FROM THE EDITOR
You can give your opinion, but they’re going to do what they want to do. That’s life in corporate America for venue operations and engineering directors. Everyone is fighting for a seat at the table,...
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TALKING POINTS
TODD HUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BANCORP SOUTH ARENA AND CONFERENCE CENTER CURRENT CITY: Tupelo, Miss. HOMETOWN: Starkville, Miss. UNIVERSITY: Mississippi State University, Starkville. FIRST JOB IN THE...
View ArticleRandy Phillips: President and CEO of LiveStyle (formerly SFX)
News broke last fall that Randy Phillips would helm beleaguered electronic music juggernaut SFX Entertainment, and ever since the industry has been waiting to see how and if Phillips, as...
View ArticleTHE VENUE CHEERLEADER
It’s not usual that a Gen Next nominee gets a celebrity endorsement, but John Ciolfi, 30, is not your everyday venue marketing manager. With celebrity friends in his corner, it’s no wonder that John...
View ArticleGENERATION NEXT 2017 AWARDS
Two of our 2017 Generation Next winners are also second-generation venue management pros. In 2002, Venues Today published an article titled Boomerang Babies, featuring sons and daughters of fathers...
View ArticleA PASSION FOR THE INDUSTRY
A strong work ethic, making people feel special and going the extra mile all make Lucy Albers a wonderful employee and coworker. “The combination of her creativity, attention to detail and her strong...
View ArticleTHE KING OF CHANGE
Jordan Silberman is on the fast track to becoming a GM and his secret sauce is being flexible and willing to take on any challenge. The current VP of operations at Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.,...
View ArticleTHE COMPANY MAN
Michael Sulkes is a company man. Solid and steady, he’s not the kind of guy who abandons the ship for the latest and greatest opportunity; he’s content to stick to what he knows and with the people he...
View ArticleOUTSIDER TURNED INSIDER
Brian Chia got his work ethic from his grandparents, who lost everything when the Japanese invaded Singapore during World War II.“My grandparents had to rebuild their lives after the war,” said Chia....
View ArticleSPRINT CENTER REFLECTS KANSAS CITY’S GROWTH
There was probably no better test for Kansas City, Mo.’s Sprint Center than bringing country legend Garth Brooks out of retirement for nine sold-out shows the month following its opening 10 years ago....
View ArticleCOUNTRY IS KING, OF COURSE
Venues in the Deep South have seen huge financial gains, with many arenas logging millions more in gross sales in the last 12 months compared to 2015. Revenue drivers include family shows, throwback...
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TICKETING SOLUTIONS, DEEP SOUTH STYLE
Like all box office managers do, Mark Arata, box office manager, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, wants tickets to get into the hands of real fans.“It gets very hard because we are a destination city...
View ArticleOrlando Bowl Gets Familiar Sponsor
Camping World, Orlando, Fla., ready for football. The annual NCAA college football bowl game played in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium will now have a fitting sponsor: Camping World. Camping World has...
View ArticleDIVERSITY DRIVES THE MID-ATLANTIC
It was a good year for venues in the Mid-Atlantic. Based on Venues Today’s Top Stops chart, the region rocked its way up $54 million in 2016, going from $522 million in gross sales in 2015, to $575...
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Pistons Play Last Game at The Palace
The exterior of the Palace at Aubern Hills, Mich. (Photo credit: Detroit Pistons file photos) When a National Basketball Association team leaves its home arena for another, it’s as sentimental as a...
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SWEATY FLOORS, FASTER CHANGEOVERS
REPORTING FROM NASHVILLE — When operations and engineering professionals gather to discuss everything venue-related, it gets very practical very quickly. Such was the case at the third annual Venue...
View ArticleTHEATER SHOWS FLOURISHING
The number of new and returning family shows in the soft-seat theater world is on the rise, with a major new hit predicted in Shopkins Live! On the arena front, the loss of Ringling Bros. and Barnum...
View ArticleASK RUSS
It is a rewarding and satisfying feeling to stand in the back of the room and witness your vision come to life. That is the experience I enjoyed at this year’s Venue Operations Summit in Nashville....
View ArticleBRINGING MOVIES TO LIVE
The newest bucket in the family show business is turning your favorite movies into a live experience. And CineConcerts has one of the hottest properties going — the Harry Potter Film Concert...
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