Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Mich., wrapped in a red ribbon.
Rather than resting on his laurels of 18 years, Richard MacKeigan is determined to continue shattering the many misconceptions of Grand Rapids, Mich. As general manager of the city’s Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place, he set the bar high in 2016.
Coinciding with the arena’s 20th anniversary were a number of record-breaking events for the arena, including Garth Brooks for most tickets sold for a single engagement, Paul McCartney for gross ticket sales for a single event, and Kanye West bringing in one of the biggest productions in the venue’s history. The arena also hosted more than 30 concerts this past year, its highest number since MacKeigan took over bookings and a 30 percent increase over its average.
The result? These bookings have led the SMG-managed venue to its best fiscal performance in history.
The fiscal year 2016 was a new high water mark for both total revenues and bottom line of the facilities collectively. Revenues have increased the last couple years, with a minimal increase in overall expenses. Total revenues in the fiscal year 2016 for both venues, including the performance hall, was $13,230,701, compared with $11,876,188 in 2015 and $10,683,672 in 2014, almost a 24 percent increase. Total expenses rose less than 4 percent during this period.
For these impressive accomplishments, which basically put Grand Rapids on the map, MacKeigan has been selected as this year’s Venues Today Hall of Headlines award winner for Bookings.
“We’ve had a tremendous year,” said MacKeigan, who attributes his successes to engaging the local community as well as the industry.
There have been times MacKeigan has questioned whether he should maintain control over the arena’s booking operations, but he’s convinced this part of the business suits his skill-set well. More importantly, it’s something he has been involved in for 25 years starting from his days as event coordinator at Miami Arena, marketing and PR coordinator at Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium and booking manager and director of marketing at Ottawa, Ontario’s Corel Centre.
“Rich truly knows his market and what will and won’t work,” said Charlie Goldstone, president of Madison, Wis.-based Frank Productions, who has done business with MacKeigan for the last six years. “He has put together a top-notch team, so whenever we go in, we’re successful.”
MacKeigan also considers Michael and Jules Belkin at Live Nation Cleveland key business partners.
“Although Grand Rapids was always well populated, it wasn’t a big stop until the arena was built; that’s when the market exploded,” said Michael Belkin, Live Nation Cleveland’s vice president. “Rich was there from day one to encourage everyone to participate and, as a result Van Andel has been a gold mine of activity.”
For MacKeigan, establishing a mutual trust and respect with his industry partners is not something he takes lightly. It’s his passion for the industry, and the booking side in particular, that he attributes to part of the venue’s success.
Doug Thornton, SMG executive vice president, has worked closely with MacKeigan the last several years and considers him a very professional, class individual with a buttoned-up approach.
“He is a great performer for us and has done an outstanding job leading the effort with that account,” said Thornton. “Rich has developed a fantastic relationship with the city and Convention Authority, and he has served as the anchor in that market.”
As the dollars and exposure for business partners continues to grow, so do the trust and reliability needs, which MacKeigan continues to foster by attracting the biggest names in the entertainment industry to Grand Rapids.
“People were skeptical of the arena 20 years ago, but now even its strongest advocates can’t get over the success we’ve had,” he said. “Paul McCartney is just one indication of this.”