READY FOR DUTY: The San Diego Convention Center reached out to the city to find out how it could help. (Photos courtesy SDCC) Convention center pivots to homeless shelter to aid in COVID-19 fight The San Diego Convention Center is one of many public assembly facilities across the globe that have gone from traditional functions as event venues and economic impact engines to serving communities in a variety of ways – from field hospitals to testing sites to food and supply depots — during the coronavirus pandemic. With the convention center being pressed into service as a temporary shelter for its region’s homeless population, VenuesNow caught up with industry veteran Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp., to discuss how he and his staff are navigating the unprecedented calamity. The conversation has been edited for brevity. How did it come about that the convention… Continue Reading San Diego’s Rippetoe on Putting Expertise Into Action