie Wonder Band, Ladies of the Canyon, Burton Cummings; July 20, Joshua Seth, Boogie Wonder Band, By Starlight, Carly Rae Jepsen; July 21, Joshua Seth, Lisa Hewitt, Chad Brownlee, Dallas Smith; Juy 22, Joshua Seth, Jordan Craig, Bryan Finlay, Anami Vice, Down With Webster; July 23, Joshua Seth, Nuela Charles, Politic Live, Kayo, Classified; July 24, Hypnotist Dale K, Blue Moon Swamp, Kaylee Johnston, Dragonette; July 25, Hypnotist Dale K, Blue Moon Swamp, Crystal Shawanda, Colin James; July 26, Hypnotist Dale K, U2 tribute band U4, Arkells, Matt Mays; July 27, Hypnotist Dale K, U4, Cygnets, Platinum Blonde; July 28, Hypnotist Dale K, Klondike Kapers, The Red Cannons and The Tea Party.

K-Days still uses traditional print and broadcast advertising while still making inroads into social media, Sheehan said.

For instance, fairgoers could send in photos of themselves and they would be inserted into the K-Days logo on Facebook and on digital billboards around the city as part of the “See Yourself in the K” promotion, Sheehan said.

“We also had multiple Twitter and Facebook contesting for people to win tickets,” she added. “Basically, our social media put out a tweet that said, ‘Retweet this and enter your name for tickets,’ or ‘Tell us your favorite memory at K-Days.’ Every Tuesday was Ticket Tuesday. There was a different contest on Tuesdays leading up to the fair.”

K-Days also offered fairgoers a mobile app that allowed customers to see the food map as well as height requirements for rides and the musical headliners.

The name and programming changes worked well, as evidenced by the higher attendance, Sheehan said.

“From my perspective, I think it was really well-received,” she said. “That was the name they chose. They were vocal about the fact that they liked the name. If you look on social media, they were pleased with the name and the programming changes we made this year.”

Next year’s dates will be July 18-27. 

Interviewed for this article: Jennifer Sheehan, (780) 471-7303 

A scene from the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo courtesy The Great Bull Run, LLC)

The Great Bull Run will bring a Spanish tradition to the United States, creating the opportunity for Americans to, literally, take the bull by the horns. There is a reason that it has taken bull running so long to come to the U.S. With bulls weighing more than 1,000 pounds— not to mention having impressive horns — there are inherent physical dangers involved in unleashing the massive beasts onto crowds of fleeing participants. Since the Running of the Bulls began in Pamplona, Spain, in 1922, 16 people have died participating in the event — typically from trampling or being gored to death.

The Great Bull Run’s COO Rob Dickens said that the company has taken steps to assure both the 10 participating venues and the runners that this is the safest way to get your Pamplona-style adrenaline fix.

“The main things that we’re concerned about are the safety of the runners and the safety of the bulls,” said Dickens.

With respect to the runners, the quarter-mile course is being designed with nooks that runners can jump into if a bull is hot on their tails. Also, instead of being trapped in the street with no convenient escape, the courses in the U.S. will be constructed with cattle fencing, which people can scale to leave the course.

The Great Bull Run is partnering with a national rodeo company to provide the 24 bulls used in the races, with one set of bulls traveling from the East Coast to the Midwest, and a different set of bulls running in the Western races.

“We’re not using bulls with razor sharp horns, unlike in Spain where they use Spanish fighting bulls whose horns have been sharpened to make it easier for them to gore,” said Dickens. “Rodeo bulls are bigger than Spanish fighting bulls, but not as aggressive.”

“Rodeo bulls might run you over, but they’re not going to try to get you in a corner and gore you,” he added.

The rodeo company, which Dickens declined to disclose due to potential action from animal rights activists, will be responsible for providing the animals, as well as their training and handling.

With respect to the safety of the bulls, The Great Bull Run is only being held on dirt and grass courses, not streets where the animals risk injury or broken bones should they slip. Also, the courses are being designed as straightaways or gentle ovals that the bulls can easily navigate.

“The bulls have been raised, bred and trained as rodeo bulls,” said Dickens. “They’re highly valuable animals, and the last thing we want is for any of them to get hurt.”

There is a veterinarian at the bulls’ ranch who monitors the animals, and The Great Bull Run will partner with a local veterinarian for each event, since they need to be licensed in a particular state in order to practice.

The tomato fight at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, which will be replicated at The Great Bull Run events in the U.S. (Photo courtesy The Great Bull Run, LLC)

So far, 10 dates have been announced, with plans for expansion. The plan is to have the event annually at each of the 10 locations, which span raceways and motorsports parks across the country. Two states, Texas and California, will have two Great Bull Run events, and the series kicks off at Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg, Aug. 24.

“When Rob called me up and said they wanted to try this event, and that they wanted our facility to be the first in America to host it, I was all for it,” said Bryan Pearce, GM at Virginia Motorsports Park. Dickens is also the COO of Rugged Maniac, a 5k obstacle race that currently tours 20 cities each year. Three of the venues for The Great Bull Run have also been used for Rugged Maniac events in the past.

“I already had a working relationship with them and was familiar with them, which was the biggest hurdle to cross,” said Pearce. “I knew they’d follow through on their commitments and promises because they’ve always been very thorough with the execution of Rugged Maniac.”

Dickens said that it was easy to convince venues he had already partnered with to host The Great Bull Run; however, he only had preexisting relationships with three of the facilities. Dickens called the other seven venues a “very hard sell,” but eventually structured straight rental agreements with each of them.

Though The Great Bull Run has made the event as safe as possible, people will still be running next to — or dodging — giant, half-ton animals. That is where Dickens’ background as a lawyer comes in, along with a well-crafted waiver that participants will sign before the run.

“For any dangerous activity, as long as people understand what the risks are before they engage in it and they accept all those risks, then there can be no legal liability for the organizers,” he said. “The risks here are clearly being trampled by a bull or by people, or being gored by a bull, which is what the waiver details.”

He said tickets for all of the events are selling quickly, with the Virginia event nearly sold-out as far as participants in the bull run. There are three runs throughout the day, capped at 1,500 runners each. According to The Great Bull Run website, the first two times for the Aug. 24 date are 95-percent full, with the final 1p.m. run at 80-percent capacity.

“I think the program is great for the adrenaline sports person that wants a unique and different experience, and it has very strong legs to repeat year over year,” said Pearce.

Tickets to participate range from $35-$65 depending on how early people buy. Dickens expects the Virginia event to have about 4,500 runners and another 3,000 spectators and participants in the Tomato Royale.

This isn’t just a track with a few bull runs. The entire event includes a festival with bands, games, food and beer. Concessions, as well as partnerships with any food trucks brought in, are arranged by the individual venues. For those who want to participate in something, but not necessarily run with the bulls, there is a tomato food fight called Tomato Royale.

After the initial event in Virginia, Aug. 24, The Great Bull Run will move across the country through July 12, ending at Hawthorne Race Course in Chicago.

Interviewed for this story: Rob Dickens, rob@thegreatbullrun.com; Bryan Pearce, (804) 216-3172
 

Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre in Englewood, Colo.

A new partnership deal will result in an overdue renovation for a venue that’s considered part of Colorado’s music history and live music landscape.

Museum of Outdoor Arts (MOA) and AEG Live Rocky Mountains recently announced a 15-year partnership of Denver’s Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre beginning with the 2014 concert season and including an extensive renovation this winter. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’ve been thinking of Fiddler’s Green for a long time, and when its contract was up with Live Nation, we saw an opportunity and jumped on it,” said Chuck Morris, president/CEO of AEG Live Rocky Mountain Region. “This venue is ripe for a massive improvement that will bring it into the 21st century.”

What helped seal the deal was that MOA, AEG and Fiddler’s Green representatives were all on the same page in terms of its upgrade and future goals.

“It was clear that our mindset and ideas for the future of Fiddler’s Green were in lockstep with the venue’s museum owners,” said Don Strasburg, VP and senior talent buyer of AEG Live Rocky Mountains. “Everyone saw the opportunities and were thinking to the future in the same way.”

The goal of the renovation, expected to total $5 million, is to update the 25-year-old venue, which has not been improved since being built.

“Because the building has never been upgraded since its creation in 1988, we knew we were looking at investing a significant amount of money,” Strasburg said. “We have ideas in respect to the infrastructure and mechanics as well as addressing the aesthetics of the venue that impact patrons’ experiences.”

The goal of the project is to create a facility that encourages repeat business, while creating an icon in the community.

Fiddler’s Green is an outdoor performing arts venue that remains closed from Oct. 1 through early May, which is when the bulk of the renovations are expected to take place. Advisors and consultants affiliated with AEG are expected to assess the facility to determine the specific improvements that will be made.

According to Strasburg, the renovation will most likely cover three aspects of the venue. The backstage artist’s area is expected to receive a complete overhaul, with the dressing rooms, offices and catering areas being reworked and upgraded. On the operations side, the concessions areas, access points, box office and other public areas will most likely be reconfigured. In addition, the gates and entrances will be evaluated and improved for easier navigation by patrons.

During the renovation, special attention will be given to the aesthetics, with changes being made to the facility’s overall décor.

There also is expected to be more symmetry with MOA, which owns the building.

“It doesn’t make sense that the museum’s knowledge and arts were not brought to bear as part of the venue’s interior,” Strasburg said.

AEG Live Rocky Mountains and its principals have a history of building and restoring venues, including Ogden Theatre and Bluebird Theater in Denver, Gothic Theatre in Englewood and Fox Theatre and Tulagi in Boulder, Colo.

In 2010, the company renovated Broomfield, Colo.’s 1STBANK Center, formerly The Odeum Colorado and The Broomfield Event Center, which was only in its third year of operation at the time.

“The 1STBANK Center had great bones, but we wanted to create more of a club feel,” Morris said. “With Fiddler’s Green, the soul of the place is cold, and we want to change that.”

The renovation team had not been confirmed at press time.

AEG will position the facility for all types of shows and music events for its 2014 summer season.

“We will do good things like Live Nation and House of Blues did before us,” Morris said. “We also are open to other companies bringing in their tours.”

A preopening party is expected to be scheduled in early May to unveil the new facility.

“There will be a lot of work and money spent, so we will do the job properly, even if it takes us more time [to complete renovations past the May opening date],” Strasburg said. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to invest money in creating a new and incredibly well-thought-out amphitheater experience.”

With a seating capacity of 18,000 people, events at Fiddler’s Green bring in more than 200,000 visitors annually. The venue has hosted a number of international performing artists, including the Eagles, B.B. King, Sting, Jimmy Buffett, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Tool and the Who, in addition to holding other events and festivals.

Interviewed for this article: Chuck Morris, (720) 931-3915; Don Strasburg, (720) 931-3915

Hats off to Joel Cowley, recently named president and CEO of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

After eight-and-a-half years as executive director of agricultural competitions and exhibits at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Joel Cowley has been named the 81-year-old show’s president and CEO.

It was an extensive interview process. Cowley said that his initial meeting came back in April, and he continued interviewing for nearly five months before the announcement of his new position, Aug. 5.

It’s been a whirlwind of congratulatory emails, text messages, phone calls, and Linkedin messages ever since.

“I’ve spent probably three hours replying with a simple ‘thank you,’” said Cowley, who said he’s been so busy he hasn’t even had time to officially change offices. “I’ve had so many congratulations. It’s been rather overwhelming.”

Cowley said that though he’s been with the organization so long, he’s still looking at a learning curve for his new position.

“I do know where all the bathrooms are, so that’s helpful,” he joked. “The relationships I’ve established with both the staff and the volunteers will make it easier, but I’m not sure it makes it easy since this is a very complex organization.”

He takes over for interim president and CEO Leroy Shafer, who will move back to his position of VP and COO and will train Cowley on how to run the Show.

“It’s hard to imagine a Show without Shafe,’” said Cowley. “He’s been here 40 years and is pretty well-ingrained, so I have an excellent teacher.”

Shafer was on the selection committee for the new president of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He said that there was an international search to find the right person to take over the Show, but that the committee chose the best candidate for the job.

“Joel’s strong ties to the organization’s agricultural roots, coupled with his leadership abilities, makes for an excellent president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” Shafer said in a statement.

Cowley’s agricultural roots not only are what brought him to the Show, but also where he learned confidence and practical skills as an 11-year 4-H member in Wyoming and Colorado. Cowley lost his parents young, and he and his two brothers were being raised by his paternal grandparents by the time Cowley was 9 years old.

“My grandfather, at the time of his death, had been a 4-H leader for 46 years, and he immediately got my brothers and I involved in the program,” said Cowley. “Truly that’s where I developed confidence.”

“I look back on my life and pretty much everything good that’s happened to me has stemmed from that early experience in 4-H and livestock,” he added. The experience has made Cowley very passionate in developing youth and contributing to their educational goals.

The show’s total payouts in scholarships, grants, auction premiums and show ring premiums add up to around $24 million this year. Cowley said that one of the things he looks most forward to at the Show each year is meeting the scholarship recipients, especially those who may not have been able to attend without the four-year, $18,000-scholarship.

Cowley was involved in educating youth while he pursued graduate degrees, earning his master’s in animal science from Texas A&M University and his MBA from Michigan State University. While in Texas, Cowley coached a livestock judging team where youth learn how to evaluate and rank different species of animals. Because he was fewer than two years older than some of his students, he had to learn how to establish professional distance and maintain respect from his peers.

At Michigan State University, Cowley assisted livestock producers in managing their operations more efficiently, both from a production standpoint and a financial analysis standpoint. He also edited a newsletter that went out to 4,000 people.

“The big thing I developed there was the skill to take complex information and boil it down so that others could use it,” he said.

Cowley also worked for Certified Angus Beef, where he began as executive account manager in the international division and finished as assistant director of the food service division.

“The interesting thing about Certified Angus Beef is that people probably don’t understand that it’s a charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit where the mission is to increase the demand for Angus cattle and Angus beef,” explained Cowley. “To grow the company, really, they rely on others to embrace the mission and quality of the brand, which is really very similar to the volunteer relationship at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.”

“We really rely on volunteers to buy into the mission of the show, which they do wholeheartedly,” Cowley continued, adding that there are around 28,000 volunteers at the Show each year.

For his first year as president and CEO, Cowley said that his main focus is going to be to watch and learn. Most of the planning for the March 4-23 event is complete.

“I would anticipate that my role will be less operational and more meetings and events, but it’s hard to tell until I actually get through a show,” said Cowley. “It’s my intent to observe and learn, and wherever I can just encourage everyone to make the experience of coming to and working at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo the best it can be.”

“If our staff and volunteers are having a great experience, then our guests will have a great experience, too,” added Cowley. “You just sense the enthusiasm when you come on the grounds.”

Interviewed for this story: Joel Cowley and Leroy Shafer, (832) 667-1057
 

Scenes from the Men's Individual Finals on the last day of the CrossFit Games, July 28, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. (Photo courtesy of CrossFit Games)

The CrossFit Games are known as the forum for the crowning of the world’s fittest man and woman, but after this year’s record run, they might have helped their host site earn a new moniker — world’s fittest venue.

“They literally used the entire campus for this event and really put all of our facilities to the test,” said Katie Pandolfo, GM of StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., which hosted the six-day CrossFit Games July 24-28. Located on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills, StubHub Center is a multivenue U.S. Olympic training facility. Pandolfo said that despite the demands made on the facility — three separate, concurrently running events during the three-day finale in front of 50,000 total fans — StubHub Center performed well without any major glitches.

“This was the first time they used the entire campus, but we look at it as a natural progression,” said Pandolfo. “The attendance and popularity continue to grow every year. It’s incredible how many people want to see these events.”

The CrossFit Games are the final leg of a multipronged competition that begins with over 138,000 amateur and professional athletes vying for a spot in one of 17 regional competitions for fittest individual, team and Masters' division (age 40 and up). CrossFit was founded in 2000 by Greg Glassman and has turned into a global movement with over 7,000 gyms operating under the CrossFit moniker (at this time last year there were 4,200 affiliates). The CrossFit Games incorporate the movements and Olympic lifts used at CrossFit gyms to train everyone from amateur exercise enthusiasts to elite athletes and military special forces.

This year’s CrossFit Games marks the fourth time the event has come to the StubHub Center, and the first time the 26,000-person-capacity stadium was used for one of the spectator events.

“The soccer stadium allowed us to get more fans closer to the action,” said Justin Bergh, GM of the CrossFit Games, who brought in Jumbotrons and additional sound for the events.

Also for the first time, the CrossFit Games utilized StubHub Center’s Velodrome for a rowing competition, which had individuals complete a staggering 21-kilometer row on machines. StubHub Center’s track was used for an event called Pullgatory, where Masters competitors had to pull an ultraheavy weighted sled down one-third the length of the field, rotated in between a series of overhead lifts, burpees and sprinting.

The individual and team finals took place in StubHub Center’s 10,000-capacity Tennis Stadium with athletes attempting everything from handstand push-ups to 90-foot walking lunges holding a 160-lb bar over their heads.

“They even had an event where they ran up and down our berm,” said Katie Pandolfo, referring to the large grass area above the stadium’s supporter section.

Capping off the event was a 100-vendor retail village anchored by shoemaker Reebok, who in 2012 ponied up a $1 million purse to serve as the official sponsor of the CrossFit Games. Bergh said the retail village was 10 times the square footage of last year’s more cramped vendor village, and included a 60,000-sq.-ft. beer garden with air conditioning and a Jumbotron with live feeds of competition, along with an additional 10,000 sq. ft. of shaded space.

The CrossFit Games averaged about 15,000-17,000 people per day over the busy weekend portion of the event, although only 10,000 had a Gold Ticket (retailing at $150) which gave them access to the Tennis Stadium and the final events. When the first allotment of tickets — about 6,000 — was put on sale in May, they sold out in 17 minutes.

The CrossFit Games' deal with StubHub Center is a straight rental agreement with a commitment through 2015. The Games are organized and managed by what Bergh describes as a small “skeleton crew” based in Scotts Valley, Calif. CrossFit also produces its own media content, including 13 episodes covering the games, set to be aired in the fall on ESPN. Full live coverage of the games was available on CrossFit’s website, including partial coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN3.

In 2013, CrossFit held 23 live events including regional competitions at venues like Del Mar (Calif.) Fairgrounds, Showare Center in Kent, Wash., Ballerup Super Arena in Denmark, Palm Beach (Fla.) County Convention Center, Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio and Chicago’s Navy Pier.

“We’re looking for midrange arenas that are eager to work with us and we are picking our facilities between 10 and 12 months out,” Bergh said, noting that the biggest concern is typically concessions. Many CrossFitters adhere to specialized diets and “food and concessions are very important for us and our health-conscious crowds. We want to ensure that there are plenty of healthy options available and that some of our food vendors also have the chance to participate.”

Bergh said the other large growth vehicle is the CrossFit Open, where any athlete in the world can pay $20 for the chance to qualify for a spot at one of the 17 regional competitions. Over five weeks, CrossFit releases a new competitive workout each Wednesday and athletes attempt to earn a place on a global leaderboard by either videotaping themselves doing the workout, or participating in a CrossFit-affiliated gym. The Open is a big moneymaker for CrossFit — in 2012, over 60,000 competitors participated in the Open and in 2013, over 130,000 athletes registered for the five-week completion.

“We think by next year, we might have a quarter-million people from around the world participate in the Open,” Bergh said.

Crown Coliseum at Crown Center, Fayetteville, N.C.

Global Spectrum has been selected to manage the four venues that make up Crown Center, Fayetteville, N.C., effective Oct. 1.

The complex includes the 10,000-seat Crown Coliseum, home to the FireAntz of the Southern Hockey League; 10,000-sq.-ft. Crown Expo Center; 5,000-seat Crown Arena; and 2,400-seat Crown Theater. The latter two share a common lobby. The coliseum and expo center are one distinct venue, opened in 1997, with a 9,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, and the arena and theater, opened in 1967, are another. All the venues share a parking lot.

Frank Russo, SVP, Global Spectrum, sees potential for considerable improvement in the bottom line for Crown Center. “One of the first areas of improvement will be to get more people to FireAntz games,” he said, adding that the team currently draws about 2,000 per game, 26 games a year. Global Spectrum will help the local ownership group sell commercial rights, taking the cost of sales off the top, and will cross-market the team with other coliseum events.

The Civic Center County Commission, chaired by George Turner, first commissioned an independent benchmark study conducted by Charlie Johnson, Johnson Consulting. Turner wanted an outside look at the situation in Fayetteville before deciding whether private management was a good option.

Costs have been rising steadily, to a point that the Crown Center spent $3 million more than it took in in 2012, Turner said. Johnson did a 10-year study and the results revealed it was probably best to seek RFPs for private management.

The whole process has taken about a year, Turner said. He has been on the commission for six years and every year, the problems and issues were the same, so this year, “I went fishing. We didn’t really know where we were headed,” Turner added. “The employees were working at 100 percent. No one has made a mistake. But we needed to see what we could do.”

The deal is still being negotiated, but it is basically a straight management fee with an incentive for increasing revenues, Russo said. Crown Center lost $2.98 million in operating costs in 2012. Operating revenues in 2012 were $2.466 million. Centerplate has the food contract and Ticketmaster is the ticketing company.

Bidders for the management contract were not asked to provide a budget, but rather a formula for improvement, Russo said. SMG and VenuWorks also bid on the account.

The deal is a typical IRS-regulated contract, for five years with an option at three.

Staffing is to be determined, but Global Spectrum does everything reasonable to retain current staff, Russo said. Global Spectrum execs Doug Higgons and Lane Miller presented the company policy as it regards staffing, using their own experiences of taking public buildings private in other cities as the example of what would happen in Fayetteville. “They did a nice job,” Russo said.

Global Spectrum will also invest $150,000 in venue improvements, concentrating on those to-be-determined items that will generate a fast return. Russo said they have identified a need to sell more suites and club seats for the hockey team and that will probably be an area of investment.

Fayetteville is surrounded by privately-managed venues, though it has always been publicly run, Russo noted. The Civic Center Commission visited neighboring Global Spectrum-run venues in Roanoke, Va., and Augusta, Ga., to see “what it was like to be global-ized,” Russo said of the Augusta Entertainment Complex run by Monty Jones Jr. and the Roanoke Civic Center run by Robin Schon. Both are success stories. “We try to personalize it as much as we can,” Russo said of the bidding process.

“It’s a nice building to have. We’ve had our eye on it a long time,” Russo said.

Turner hopes that after 10 years of looking at rising costs, private management will make a difference in the bottom line. He agreed they are surrounded by privately-managed venues, including their nearest competition, Florence (S.C.) Civic Center, which is managed by SMG.

“Turn left, you go to Florence, turn right you go to Fayetteville. That’s our competition,” Turner said. He’s hoping they turn right more often in the future.

Interviewed for this story: Frank Russo, (860) 657-0634; George Turner, (910) 221-4095
 

Jack Freeman

The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio has filled three key positions in anticipation of its September 2014 opening. John "Jack" Freeman will serve as the venue's director of Facility Operations, with Aren Murray joining as director of Ticketing and TOBi Services, and Aaron L. Zimmerman coming on board as director of Booking and Programming. Freeman brings more than 30 years of experience to his new role, including working in Hartford, Conn. with Bushnell Management Services, and with Madison Square Garden - Connecticut. 

                                                                                Aren Murray

Murray has spent the last 13 years managing ticketing at Texas A&M University, overseeing more than 250 events each year. In addition to her ticketing responsibilities at The Tobin Center, Murray will utilize its proprietary TOBi ticketing and customer resource management system. She is also a board member of INTIX.

Zimmerman comes to The Tobin Center from BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., where he served as executive director for Event Programming. 

Aaron Zimmerman

He has also served as booking consultant for Westchester Media in White Plains, N.Y., director of programming for the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, and director of programming for the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The Tobin Center, owned and operated by the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation, will feature the 1,750-capacity H-E-B Performance Hall, a 230-seat Studio Theater, and a 600-capacity outdoor performance plaza. 

REPORTING FROM NEW ORLEANS — Transparency and keeping good relationships with agents and promoters continue to be the best ways to attract shows to a venue, explained participants in the Agency Panel during the International Association of Venue Managers VenueConnect here, July 26-30.

Moderated by Billboard’s Ray Waddell, the panel included agent Darin Murphy from Creative Artists Agency who said in-person visits to his Nashville office are still the best way to stay on his radar.

“You can’t beat the personal relationship; it’s always good to stop in and say hello,” said Murphy, who then emphasized the importance of maintaining the relationship after the initial meeting. “A lot of buildings do a great job via email staying in touch with us and relaying what’s going on. Information is key and I want to know what is working in your market so that I can make a case to the artist and management about why they should play your building.”

It’s a combination of relationship-building and being honest about what is and what isn’t working in a market, said Murphy.

“And if we can't see you this time, we’ll come see you next time,” he said.

It’s standard advice from a panel of industry icons that included agents asking for unfiltered reporting and promoters asking buildings to put more skin in the game.

“Be willing to do something creative to get the show,” said Darin Lashinsky from buyer National Shows 2. “If a building emails us with their avails, and then tells us they’re not willing to take any risks on the show, they’re not being very helpful.”

Lashinsky said he prefers to work with venues that will do co-promotes, or help pony up the artist guarantee. And if he’s promoting a show that’s in his own backyard of Nashville, he expects marketing support from the building staff.

From a marketing standpoint, “the most valuable thing a venue can do is give us a one-sheet that details all of their marketing assets available to promote my show,” he said. “We can use that to push other venues for help and tell them ‘you’re in the market, you should be able to figure this out for us.’"

Lashinsky said his staff always gets involved with promoting shows on social media, but he prefers to piggy-back those efforts off the venues own campaigns. Randy McElrath, VP of Booking for Live Nation’s Houston office, said his company also “leans heavily on the venues, especially if they have a good sponsored site with a sports team” or other local partnerships that have a big online following.

“And on show night, we will have interns sit in the venue and tweet ‘here is the shortest line for beers,’ or ‘these restrooms are now open,’” he said. The idea is to create a real-time communication channel with fans that can occur concurrently with the concert.

“And the tweets are coming from real human beings and not automatons?” asked Waddell.

“Well, it depends on what you think of interns, I suppose,” McElrath joked in response.

While much of the panel focused on the needs and concerns of agents and promoters, Waddell did relay a concern he said he’s heard from many venues — the number of holds that never turn into shows.

“A lot of venues are telling me that these holds are really starting to stack up,” and becoming a big liability, especially when large numbers of shows never materialize, said Waddell. “So what exactly is a strong hold versus a weak hold?”

CAA’s Murphy responded that the nature of today’s touring business means that routing is very preliminary and changes several times up until the announce date.

“I usually like to ask people to please hold something for us, but if they need the date, we’ll work with you,” he said. “There’s no strong hold versus soft hold — it either looks good or it doesn’t, but if you say you’re going to hold it, then hold it and call me if something comes up and we can vet it out one-on-one.”

Ryan Jones with William Morris Endeavor said one of the reasons holds have gotten so far ahead of the actual show date is because artists are increasingly going on sale one year to six months before the show date. Lashinsky followed up, saying the big gap between on-sales and show dates is typically done to coincide with a national promotion, whether it's an artist's new album, appearance on a show like The Voice or a visit to a late night program like Jimmy Fallon.

“It costs so much to market a national tour that it makes sense to piggyback the on-sale with a promotional push,” he said. “That way, we can spend the remainder of our time with our own marketing department deciding how much further we can stretch it out and add to the budget to get us to the end.”

McElrath agreed, adding “trying to re-create the buzz of a national break is really difficult. If you miss the bus, it's hard to re-create that excitement.” 

Interviewed for this article: Darin Murphy, (615) 383-8787; Darin Lashinsky, (615) 242-3323; Randy McElrath, (713) 693-8600; Ryan Jones, (310) 285-8000; Ray Waddell,  (615) 321-4245

Local pro and X Games competitor Chase Hawk of Austin, Texas sails a 360 tabletop during the finals of the Texas Toast Jam, an annual BMX contest (Photo courtesy of ESPN)

For the past 11 years, the X Games have been a staple of summer in Los Angeles. But in 2014 the extreme sports event will head to the heart of Texas.

X Games' producers ESPN announced that Texas' state capital Austin has been selected to replace Los Angeles as its new North American home. The action sport event, which includes motocross, car racing, skateboarding and biking competitions, will be held May 15-18. In the past, its summer X Games have been scheduled for early August, but Texas' hot summer weather forced the change.

Austin's new motor racing facility Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will play host to all the X Games' competitions as well as concerts that supplement the event.

“As soon as we heard the event was looking for a new home and that it would be a competitive process, we felt we'd have an excellent chance,” said COTA's chairman and founding partner Bobby Epstein. “We've got the most unique multipurpose sports and entertainment venue in the world."

COTA, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Austin, opened its doors last November. The 1,60-acre facility held the only Formula One race in the United States, the U.S. Grand Prix, drawing 260,000 fans.

Austin was picked for the X Games in an Olympic-style selection process. Of 13 qualified bids, the decision came down to Austin, Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte, N.C.

“It can become a more efficient event with Circuit of the Americas,” said Tori Stevens, ESPN's Vice President of X Games Events & Business development. “There's also a lot of room for growth there. One of the things we love about Austin is the young, vibrant culture and music scene.”

Epstein said COTA gave Austin several advantages over other cities and their predecessor in being able to hold all the events in one place, which makes it easier for ESPN's broadcast and setup.

“We have a brand new state-of-the-art media center that's used to broadcast Formula One to over 100 countries and host 600 media members with the latest broadcast technology,” Epstein said. “It's very easy for ESPN to come in and utilize the existing infrastructure. There's probably some cost savings there for them.”

The facility has a 3.4-mile race track with 20 turns, a 25-story observation tower, a pit/paddock building with 34 garage bays and two upper levels of hospitality space, and a 44,000-sq.-ft. event center.

It also features an amphitheater that holds as many as 14,000 for a concert event. There are 5,240 permanent reserved seats and 1,700 seats can be configured on the stage-front floor. Standing room makes for another 2,300 concert-goers and general admission spots are on a grassy area behind the reserved seats.

“The part of the campus where this is going to take place was specifically designed to host festivals and large crowds,” Epstein said. “I think it's unique in that sense compared to a typical stadium experience.”

On July 23, 2012, COTA officially entered a booking agreement with Live Nation to bring major acts to the racing facility's concert stage, the Austin360 Amphitheater. In April 2013, country artist Kenny Chesney played the first concert.

The concert venue will be busy during the X Games, which looks to create a “festival-like” atmosphere. At the 2013 X Games in Los Angeles, rock band Linkin Park played the opening concert and a DJ was on hand throughout.

“I think we'll be able to grow into the vision of what we've wanted it to be,” Stevens said. “We like the combination of being able to bring in big headliners to cap off the day after the events. We'll also have room for other music stages on site. We attract all types of people, from the young crowd to family crowd to the 18-34 males, so we want something there for everyone.”

The World Wide Leader in Sports hasn't given its exact reason for X Games leaving Los Angeles. Attendances have been on the rise since 2005, but have not reached the same level as in the late 1990s, when events drew as many as 268,000 fans. In 2012, ESPN announced 144,000.

“From an attendance standpoint, there's a lot of potential,” Stevens said. “With the way COTA is set up, we think we can seat more people for each event. We're also thinking about a general admission ticket where people can come in and spend the day and sample a little bit of everything.”

Epstein wouldn't put a number on COTA's expectations, but said he believes they can out-draw Los Angeles – largely resulting of all the events being held in one place, but also because of Austin's culture.

“I don't think the X Games are a conformist event and I don't think Austin is either,” he said. “That may be one of the strongest correlations.”

ESPN hopes the move will continue to advance their goals in attracting new audiences to the TV and to Austin.

“Looking at the marketplace and viewing patterns, we want to ensure that we're continuing to bring in young audiences,” Stevens said. “Another thing is the global appeal of X Games. In action sports, it's incredible how many up-and-comers we have around the world, we can take those and help build the brand globally.”

Interviewed for this story: Bobby Epstein (512)301-6600; Tori Stevens (310) 642-1509
 

Bruno Mars plays 93.3 FLZ's Jingle Ball at the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times Forum.

Bruno Mars placed in two capacity categories on this week's chart. His two Staples Center shows in Los Angeles grossed a combined $2,734,648. Tickets for the July 27-28 dates ranged $39.50-$129.50. The highest ticket price was much lower at Mars' Aug. 5-6 dates at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. A top ticket price of $79.50 led to a gross of just over $1 million for his two shows. Tonight, Aug. 14, Mars plays a sold-out show at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. His next performance, Aug. 15 at Toyota Center in Houston, is another sellout. Next, Mars heads to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 17, and KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., Aug. 18.

Kenny Chesney also appears twice on this week's Hot Tickets chart. He had a huge, $3-million date at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, where nearly 48,000 fans came to watch the country star. The ticket range for the July 20 performance was $26.50-$225. Chesney's July 24 show at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., grossed nearly $700,000 with more than 11,000 attendees. Ticket prices for the Fresno show reached up to $79.50. Chesney's tour is promoted by The Messina Group. Next, Chesney plays Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto on Aug. 15, before heading back to the states to play at Ford Field in Detriot, Aug. 17.


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 July 17-Aug. 14.

Jennifer Forkish (Photo by Erik Kabik)

Insomniac has appointed Jennifer Forkish to the newly created position of VP of Communications and Public Affairs. In addition to her communications and PR responsibilities, Forkish will also act as Insomniac's chief in-house advisor and lobbyist on political matters. Most recently, Forkish served as vice president of communications and public affairs firm Englander Knabe & Allen, where she worked closely with Insomniac over the last three years. She has served as a political advisor for several national and California-based trade associations, including the California Grocers Association. Forkish has also worked on political campaigns, including serving as communications director for former Los Angeles City Councilmember Dennis Zine. Forkish earned her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Arizona.