Public Assembly Venue Management:
Sports, Entertainment, Meeting, and Convention Venues
The new, essential resource for the fundamentals, principles, and practices of public assembly venue management.
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ISBN: 978-1-61254-206-5
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About the 2015 Textbook
Those who manage public assembly venues are continually challenged to operate them in ways that bring success to venue ownership while meeting the needs of those who utilize them. Accomplishing this daunting task is neither simple, nor is it consistent from venue to venue. Venues vary in mission based upon type, location, and goals set by those in leadership. In order to achieve the established goals, management must continually fine-tune their venue management skills and keep abreast of ever-changing social and economic trends in our society.
The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) has previously published two editions of a textbook on the topic (2004 and 2009). For this new textbook, Public Assembly Venue Management: Sports, Entertainment, Meeting, and Convention Venues, we have endeavored to assemble as much new information as possible and organize it in a way that takes public assembly venue management education and professional development to a new level. This book is organized in a logical sequence that takes the reader through the history and role of public assembly venues, followed by the other significant areas of venue management including venue ownership and management, business and financial management, booking the venue, marketing and sales, ticketing and access management, event and ancillary revenue sources, venue operations and services, event management and services, and safety and security. These chapters not only address the functions common to all venues, but also illustrate how different disciplines apply to venue management. The appendices include numerous industry examples and supplemental information to support the learning process.
For Students: The textbook was written for both undergraduate and graduate students within sports management, event management, hospitality management, and other related disciplines. Venue management is an important topic for all students regardless of their career plans. Even if a student plans to be a general manager of a baseball team or work in corporate event planning, an understanding of public assembly venues and how they operate is essential. Therefore, the authors hope this book can serve as a continuing resource for students as they graduate and begin their careers.
For Professors: This textbook was written to assist faculty in teaching the important theoretical and conceptual issues within the context of public assembly venue management. Recognizing the practical nature of this discipline, the authors have worked to incorporate their extensive experience and background into the text and companion materials. As a supplement to this book, the authors have developed an extensive collection of companion material to complement and support the educational process for which this book was intended. We recognize this text will be used for both undergraduate and graduate classes, and therefore the companion materials were compiled to address the varying needs of faculty members and their students.
For Current Industry Professionals: This book has also been developed to serve as a resource for entry-level venue management professionals and to support IAVM and its professional development programs. It may also serve as a resource for those interested in learning about other departments within their venue or other types of venues, and therefore enhancing their career prospects.
Table of Contents
1. History and Role of Public Assembly Venues
2. Venue Ownership and Management
3. Business and Financial Management
4. Booking the Venue
5. Marketing and Sales
6. Ticketing and Access Management
7. Event and Ancillary Revenue Sources
8. Venue Operations and Services
9. Event Management and Services
10. Safety and Security
References
Glossary of Terms
Appendix A: Industry Examples
Appendix B: Core Competencies
Appendix C: Contract Components
Appendix D: IAVM Continuing Education
Appendix E: Related Organizations and Associations
Companion Materials
To assist in classroom application, the following materials are available for faculty members:
• PowerPoint presentations (an average of 27 slides per chapter)
• Test Banks (an average of 20 questions per chapter)
• Class Discussion Topics & Activities for each chapter
• Case Studies (3 per chapter)
• Course Projects (3)
• Sample Syllabus & Class Schedules (11-week term, 16-week semester)
About the Authors
Kimberly Mahoney, PhD
Dr. Mahoney is currently an assistant professor in sport management at the University of New Haven College of Business, teaching primarily in the areas of event and venue management. She previously served on the faculty of the University of South Carolina and The Ohio State University. Dr. Mahoney also has over twenty years of experience in various segments of the sports and entertainment industry and continues to do consulting work on a variety of special projects. She began her career at the Georgia Dome while in graduate school and then worked as an intern at the Charlotte Coliseum. since that time she has been involved with the industry as a contractor, client, and venue management. Dr. Mahoney has been involved in the opening of three new venues, including a convention center, a football stadium, and an arena. Her work as a regional manager with Show Pros Entertainment Services, Inc., provided opportunities to work in range of venues including stadiums, arenas, speedways, and amphitheaters. Dr. Mahoney previously served as an assistant commissioner with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and as executive director of the OHSAA Foundation. Most recently, she served as the director of communications and program development with Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment (CASE), which oversees the day-to-day operation of Nationwide Arena and the Jerome Schottenstein Center. Dr. Mahoney received her BA in communications from the University of Kentucky, her MEd in sport and facility management from the University of Georgia, and her PhD in sport management from The Ohio State University. Dr. Mahoney and her husband, Mike, reside in Connecticut.
Lee A. Esckilsen, CFE, CHE
Mr. Esckilsen is currently an associate professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, teaching in the Center for Sports, Entertainment and Event Management. He stays active in entertainment and sports, venues and events, and development and management through his consulting company, ESVenues. During his thirty-year career, Esckilsen has been involved in the development and management of public assembly venues in both the United States and Great Britain. He has served as the executive director of six arenas, notably the pre-opening and management of the Mullins Center (UMass-Amherst) and the Manchester Arena (NYNEX-UK). He has generated more the $150 million in revenue and has booked and successfully managed more than 1,500 sports and entertainment events in his career. Esckilsen is a Certified Facilities Executive (CFE) awarded by the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). He is also a Trained Crowd Manager, certified by IAVM and a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), certified by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, Washington, DC. Esckilsen was a co-author of Public Assembly Facility Management: Principles and Practices, 2nd Edition, 2009, published by IAVM. Esckilsen serves as a Chair Emeritus for the Professional Golf Association Deutsche Bank Championship, played at the Tournament Players Championship Course in Norton, MA. He received his AS in Recreational Leadership from Dean College, his BS in Recreation Administration from Bowling Green State University, and his MS in Recreational Sports Management from Indiana University. Mr. Esckilsen and Victoria Warnock live in New England.
Adonis "Sporty" Jeralds, CFE
Adonis “Sporty” Jeralds is currently a full-time clinical instructor at the University of South Carolina and also works in community relations with the NBA Charlotte Hornets. Mr. Jeralds is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and graduated with a degree in criminal justice from Guilford College. He has an MA in Public Administration from UNC Chapel Hill and an MA in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Jeralds began his career in public assembly venue management at the Hampton Virginia Coliseum, and then accepted a position at the Charlotte Coliseum as assistant manager. In 1990 he became manager of the Charlotte Coliseum, a position he held for fifteen years. In that position Mr. Jeralds oversaw day-to-day operations and managed a $12 million operating budget and a staff of over sixty full-time and six hundred part-time employees. Mr. Jeralds is certified by the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) as a Certified Facilities Executive (CFE), a designation currently awarded to approximately 300 executives worldwide. During his career, Mr. Jeralds has helped coordinate such internationally recognized events as the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four, the NBA All-Star Weekend, a visit by Mother Teresa, and a variety of major concerts and sports events. Mr. Jeralds is the author of three successful books, The Champion in You (2004), Let Your Light Shine (2010), and Follow the Bouncing Ball (2014), and in 2006 was awarded the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Sports Management Department at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Mr. Jeralds and his wife Teresa are the proud parents of Jazmine and Jacob.
Steve Camp, CFE
Steve Camp retired after a rewarding thirty-four year career in public assembly venue management, destination marketing, organizational management, and sports-related event management. Mr. Camp has been certified by the International Association of Venue Managers as a Certified Facilities Executive (CFE) and has distinguished himself as one of the industry’s leading professionals in the Southeast. Mr. Camp has been involved with four major public assembly building projects in North and South Carolina and has successfully established organizations to manage and operate those venues. Mr. Camp learned his trade at the Charlotte Coliseum under the legendary Paul Buck and honed his experience at the Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center at UNC Chapel Hill, and then returned to open the new Charlotte Coliseum. In 1989, Appalachian State University designated Mr. Camp as a Distinguished Alumnus. Mr. Camp served as managing director of Charlotte’s Auditorium/Coliseum/Convention Center Authority from 1989 to 1997, overseeing the operation of four venues with an operating budget of approximately $23 million, and a full-time staff of over two hundred. While in this position Mr. Camp also oversaw the construction and staffing of the new Charlotte Convention Center. Beginning in 2001, Mr. Camp served as president and CEO of the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism, overseeing the construction and staffing of the new Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in South Carolina, which opened in 2004. During his career, Mr. Camp has managed venues that have hosted the very best in the sports, entertainment, and meeting and convention industries. Those events include the 1994 NCAA Final Four, ACC basketball tournaments, major musical concerts, Broadway plays, and a variety of other high-profile events. Mr. Camp and his wife, Jackie, live in Charlotte, NC.
Universities & Colleges that have Utilized IAVM’s Textbook
Alvernia University ‒ Reading, Pennsylvania
Brigham Young University ‒ Provo, Utah
California State University at Fresno ‒ Fresno, California
Cleveland State University ‒ Cleveland, Ohio
Columbia University ‒ New York City, New York
Coppin State University ‒ Baltimore, Maryland
Dean College ‒ Franklin, Massachusetts
East Stroudsburg University ‒ East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
East Texas Baptist University ‒ Marshall, Texas
George Mason University ‒ Fairfax, Virginia
George Washington University ‒ Washington, DC
Georgetown University ‒ Washington, DC
Georgia State University ‒ Atlanta, Georgia
Hofstra University ‒ Hempstead, New York
Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte ‒ Charlotte, North Carolina
Johnson & Wales University, Colorado ‒ Denver, Colorado
Johnson & Wales University, North Miami ‒ North Miami, Florida
Johnson & Wales University, Providence ‒ Providence, Rhode Island
Laurentian University ‒ Ontario, Canada
Macomb Community College ‒ Warren, Michigan
Malone University ‒ Canton, Ohio
Millikin University ‒ Decatur, Illinois
Minnesota State University Moorhead ‒ South Moorhead, Minnesota
Missouri State University – Springfield, Missouri
Niagara University ‒ Niagara University, New York
Northwestern University ‒ Chicago, Illinois
Northwood University ‒ Cedar Hill, Texas
Saint Leo University ‒ Saint Leo, Florida
San Diego Mesa College ‒ San Diego, California
San Diego State University ‒ San Diego, California
Southern Methodist University ‒ Dallas, Texas
University of Dallas ‒ Irving, Texas
University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida
University of Massachusetts ‒ Amherst, Massachusetts
University of Miami ‒ Coral Gables, Florida
University of Minnesota ‒ West Dock Minneapolis, Minnesota
University of Nevada Las Vegas ‒ Las Vegas, Nevada
University of North Florida ‒ Jacksonville, Florida
University of Oregon ‒ Eugene, Oregon
University of South Carolina ‒ Columbia, South Carolina
University of Tampa ‒ Tampa, Florida
Virginia Commonwealth University ‒ Richmond, Virginia
Western Kentucky University ‒ Bowling Green, Kentucky
Winthrop University ‒ Rock Hill, South Carolina
