Q3 2020: Same As It Ever Was (Sort Of)
RHAPSODIC: Queen + Adam Lambert perform Feb. 13 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty...
Read Moreby Bob Allen | Sep 23, 2020 | Bookings, HOT TICKETS, TOP STOPS | 0
RHAPSODIC: Queen + Adam Lambert perform Feb. 13 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty...
Read Moreby Eric Renner Brown | Sep 23, 2020 | Regional Reports | 0
HOT IN ATL: State Farm Arena welcomed the Eagles, Elton John and Ariana Grande. (Courtesy State Farm Arena) Tri-state area’s venues ready to get back to the success they were seeing before shutdown Like much of the country, the novel coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of most venues across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. But venues are slowly coming back online. Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Atlanta Falcons hosted the Seattle Seahawks for a game on Sept. 13, albeit without fans. A stone’s throw away, State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks responded to the George Floyd protests in late May and early June by arranging for the venue to become a polling place — the state’s largest — for elections in August and November. Meanwhile, clubs such as North Carolina’s Cat’s Cradle and The Orange Peel have maintained their cultural presence by hosting audience-less livestreams throughout the crisis. Top… Continue Reading Carolinas and Georgia: Ready for Action
Continue Reading Carolinas and Georgia: Ready for Action
Read Moreby Don Muret | Sep 22, 2020 | Concessions | 0
FAST FOOD: An electrical vehicle from Gallery Carts will patrol Lambeau Field. (Courtesy Gallery Carts) Gallery Carts is on the move with its new line of electric vehicles to bring food and retail to patrons at sports venues and convention centers. The concept has been around for years, but during the COVID-19 era, company officials have redesigned the vehicles for venues to safely bring a multitude of products to the people in a socially distanced world. Denver-based Gallery Carts, formerly Carts of Colorado, partnered with Club Car, a leading provider of golf carts, and Ayro, an electric vehicle maker in Austin, Texas. Together, they custom formatted a vehicle with power supply to store, transport and distribute hot and cold food. The electric vehicles cost about $60,000. The agreements are typically done through the concessionaires serving arenas, stadiums and convention centers, said company president Dan Gallery V. He’s the son of… Continue Reading New Electric Vehicles Deliver For Socially Distanced Crowds
Continue Reading New Electric Vehicles Deliver For Socially Distanced Crowds
Read Moreby Rob Knapp | Sep 22, 2020 | Branding & Sponsorships, Naming Rights | 0
NEXT BRAND UP: Legends is looking for a sponsor to replace Banc of California’s name on LAFC’s...
Read Moreby VenuesNow Staff | Sep 22, 2020 | Management News, Front Row | 0
Chuck Rogers joined the sales staff at BioSaphe, a provider of microbial products to help improve grass fields at big league and college venues. The Dallas Cowboys, Milwaukee Brewers, Notre Dame and SMU are among the firm’s clients. Rogers, based in north Texas, has 40 years of experience across the public assembly industry in concessions, cleaning, crowd management, staging and scoreboards. He sits on the IAVM Region 6 Board of Directors. The London Legacy Development Corp. appointed Nathan Homer as chief commercial officer. The corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area, including London Stadium. Homer was director of trading, broadband and sports at Sky’s NowTV streaming service. His previous assignments include leading Procter & Gamble’s global Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship through London 2012 and the role of chief commercial officer at the PGA European Tour. File movement software company… Continue Reading Management: October 2020
Continue Reading Management: October 2020
Read Moreby Rob Knapp | Sep 22, 2020 | Concessions | 0
PACKAGE PLUS: At Hard Rock Stadium, Centerplate has shifted to ready-made items packaged to go in suites. (Courtesy Centerplate) “Touchless” is a familiar word in venues’ plans to make patrons more comfortable as they return to shows and games. Often it centers on entrances and restrooms, but it extends to food service as well. Limiting the touches on fans’ food is a key part of changes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., said Kevin Mitchell, vice president and general manager for Centerplate. Reduced crowds are allowed for football games. When the University of Miami played its opener there Sept. 10, the stadium’s first game since the Super Bowl in February, food packaging was among the biggest changes for Centerplate, and they’ll be in place when the Miami Dolphins play their first home game of the season Sept 20. At concessions stands, open containers have been replaced by boxes… Continue Reading Getting their hands on touchless for concessions
Continue Reading Getting their hands on touchless for concessions
Read Moreby Eric Renner Brown | Sep 22, 2020 | Concessions | 0
GREENING UP: The Greens is a distanced dining experience at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City. (Getty Images) Concerts and games might’ve dried up in 2020, but for some venues, concessions kept on ticking. In New York City, Manhattan’s The Rooftop at Pier 17, the outdoor club that was named VenuesNow’s All-Star Club for 2019, was prepared for a third successful season before the pandemic arrived in March. While the venue wasn’t able to welcome artists including Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Greensky Bluegrass and Deftones this summer — all have already been rescheduled for 2021 — it still found a way for patrons to enjoy its view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River. “With the concert industry put on pause leading up to the summer season, a big goal of ours was to be able to provide a seasonal amenity for our community,”… Continue Reading No Show? No Game? That’s Not Stopping These Venues
Continue Reading No Show? No Game? That’s Not Stopping These Venues
Read Moreby James Zoltak | Sep 22, 2020 | Concessions | 0
ICING ON CAKE: The Edmonton Oilers and Aramark teamed up for food service in one of two NHL hubs. (Getty Images) From celebrity chefs to employing new food preparation and safety protocols, Rogers Place and concessionaire Aramark have made the most of a tricky situation in hosting one of two National Hockey League playoff hubs. Jill Young, food and beverage director for Oilers Entertainment Group, said it was a tight window for preparations after arena officials were informed in July that Edmonton would host Western Conference playoff games and the Stanley Cup Finals. The season resumed Aug. 1 and was expected to wrap up in October. Officials initially transitioned from pandemic mode, with staff working from home, to preparing for 12 teams and 1,500 people between players, coaches, league support staff, security personnel and media. Each team brought roughly 50 people. Refrigerators and freezers were shut down since March and… Continue Reading Oilers, Aramark pull off quick-serve delivery in hub
Continue Reading Oilers, Aramark pull off quick-serve delivery in hub
Read Moreby VenuesNow Staff | Sep 22, 2020 | Concessions | 0
This is the space where each year we introduce our Excellence in Concessions Awards winners, those products and companies whose innovation has captured our imaginations and taste buds. Unfortunately, 2020 backed up to the dock with a load of nothing but lemons. We, like so many others in the industry, were left wondering what kind of lemonade we could make or whether anyone would have an appetite for it. The food service sector has been hit by COVID-19 as hard as any part of the venues business, and we’re sensitive to the job losses and other difficulties that have accompanied the pandemic. While handing out awards didn’t feel like the right thing to do this year, we do want to share some of the stories we’ve found of efforts that may help fans get back to eating, drinking and enjoying their experience once they’re able to return to more venues… Continue Reading Excellence In Concessions
Continue Reading Excellence In Concessions
Read Moreby James Zoltak | Sep 22, 2020 | Convention Centers | 0
CROWD PLEASER: The Raleigh Convention Center has played a key role helping draw throngs to an annual bluegrass festival. (Courtesy Raleigh Convention Center) Raleigh complex details its cleaning procedures and processes for all to see The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex has released a 33-page “Re-Opening Protocols & Procedures Guide,” laying out in detail the measures it has taken to resume operations as safely as possible once it gets the go ahead to welcome events and guests. The guide includes procedures and processes — including cleaning and sanitation measures — to protect staff, event organizers, guests, performers and exhibitors from potential COVID-19 transmission. There are also venue-specific protocols for cases of employees or guests exhibiting symptoms. The guide is the result of consultations with industry experts, an examination of best industry practices. It takes into account local, state and federal guidelines, including guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease… Continue Reading Convention Centers: Going By the Book
Continue Reading Convention Centers: Going By the Book
Read Moreby James Zoltak | Sep 22, 2020 | Convention Centers | 0
The Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa is back to hosting events while boasting a $55 million renovation that’s been 10 years in the making.
Continue Reading Convention Centers: More to Love
Read Moreby James Zoltak | Sep 21, 2020 | Ticketing, Theaters & Clubs | 0
NEXT STAGE: When COVID-19 shut down productions, arts groups and theaters turned to livestreaming and additional fundraising. (Getty Images) A strong connection to patrons helps arts organizations weather the storm, ticketing execs say With venues being pressed to implement new health and safety measures and technologies like contactless ticketing and payment, the need to tap into new sources of revenue — whether through streaming, nontraditional offerings like drive-ins, increased fundraising or other means like new or expanded educational offerings — is for many a matter of economic survival. Those with the strongest audience engagement models are most likely to find success in generating new income sources, according to some executives of companies that provide ticketing, marketing and customer relationship management platforms. “If you haven’t been doing that, it’s very hard after the fact to say we want to get people to sign up for streaming because we want to light… Continue Reading INTIX Quarterly: Critical Engagement
Continue Reading INTIX Quarterly: Critical Engagement
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