IAVM Legend Dubay To Retire
Lionel Dubay Lionel J. Dubay, AVP, business services division at the University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, has announced that he will retire July 6. Dubay came to UF in 1985 as the director of the...
View ArticleTALKING POINTS
SARAH CUMMINGS GENERAL MANAGER, COLORADO STATE FAIR, PUEBLO HOMETOWN: Penngrove, Calif. UNIVERSITY: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: As a teenager I...
View ArticleFROM THE EDITOR
When Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, referred to the 146-year-old tradition known as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as a “town without a zip code,” he referred to a much bigger...
View ArticleON TERROR WATCH
In the wake of the spate of terror incidents in the U.K. and Europe, including the Manchester attack that directly impacted our industry, venue operators and sports and entertainment producers around...
View ArticleUPSCALE EATS ATTRACT
One of the biggest amenities in venue VIP areas is the food, which arguably can make or break the overall experience, as expectations tend to be high. While buffets with a larger selection of dishes...
View ArticleTHINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
For a 1923 building, there are limitations that must be worked around in order to create premium spaces. During three years of renovations, Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, N.Y., set a new standard...
View ArticleBrooks To Play 1st Mercedes-Benz Stadium Concert
Garth Brooks will play the first-ever concert at Atlanta's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Minutes ago, Garth Brooks announced on his Facebook page that he will play the first-ever concert at Atlanta’s new...
View ArticleVenuesNow Announces Speakers
VenuesNow has announced the A-list speakers at its inaugural conference, July 12-14,to be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif. A veritable “who’s who” of the most influential and...
View ArticleVIP AMENITIES EVOLVE
Dallas’ American Airlines Center is a testament to what is happening in venues’ premium areas these days. Undergoing two renovations in the last four years, the arena overhauled its suites to create...
View ArticleSun-Soaked And Fan-Filled
Florida had a rebound year in 2016 after a disappointing 2015. The venues on our Top Stops chart were up seven percent for the year, going from $192 million in reported gross ticket sales to $207...
View ArticleFREE-FOR-ALL BEACH ADVENTURE
Amalie Arena had a free event in 2016 called The Beach Tampa. The unique art-installment event saw a beach come to downtown Tampa. Created by Snarkitecture, The Beach Tampa was a 15,000 square foot...
View ArticlePEMBROKE PINES CENTER FILLS A NEED
Charles F. Dodge Center, Pembroke, Fla., a $56 million brand new multi-use facility and civic center opened this spring. The 175,000-sq.-ft., four story, venue has retractable seating and a great hall...
View ArticleNEW TEAMS, NEW NAME
RP Funding Center, Lakeland, which was known as Lakeland Civic Center for the past 20 years, got its new name the second week in May. Anthony Camarillo, GM, said that the switch is still taking place,...
View ArticleFRESH START FOR UNIVERSITY VENUE
2016 was a monumental year at Steven C. O’Connell Center, on the campus of University of Florida, Gainesville, despite the venue not being opened for most of it.“We shut down for a $65-million...
View ArticleNEW FANS EMBRACE NEW DAILY’S PLACE
Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Fla., was built to fill a hole in the concert space in the Northeastern Florida market. Attached to Jacksonville Jaguars’ Everbank Field, the new 5,500-capacity...
View ArticleTBEP TAKES ON SUN DOME
The management at USF Sun Dome, Tampa, is changing. Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties (TBEP), an offshoot of Tampa Bay Sports and Entrainment (TBSE), is taking over July 1 from Spectra. TBSE is the...
View ArticleSMG 40TH ANNIVERSARY
After 40 years of privatizing management of public assembly facilities, from the original Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to the latest, Shenzhen (China) World Exhibition & Convention...
View ArticleSMG’S DNA SCREAMS HOSPITALITY
Everyone at SMG, a firm that has matured and defined an industry that privately manages publicly-owned venues, from the CEO to the front lines at venues around the world, preaches hospitality and...
View ArticleSMG EUROPE IS ON A ROLL
International growth is at the forefront of SMG’s future plans. In June 2017, SMG announced management of what will become the largest convention center in the world, Shenzhen (China) World Exhibition...
View ArticleLOCAL FLAVOR AND FLAIR DRIVES SAVOR
SMG’s dedicated food division, Savor, has its roots in serving management client’s needs, most specifically when San Francisco city officials asked SMG to take over food and beverage at Moscone...
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