Author: Don Muret

Mentoring Program Grooms Construction Managers

Mentoring Program Grooms Construction Managers

Posted by | Feb 11, 2020 | , ,

Students in the ACE Mentor Program of America tour the Levi’s Stadium construction site in Santa Clara, Calif., before it opened in 2014. (Courtesy ACE) Since its start in 1995, ACE has introduced high schoolers to potential careers Sports and entertainment venue construction, like most sectors in the building industry, has struggled over the past several years to meet the demand for qualified workers. The severe shortage in skilled labor dates to the Great Recession. It started when thousands of blue-collar workers left to pursue other jobs and never returned to construction, said general contractors, architects and others developing arenas, stadiums and convention centers.  Apart from skilled labor, fewer experienced construction managers are entering the market to oversee the development of public assembly facilities, said Steve Hofmeister, a managing principal with Thornton Tomasetti and co-leader of its structural engineering practice.  “There’s no shortage of top-flight engineering talent, but I see… Continue Reading Mentoring Program Grooms Construction Managers

To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.

Continue Reading Mentoring Program Grooms Construction Managers

Read More
Levy takes over Carolina Panthers’ food service

Levy takes over Carolina Panthers’ food service

Posted by | Feb 10, 2020 | ,

Levy replaces Delaware North Sportservice as the food provider at 24-year-old Bank of America Stadium. (Don Muret/Staff) Levy adds fourth Charlotte sports venue to its portfolio Bank of America Stadium is going through major upgrades to accommodate the Carolina Panthers and an MLS expansion team. The teams’ newest move has Levy taking over the venue’s food service. Chicago-based Levy replaces Delaware North Sportservice, which ran the NFL team’s food and retail for the past 10 seasons. Legends and Fanatics are competing for the stadium’s merchandise operation, sources said, but at this point, it’s unclear which company will manage that piece of the business. Rick Abramson, Delaware North’s chief customer officer, confirmed the switch in food vendors. Abramson was principally involved in Sportservice signing its agreement in early 2010 with the Panthers under their old owner, Jerry Richardson. David Tepper acquired the Panthers in July 2018.  Panthers President Tom Glick did not return… Continue Reading Levy takes over Carolina Panthers’ food service

To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.

Continue Reading Levy takes over Carolina Panthers’ food service

Read More
Firm Offers a Vision to Drive K.C. Ballpark Conversation

Firm Offers a Vision to Drive K.C. Ballpark Conversation

Posted by | Feb 3, 2020 | , ,

K.C. AT THE BAT: Pendulum Studio created unsolicited renderings for a 30,000-seat ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Mo. (Courtesy Pendulum Studio) Royals didn’t ask, but ‘it’s a conversation starter,’ Pendulum’s Cole says Kansas City sports architect Pendulum Studio has unveiled its vision for a new downtown stadium for Major League Baseball’s Royals. For the small designer of minor league parks and spring training venues, it’s a reboot of a discussion over a project some have wanted for decades. In this case, though, there are fresh renderings — unsolicited — for a 30,000-seat MLB park.   Jonathan Cole, a founding principal with Pendulum and veteran of three bigger sports design firms in town, said his 10-person shop completed the concept design on its  own without consulting with the Royals or city officials. The architect teamed with local chef and restaurateur Patrick Ryan on the food piece. Ryan runs Port Fonda, a Mexican eatery… Continue Reading Firm Offers a Vision to Drive K.C. Ballpark Conversation

To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.

Continue Reading Firm Offers a Vision to Drive K.C. Ballpark Conversation

Read More
Booking Deal Fills Rupp With More Than Hoops

Booking Deal Fills Rupp With More Than Hoops

Posted by | Jan 31, 2020 |

LEXINGTON, KY. — Carl Hall has one less hat to wear after handing off Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center booking duties to OVG Facilities on Jan. 1, 2018. The move has paid off handsomely, said Hall, longtime director of arena management at the 43-year-old venue.  Over the past two years, Brian Sipe, OVG’s director of booking at Rupp Arena, has helped double revenue from non-Kentucky basketball events. The numbers have grown substantially, according to data reported to Pollstar, sister publication of VenuesNow. (Oak View Group owns both magazines.) In 2017, the average ticket gross was $247,000 with an average of 6,500 tickets sold for four events reported by Rupp Arena officials. One year later, the average gross was $420,000 with an average of 6,600 tickets across 35 shows reported, including multiple-day family shows. Last year, the average ticket gross was $742,000 with an average of 8,300 tickets sold for… Continue Reading Booking Deal Fills Rupp With More Than Hoops

To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.

Continue Reading Booking Deal Fills Rupp With More Than Hoops

Read More

This Month’s VenuesNow