OCTOBER 2023

REGION 5 SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

IAVM Region5 is excited to offer the opportunity for two Young Professionals and ten Students with membership to IAVM for one year! Click the links below for the applications and more information on these exciting opportunities!

Members, please forward these applications to anyone in your venue who could take advantage of a membership or an R5 venue that does not have any IAVM members and a note asking that they forward the Student scholarship application to any university, college or post-secondary school in their state that offers degrees in fields associated with, or appropriate to public venue management or operations.

IAVM NEEDS YOUR HELP!

This anonymous survey is being conducted to help IAVM measure and track the diversity of its membership. The data collected is not associated with names, identities, locations, or IP addresses of participants and only takes 1-3 minutes to complete.

Take the survey before the end of the year to help IAVM understand the diverse perspectives, experiences, and identities of its members. Participating in this survey will help your association serve you better.

IAVM ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 2024 CHARLES A. MCELRAVY AWARD, JOSEPH J. ANZIVINO DISTINGUISHED ALLIED AWARD, AND FOUNDATION LEGACY AWARD

Nomination deadline for 2024 Charles A. McElravy Award, Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award, and Foundation Legacy Award is December 1, 2023.

The nominations and letters of recommendation should be written and addressed to Brad Mayne, CVE, President & CEO and submitted to Rosanne Duke electronically. The nomination letter and all letters of recommendation must be received by close of business December 1, 2023. Each award’s criteria process can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact Rosanne Duke.

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A CHAPTER MEETING?

Chapter meetings are a great way to network with industry peers in your local area as well as provide beneficial education opportunities. Chapter meetings can be as small as a luncheon or networking after-hours social to a full day of sessions.

Never planned a chapter meeting? No worries, your Region 5 Chapter Meeting Committee is here to help you through the process and provide resources to help you plan a successful meeting.

If you want to get started please reach out to your Region 5 Chapter Committee Chair, Bryan Miller, at bryan.miller@crva.com

DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION SERVICES

CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER

CHARLOTTE, NC

OPERATIONS MANAGER

FLINT RIVER ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

ALBANY, GA

HUNTSVILLE HAVOC SKATES INTO 20TH SEASON AT THE VON BRAUN CENTER

HUNTSVILLE – Huntsville’s professional hockey team, Huntsville Havoc, opened their 20th season on the road with back-to-back wins against the Birmingham Bulls and the Evansville Thunderbolts this past weekend, marking the first two career wins for new head coach, Stuart Stefan. The first home game for the 2023-2024 season at the Von Braun Center (VBC) Propst Arena is scheduled for Friday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m. versus the Pensacola Ice Flyers.

"Twenty years of Havoc hockey has been a testament to the power of community and the spirit of Huntsville,” said Havoc owner Keith Jeffries. “The team’s success, both on and off the ice, reflects the dedication and energy of this city. We owe it all to our faithful season ticket holders, devoted fanbase, and hardworking staff. Becky and I are deeply grateful to have had the privilege of sustaining a successful sports organization here."

Huntsville Havoc is a member of the SPHL which is comprised of ten teams and features a 56-game regular season schedule. The team wrapped up the 2022-2023 season with 34 wins and 19 losses, finishing 3rd in the SPHL President’s Cup semifinals.

“Having the Havoc as a partner of the VBC and being their home rink is fantastic,” commented VBC Executive Director Steve Maples. “Huntsville has a strong hockey-base and fans never fail to show up in support of our team year-after-year which shows in their attendance numbers. Every afternoon of a home game, you can feel the excitement within the building growing as the lights on Propst Arena turn red and fans begin lining up outside ready for the doors to open – those nights are truly some of the best of the year! This season, we’re excited to showcase Propst Arena’s new sound system that was installed just in time for the home opener.”

Of last season’s 56 regular season games, 28 were played at Havoc’s home rink in the VBC Propst Arena. With a seating capacity during hockey games of 6,050, the Havoc earned league best attendance numbers breaking their own single-season SPHL attendance record for the fourth time, closing out the season with an estimated economic impact of over $14.7M.

“Huntsville sports fans have been infatuated with hockey for decades, and their love of the game led to our distinction as hockey capital of the South,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “Havoc games promise fast-paced, exciting play. The team knows how to heat up the ice and keep us on the edge of our seats. We can't wait for another exciting season at the VBC.” 

Providing the community with a state-of-the art facility continues to be a priority for VBC and city leadership. During the last three years, the VBC Propst Arena has been showcased three times on national television. Once, through ESPN’s SEC Network during the SEC Gymnastics Championships, later during Lee Greenwood’s All-Star Salute, and again during Still Playin’ Possum: Music & Memories of George Jones earlier this year.

Since 2010, over $23.8M has been invested into upgrading and renovating the VBC Propst Arena which was originally built in 1975. Upgrades include: 

• 2010: New seating installed, and the lobby and concourse areas expanded (to include modern concessions, bars, additional restrooms and the addition of a cook-to-order café with outdoor balcony seating)
• 2019: New full color-tuning LED lighting system installed within the arena bowl
• 2019: Static signage around balcony upgraded to digital ribbon-boards
• 2021: Expansion and renovation of the arena’s backstage (this award-winning project was the first major renovation to the arena backstage since it was originally built and resulted in six dressing rooms, two private star lounges, four spacious locker rooms, a catering and media room, office space, commercial-grade laundry room, and more)
• 2022: Renovation and upgrades to the arena’s exterior (included a new roof, new paint and a new full color-tuning LED lighting fixture along the outside and inside of the lobby, as well as around the circular exterior of the building)
• 2022: Installation of new large digital boards in arena lobby
• 2022: Purchasing new walk-through metal detectors
• 2023: Installation of upgraded sound system
• 2024: Two new digital scoreboard/video boards will be installed 

These renovations are part of an ongoing effort to continuously improve the facility for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER WINS BEST CONVENTION CENTER IN THE SOUTHEAST

TAMPA - Tampa Convention Center is proud to announce that it has won the top honor for Best Convention Center in the Southeast U.S. in the prestigious 2023 Northstar Stella Awards. The Tampa Convention Center received the gold medal in the awards category.

“It is truly an honor to be considered the best convention center in this region,” said David Ingram, Tampa Convention Center Executive Director. “The credit goes to our team, made up of the most dedicated event professionals in the industry, and our service partners who go above and beyond to provide outstanding experiences to our clients. We are grateful for the support of local leaders and the Tampa community, which enabled us to reach this level of excellence.”

The Stella Awards highlight the best facilities in the events and meetings industry across six regions worldwide, giving global recognition to the Tampa Convention Center in Downtown Tampa. The awards are now in their 7th year.

Winners were determined by overall excellence, superb food and beverage, professionalism of staff, sustainability initiatives, and other critical aspects of the meetings and event experience.

The Tampa Convention Center advanced as a finalist after finishing in the top three in its category for the public voting phase. A panel of judges made up of meeting and event industry experts then ranked the finalists as gold, silver, and bronze winners.

The center was among more than 900 nominations across 16 categories. This year’s awards broke records for the number of nominees and the number of voters, with 10,000 votes counted.

The gold medal for Best Convention Center in the Southeast was previously held by Orange County Convention Center, which won the award in 2022.

MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER RECEIVES RECOGNITION

MIAMI BEACH – The Miami Beach Convention Center is the recipient of two accolades in recent weeks. The Wall Street Journal named the MBCC as one of the top 30 Convention Centers in the US and Associations, Facilities and Destinations awarded the MBCC the “Distinctive Achievement Award 2023.” Congratulations from IAVM Region 5!

GAS SOUTH ARENA PROMOTES KATIE BEEHLER TO DIRECTOR OF BOOKING

ATLANTA -- Gas South District is pleased to announce that Katie Beehler has been promoted to the Director of Booking. An integral part of the company for the past 12 years, Katie has worked as the Booking Coordinator, Booking Manager and now the Director of Booking. Katie works with promoters and meeting planners to facilitate a wide variety of events on the Gas South District campus including concerts, film productions, sporting events, family shows, and conferences.

The Gas South District campus includes a 13,000-seat arena, a convention center offering 90,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, 24 meeting rooms, and a 21,600 square-foot ballroom, and a 708-seat theater.

SIGNIA BY HILTON ATLANTA AT GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER HOSTS HIRING FAIR

ATLANTA – Signia by Hilton Atlanta, the newest addition to Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s Championship Campus, has already changed the skyline of Georgia’s capital city. In October, the 976-room hotel made impactful changes in the community.

The Signia by Hilton Atlanta hotel began offering once-in-a-lifetime opportunities on Oct. 9th with a career fair that spanned three days. Hundreds of Atlantans expressed interest. By the end of the third day, more than 315 people accepted job offers, from culinary to stewarding and housekeeping to engineering.

There are two more career fairs in 2023: Thursday, Nov. 9, and Friday, Nov. 10, at Georgia World Congress Center, Building C. Look for more jobs to open at http://signiaatlantajobs.com.

Signia by Hilton Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center is set to open in January 2024, and it is accepting reservations for individual room bookings for dates starting in March 2024.

NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER CAO ALITA CAPAROTTA RECEIVES NEW ORLEANS CITYBUSINESS “WOMEN OF THE YEAR” HONOR

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) Chief Administrative Officer Alita Caparotta was recently named one of New Orleans CityBusiness’ Women of the Year, an award that recognizes 50 women as top leaders in their New Orleans area communities. CityBusiness will host an event celebrating the winners at the New Orleans Museum of Art on Nov. 6 and will feature the honorees in a special insert to its Nov. 17 issue.

Recognized for her steadfast commitment to New Orleans, Caparotta’s work as Chief Administrative Officer has highlighted her significant contributions to the Convention Center’s success as an anchor for the city’s robust tourism economy. She oversees the financial aspects of major projects, including the NOENMCC’s ongoing $557 million Capital Improvement Plan.

Caparotta has held leadership roles with the NOENMCC for 23 years and led the organization through many challenges including the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped the Convention Center maintain good financial status and sustain its employees throughout the pandemic. And in May 2022, Caparotta spearheaded and implemented a cost-of-living adjustment for all full-time NOENMCC employees.

“It is gratifying and a great honor to have the New Orleans business community recognize Alita for everything she brings to the Convention Center and to our community as a whole,” said Michael J. Sawaya, Convention Center President and CEO. “This is a welcome reminder of Alita’s passion and dedication to advancing the Convention Center’s financial operations, supporting our employees and elevating New Orleans as a top-tier destination.”

Maintaining her Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant certifications, Caparotta is active in several professional organizations including the U.S. Financial Executives Group, the Government Finance Officers Association, Women in Public Finance and the International Women’s Forum. She is a champion of financial literacy and actively serves on two committees with the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.

New Orleans CityBusiness recognized Caparotta as a “Power 20” honoree in this year’s Tourism and Hospitality issue, and she was selected as a CityBusiness “Money Makers” recipient in 2012 and 2018.

THE NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER WINS THREE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY

NEW ORLEANS – Last month, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) received three prestigious awards: the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Community Leader Award for the South Central Region and two Love Your City Awards from LifeCity. These awards celebrate the Convention Center’s commitment and achievements around sustainability and equity.

“As much as we focus on delivering exceptional events for our clients, our Convention Center teams are also hard at work behind the scenes finding new ways to make our facility more sustainable and our organization more inclusive,” said Michael J. Sawaya, Convention Center President and CEO. “We view these awards from the USGBC and LifeCity not just as confirmation that our work is making a difference, but also as catalysts to continue setting high standards and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve.”

Presented by the USGBC at its Louisiana FORWARD symposium on Oct. 26, the NOENMCC’s Community Leader Award recognized the Convention Center for being “an exceptional green building project that overcame significant obstacles.” These prestigious awards celebrate the projects, people and partners working to create better buildings and better lives for the people in their local communities.

Chosen from a group of 12 finalists in the South Central Region — encompassing Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas — the NOENMCC won the USGBC 2023 ‘Rise to the Challenge’ Community Leader Award for its ongoing commitment to sustainability. From reducing the facility’s energy and water usage to increasing recycling efforts and green infrastructure, the NOENMCC is working hard to minimize its carbon footprint and advocate for the environmental health of New Orleans.

Recent improvements include overhauling the facility’s HVAC and lighting systems, installing electric vehicle charging stations and replacing 1.9 million square feet of traditional roofing with a new, energy-efficient roofing system. In 2022, the NOENMCC earned a gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the USGBC, making it the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED v4.1 O+M.

“While I am thrilled to accept this award from the USGBC, the credit for the real work behind our extensive progress around sustainability goes to the dedicated and talented people at the Convention Center, starting with our Director of Sustainability Linda Baynham,” said Adam J. Straight, Convention Center Chief Operating Officer. “It takes all of us — from leadership down to every team member — to get the resources, momentum and follow-through we need to make big changes that reduce our environmental impact.”

The NOENMCC received two more accolades in October. LifeCity — an initiative that supports responsible economic development and helps organizations manage, track, report and market their impact — presented the Convention Center with two “Love Your City Awards,” one for Equity and one for Energy. The awards recognize organizations and individuals for positively impacting communities through reductions in energy use, contributions to the local economy, commitments to providing equitable opportunities for all, and more.

At an awards gala on Oct. 19, LifeCity presented the NOENMCC with a “Love Your City Award” for Energy in recognition of its commitment to sustainability, and another “Love Your City Award” for Equity, highlighting the Convention Center’s increasing efforts to implement diverse, equitable, inclusive (DEI) practices and policies.

In naming Rocsean Spencer its Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) earlier this year, the NOENCC became the first convention center in the nation to establish the position of CDO. Spencer and her team work to support the Convention Center’s DEI goals and directives designed to mitigate bias, increase equitable outcomes, and foster respect and inclusion.

Another testament to its commitment to equity, the NOEMNCC’s Small and Emerging Business (SEB) Program creates and implements initiatives designed to help promote diverse and small businesses’ access to Convention Center opportunities. Since the SEB program launched in 2019, 1,552 certified vendors have registered, and more than $52 million in contracts has been awarded to local SEBs and disadvantaged business enterprises

INTERNATIONAL POKÉMON CHAMPIONSHIP COMING TO NEW ORLEANS

NEW ORLEANS — The 2024 Pokémon Championship Series recently announced its North American international championship will be hosted at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The three-day premier tournament is one of three international championships held each year and is making its New Orleans debut from June 7 to 9, 2024.

“We look forward to hosting this international event for the first time ever and bringing this exciting competition to our city for gamers and fans of all ages to enjoy.” said Michael J. Sawaya, Convention Center President and CEO. “This is another win for New Orleans, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to share our vibrant culture, rich history and unique spirit of hospitality with our international visitors.”

During the event, players can connect with fans around the globe and test their Pokémon battling skills against other players in trading card games (TCG), video game championships (VGC) and Pokémon GO. New this year are major changes to the prize pool for international championships. Players can now compete for over half a million dollars across TCG, VGC and Pokémon GO.

This inaugural New Orleans event is another landmark achievement for the Convention Center which also jointly announced with New Orleans & Company this week that the North American International Toy Fair will move to New Orleans in 2026 through 2028. An annual event known to draw more than 20,000 toy enthusiasts, the Toy Fair is coming to New Orleans after being held in New York City for 118 years.

For more information on Pokémon International Championships, visit www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/pokemon-events/pokemon-tournaments/international-championships

LANDERS CENTER PROMOTES TWO EMPLOYEES

SOUTHAVEN – Jon Frost has been promoted to Director of Marketing for Landers Center and DeSoto County Tourism. Frost has been with Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi, since October 2022. His career in the venue management industry has included several stops with OVG (then Global Spectrum), the Indiana State Fair, Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, and a seven-year stint with Credit One Bank’s marketing efforts that included the Official Credit Card of the Vegas Golden Knights. Frost is a 2004 graduate from the University of South Carolina’s sport and entertainment management program and a 2013 alumni of IAVM’s Venue Management School.

Aaron Burch has been promoted to Operations Supervisor at Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi. Burch has supported all things operations for Landers Center arena and convention events, the on-premise DeSoto Family Theater, and the Mid-South Fair. He has been with the venue since August 2021 and has been a key contributor to the successful operation of one of the Mid-South’s busiest venues.

MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PROMOTES DAVE MCMANUS TO PRODUCTION MANAGER

RALEIGH – Congratulations to Dave McManus for his promotion to Production Manager at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Dave has served the Martin Marietta Center the last 3 years as a Production Supervisor and prior to that, 20 years of combined experience as a Touring Head Carpenter, Venue Manager and Professor of Technical Theatre.  It’s a privilege to have Dave’s leadership and talent on our team.

RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY AT BELMONT UNIVERSITY’S CURB EVENTS CENTER

NASHVILLE – Renovations to the Vince Gill Room are underway at Belmont University’s Curb Events Center. Home to the Bruin Club, the update refreshes and enlarges the hospitality suite for a new generation of fans. The suite, adjacent to Belmont’s arena, re-imagines an outdated traditional banquet room into a premium destination for Club activities and internal and external university events. Enhance branding has been thoughtfully designed to instill a sense of team pride without overpowering the room for use by non-athletic events. Focusing on hospitality, the redesigned suite provides multiple locations for food and beverages to be served, and flexible zoning of the space allows the room to shift from sports club lounge to seated dinner functions with ease. A grab-and-go component allows for self-service of quick refreshments to club members, and updated video and audio systems provide a view of games in progress while keeping patrons up to speed on concurrent events across the conference.

Representing public assembly venues from around the globe, IAVM's active members include managers and senior executives from auditorium, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university complexes, and amphitheaters.

IAVM’s Region 5 serves the states of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana as well as Central and South America.