OVG_092623
Vice President, Project Management, Global Venue Development, Oak View Group
Ryan Zrenda says the excitement of being part of a new venue development rivals that of being in the game itself.
“I have the same feelings when we open a new building to the public for the first time, as I did when I was playing baseball in front of 10,000 fans,” says Zrenda, who was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles after graduating college. “That feeling never gets old and it’s why I truly enjoy the industry I work in every day.”
With 12 years in real estate development, Zrenda began in the venue business as an owner’s representative to Oak View Group, developer of UBS Arena in New York and parent company to VenuesNow.
“As a young, aspiring sports and entertainment development professional, it was a tremendous opportunity to work on a $1B+ development and learn from some of the best experts in the field,” says Zrenda, who joined OVG in September 2022. “A project of that magnitude takes 5+ years from a planning to execution perspective and that came at a very formidable time for me early in my career.”
In his current role as vice president of global venue development and project management, Zrenda says it’s important to be well versed in multiple aspects of complicated projects, and to be ready to learn and adapt.
“I have learned the most from experienced leaders on the project site, and there is rarely a day in our part of the business when you do not learn something new,” he said. “Soak it all in, ask a lot of questions, and learn about how disputes are managed and solved quickly. Lastly, do not forget to look around at the buildings and the experiences you are creating. It’s a lot of work, but there is nothing more rewarding than opening these buildings for the first event.”
To that end, he says, as part of the NextGen class, that while relative youth has advantages and disadvantages, the important thing is to learn from others and work together. He credits his older brother, Kevin, as an inspiration as someone to aspire toward as well as a selfless and hardworking individual.
“Our generation is technologically savvy, but there is so much to learn from the experience of those who have revolutionized the way stadiums and arenas are built,” he said. “In the end, I would say that my generation’s advantage is having inspirational leaders to learn from, while having the ability to apply new technology and approaches to expand the capabilities of our business.”
