IAVM Wraps 99th Conference

COMING UP ROSES: The Oregon Convention Center and Executive Director Craig Stroud put their best feet forward while hosting IAVM’s 99th VenueConnect July 28-31. (James Zoltak/Staff)

New Orleans on Tap for 2025

PORTLAND, Oregon — The International Association of Venue Managers held its 99th conference at the Oregon Convention Center as the organization begins celebrating its centennial with a new CEO.

Trevor Mitchell officially took the reins of president and CEO from the retiring Brad Mayne, who admitted feeling “bittersweet” about departing an association he’s led for eight years.

More news of change emerged during the conference, held July 28-31: Chris Bigelow, founder of the Bigelow Companies, revealed to VenueNow that he plans to retire at the end of 2024 after 5o years in the concessions business.

“It’s a soft retirement,” Bigelow said. “I had to promise a few folks that I would still be available to help.”

Bigelow’s decades-long tenure as a trusted consultant in an industry that’s seen many public assembly veterans retire over the past year, such as Peter Sullivan and Matt Brown, left an indelible mark on event food service, said Mike Tully of Instawork, who on his own has worked in food service over the past 40 years.

One early sign that the hot trend for building sports betting facilities at arenas and stadiums may be slowing down a bit is the news that Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. — home to the NHL Capitals, NBA Wizards, and Georgetown Hoyas in men’s college basketball — is scaling back its sportsbook. The news was confirmed by Darius Dunn, assistant general manager, arena operations.

The sports book spanned two floors inside the arena with food and beverage mostly operating on the second level. The audience sought for the upper floor did not mix well with the serious sports betting enthusiast, Dunn said, so a new use for the second floor is being sought.

Capital One Arena was the first big league arena to incorporate a sportsbook in 2021, in a partnership with Caesars Entertainment.

Tammy Koolbeck, VenuWorks’ executive director of the Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa, accepted the 2024 Charles A. McElravy Award for distinguished service to the industry. David Causton was honored by his peers at a ceremony where he received the Convention Center Lifetime Achievement Award; and Kerry Painter, general manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex in North Carolina, handed the IAVM board chair’s gavel to Adam Cook, director of Tacoma Venues & Events in Washington state.

Eileen Kulish, customer satisfaction manager with MTS Steating, received the 2024 Joseph J. Anzivino Distinguished Allied Award.

Concessionaire Levy displayed its flair for connecting attendees with a taste of the varied local cuisine and Sodexo Live! and Aramark entertained clients, prospects and others, Sodexo played host to a dinner at Hunt and Gather that featured a rendition of “Let’s Stay Together by the company’s North America CEO Belinda Oakley, while Aramark held a wine tasting featuring vintages of the Pacific NorthwestAmid seminars on dealing with the changing dynamics of the live events industry, networking was brisk amid the ample space provided by the convention center.

Portland was sunny warm throughout most of the conference, despite a few sprinkles. Venue visits included the Moda Center, Providence Park and the Portland’5 theaters.”We’ve earned this weather,” said Craig Stroud, executive director of the Oregon Convention Center.

Next year’s 100th VenueConnect will be July 28-31 at New Orleans Ernest Morial Convention Center,