Category: Regional Reports

Spotlight: Texas

HOT REED: Reed Arena has continued to safely host sports and events during the pandemic. (Courtesy Texas A&M University ) Things continue to be quiet across the venue landscape as the live events industry continues to prepare for a comeback. Here are a few things we found happening in Texas. Top Stops: Texas College Station After unusual first year, Davis ready to bring more shows to Reed Arena Darren Davis arrived at Texas A&M University and found his first show wrapped up with a bow on it. “My boss set me up for success when he hired me. He said, ‘Hey, it’d be great if you could come in the door with an event already in your pocket, right?’” said Reed, who became general manager of the university’s on-campus events center, Reed Arena, about a year ago. “And I said, ‘Oh, that’s great.’  The event, a speaking engagement with popular… Continue Reading Spotlight: Texas

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Spotlight: Kentucky & Tennessee

Things continue to be quiet across the venue landscape, but here are a few things we found happening in Kentucky and Tennessee.

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Amazon’s Chris Roe: Pledge Drive

GREEN PALACE: The construction of Climate Pledge Arena continues in Seattle. (Courtesy Seattle Kraken) Head of sustainability for company part of Climate Pledge Arena team Chris Roe is head of energy and sustainable operations for online retail giant Amazon, which acquired naming rights for Climate Pledge Arena, the $1 billion transformation of old KeyArena and future home of the NHL Seattle Kraken. Roe provided an update on the company working with Oak View Group (owner of VenuesNow) to develop the world’s first net zero-carbon sports and entertainment venue. The arena is set to open in fall 2021. What’s your background and your role with Amazon? I lead our team at Amazon working on renewable energy as well as our sustainable buildings, in support of our climate pledge, which is our commitment to have a net zero carbon footprint. We’re focused on driving to 100% renewable energy as part of our… Continue Reading Amazon’s Chris Roe: Pledge Drive

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Upgrades During the Downtime

SWEET SHOW: Blake Shelton got chocolates for his Valentine’s Day concert from Tacoma Dome staff (from left) Kim Bedier, Tammi Bryant, Hillary Brenner and Tom Alexander. (David Conger) Spotlight: Pacific Northwest Tacoma venues stay busy in anticipation of the day business returns Kim Bedier, director of Tacoma (Wash.) Venues & Events, oversees both the 23,000-seat Tacoma Dome and the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, with 119,000 square feet of meeting space. What follows are some of her comments on the new technology that her venues will feature when they reopen, the importance of new bonds among venues in the COVID-19 era, and why consistency is one of her three C’s for the comeback.  We were on tap to have an absolutely massive year at both our dome and our convention center. As you know, they’re building a new arena in Seattle, and so we were poised after coming out of our… Continue Reading Upgrades During the Downtime

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Logjammed: Montana’s Hottest Promoter Plots Comeback

The KettleHouse Brewing Co. (red building) and KettleHouse Amphitheater in Bonner, Mont. (Getty Images) Nick Checota has quickly become one of the key figures of Montana’s entertainment industry. The promoter and venue operator, a journeyman who worked in finance, consulting, and real estate before heading west about a decade ago, founded Logjam Presents in 2016, where he oversees a modest Big Sky Country empire that includes the 550-capacity Top Hat, the 4,500-capacity KettleHouse Amphitheater, and more. In keeping with his prominent status, when Checota connects with VenuesNow on a mid-December morning, he’s just getting off another call – with Montana Senator John Tester (D), as the Senate weighs including the live events industry in pandemic relief legislation before adjourning for the holidays. “The nice thing about Montana is we still have access to our leaders, unlike places like California,” he wryly jokes. “If we want to talk to our senator… Continue Reading Logjammed: Montana’s Hottest Promoter Plots Comeback

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Updates From Constitution Hall, Hampton Coliseum

DAR Constitution Hall remains the same on the outside, but big changes await visitors when the building reopens. (Courtesy venue) A spotlight in our December issue checked in with venue managers from around the District of Columbia, Virginia and West Virginia. Here are responses from a couple of them; for more, please check out the full story. Paul Guilderson, managing director DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. How was venue business before the shutdown? We were about average for bookings in that time frame. What big shows did your venue host over that period? World Bank – IMF Board of Governors Meeting and numerous other corporate events. Quite a few comedy shows, including Aziz Ansari, Bert Kreischer, Jo Koy, “My Brother, My Brother and Me.” The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (tribute concert). What changes did your venue make or get started on before the shutdown? We were… Continue Reading Updates From Constitution Hall, Hampton Coliseum

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Spotlight: D.C., Virginia and West Virginia

READY FOR TAKEOFF: Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va., will have new seating and a new center-hung scoreboard when fans return. (Mike Pennello) Preparing for Reentry Region’s venues remake themselves for when the curtain rises As the holiday season arrives, venues in Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., remain shuttered, like many across the country. And, like peers in other markets, venue professionals from the area sing a familiar tune: Before the pandemic’s arrival, 2020 was set to be a banner year. But venue operators are optimistic that greener pastures are ahead in 2021. In recent years, the region has become a live industry hotbed, hosting coveted tours and programming as glitzy new venues open. Many of the facilities in the area have used forced closures to improve facilities and streamline procedures, so that venues are ready to go when the fog of the coronavirus pandemic lifts.   CLICK HERE FOR… Continue Reading Spotlight: D.C., Virginia and West Virginia

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Carolinas and Georgia: Ready for Action

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

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Spectrum Center Celebrates 15 Years

Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., is putting together an anniversary platform that includes a special logo, marketing and social media.

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