Author: Don Muret

Bluegrass in the Backyard

The Larry Keel Experience performs Saturday at Grass in the Glades in Gibbon Glade, Pa. (Steven Hevener) Larry Keel uses private events to help keep his band busy The Larry Keel Experience is back on the road playing live shows. Pre-pandemic, it wouldn’t be big news, but with the prolonged shutdown of music venues, the bluegrass trio is tweaking the business model by using social media to help book private events. Those smaller gigs accommodate 20 to 50 people in backyards, farm fields and barn settings. One tentative event, pending confirmation, is part of a fishing and camping trip, said PraterDay’s Curtis Geren, agent for the bluegrass group. “It would be more like a campfire hangout,” Geren said. “Unique and creative experiences like that are what seem to be popping up. It goes to show you what you can do trying to develop personal connections with the people who love… Continue Reading Bluegrass in the Backyard

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IAVM Award Winner: Bill Powell

LIGHTNING THE MOOD: Bill Powell (second from right) with wife Sherry, with Eric Hart of the Tampa Sports Authority and wife Beth. ‘A Wonderful Career’: Longtime Feld executive played a key part in international expansion Bill Powell bleeds grease paint. The former Feld Entertainment executive spent 45 years working in the family show sector. It took a global pandemic for the final curtain to drop on his illustrious career producing circuses, ice shows and action sports events. It’s capped by a prestigious milestone. The International Association of Venues Managers recognized Powell with the 2020 Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award. It’s given to members of the service industries tied to sports, entertainment, conventions and exhibitions. Powell, 68, was Feld’s vice president of entertainment and sales before being laid off in March as COVID-19 began to grip North America. He was among more than 3,000 Feld employees, about 95 percent of… Continue Reading IAVM Award Winner: Bill Powell

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IAVM Award Winner: Rick Haycock

“I’M HONORED”: Rick Haycock, shown at the Ottawa Civic Centre in 2009, is the recipient of the 2020 Charles A. McElreavy Award for extraordinary contributions to the industry. He’s no wallflower: Honoree came out of his shell at Landsdowne Park and in IAVM Rick Haycock spent 36 years working at Lansdowne Park, and the event that sticks out most in his mind had nothing to do with sports and entertainment. It was a memorial service for a fallen Ottawa, Ontario, police officer. On Dec. 29, 2009, Eric Czapnik was killed by a suspended member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He left behind a family and four children. The incident greatly affected the community, and his service was moved to the Ottawa Civic Centre, now TD Place Arena. The 10,000-capacity venue was full of mourners, including close to 3,000 police from across Canada and parts of the U.S. The arena is… Continue Reading IAVM Award Winner: Rick Haycock

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IAVM pushing to expand CARES Act funds

The federal CARES Act has distributed billions of dollars to states and municipalities during the COVID-19 crisis. But as it’s written and implemented now, hundreds of publicly owned facilities have been shut out of the program, according to officials with IAVM and lobbying firm TwinLogic Strategies.

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Amway Center Sticks With Levy

A fan uses a VenueNext kiosk at an Amway Center concessions stand. (Courtesy Amway Center) Concessionaire will put $5M into upgrades as part of 10-year deal Amway Center has signed a 10-year extension with Levy, the arena’s concessionaire. As part of the deal, Levy is investing $5 million to upgrade food service to include VenueNext, a new mobile point-of-sale system, said Allen Johnson, chief venues officer for the city of Orlando. Levy has run the food at Amway Center since the NBA facility opened in 2010. The deal covers Camping World Stadium as well, home of two college football bowl games and the Florida Classic, a matchup between historically Black college teams, among other events.  The new point-of-sale system, which cost $500,000, takes both buildings one step further to becoming cashless as officials prepare to re-open after the pandemic shut down live entertainment. VenueNext won a competitive bid process and… Continue Reading Amway Center Sticks With Levy

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