2012 Marks Another Stellar Year for SMG & SAVOR

SMG, the world leader in venue management, saw 2012 bring a number of facility top stops, industry recognition, and the start of what appears to be an even bigger and better 2013.

“Year-after-year the industry recognition received by our SMG people and facilities is very gratifying. We manage marquee facilities, provide marquee food services, and do it all with marquee people. It gives me great pleasure to see them receiving the recognition they so truly deserve,” said SMG President & CEO, Wes Westley

SMG managed facilities garnered numerous industry recognitions including 16 “top stops” in Venues Today, nominations for Arena of the Year for Coliseo de Puerto Rico and BOK Center (Tulsa, OK) from Pollstar Magazine plus Billboard Magazine recognition of 1st Mariner Arena in their Top 10 year end charts.

Venues recognized by Venues Today as “Year End Top Stops” include:

SMG stadiums

• Reliant Stadium (Houston)

• Soldier Field (Chicago)

SMG Arenas:

• Coliseo de Puerto Rico (Hato Rey)

• 1st Mariner Arena (Baltimore, MD)

• Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City, NJ)

• Van Andel Arena (Grand Rapids, MI)

• Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena (Jacksonville, FL)

• Save Mart Center (Fresno, CA)

• INTRUST Bank Arena (Wichita, KS)

• Huntington Center (Toledo, OH)

• Mohegan Sun Arena (Wilkes-Barre, PA)

• K Rock Centre (Kingston, ON)

• Sovereign Center (Reading, PA)

SMG Theaters:

• Landmark Theatre (Richmond, VA)

• Sovereign Performing Arts Center (Reading, PA)

• Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center (Odessa, TX)

Members of the SMG family were also recognized within the industry with “Hall of Headlines Awards“ in Venues Today:

• Sarah Haertl for creative marketing ideas at Intrust Bank Arena

• Chef Vincent Lai of SAVOR…McCormick Place Chicago for his culinary creations.



2013 will begin with a bang as SMG is proud to welcome two new venues set to open in 2013:

• Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska

• Leeds Arena in the United Kingdom

SMG Announces Hiring of Kelly Carr as General Manager for Syracuse’s Oncenter

SMG, the worldwide leader of public assembly facility management, announces the selection of Kelly Carr as the new general manager for The Oncenter in Syracuse, New York.

“The selection of SMG veteran Kelly Carr as general manager will continue the momentum first generated in July when SMG began managing this unique venue,” said Bob McClintock, SMG's senior vice president for convention center operations. “Kelly's personal expertise, combined with SMG's booking network, client base and other resources, will undoubtedly propel The Oncenter to greater prominence and success.”

SMG assumed managerial responsibility for the facility from The Oncenter Management Corporation on July 1 and retained the existing staff.

Hired by SMG in 2004, Carr was most recently the director of sales & marketing for the Albuquerque Convention Center, where his team exceeded sales expectations and he served as the liaison between the facility and the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau and Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

“Kelly Carr will be a great addition to The Oncenter team,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.  “We are confident that Kelly has the experience to hit the ground running and we welcome him to central New York.”

SMG Wins Operational Management Contract for Bahia Urbana

SMG Latin America has won the management and operation contract of Bahia Urbana from the Government of Puerto Rico. Old San Juan's Bahia Urbana is a key project designed to impact and enhance the quality of life of Puerto Ricans forever.

“Puerto Rico is much more than a fantastic destination, ideal for tourists looking for pristine beaches and the Caribbean flavors,” said Wes Wesley President of SMG. “These islands are fertile territory to create and sustain modern and eco-friendly attraction sites for its residents. We are honored to strengthen and diversify our relationship with Puerto Rico.”

“The opportunity to bring new things to the Puerto Rican family and tourists who visit us every day is a privilege and our responsibility. We are bringing attractions targeted to revitalize and enhance the urban life for people in and around our beautiful San Juan Bay, surrounded by green spaces that will create new entertainment experiences for the enjoyment of all our visitors,” said Jochi Dávila, SMG Latin America Business Development Vice President, who worked sales and spearheaded the efforts to win the management contract.

“This project is the transformation of fully damaged and abandoned industrial areas into new clean spaces designed to create a unique experience: the perfect urban mix of beach, city and future,” explained Dávila, who added that Bahia Urbana is scheduled to open to the public at the end of the year.

SMG in the News: McCormick Place Hosts 2012 Presidential Election Night Celebrations

From Venues Today:

McCormick Place and Savor hosted more than 15,000 ticketed guests, along with media and, of course, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their families and friends for election night celebrations on Nov. 6.
According to Connie Chambers, Savor general manager at McCormick Place, the building and staff had about three weeks' notice to prepare to host the event.
“It's definitely a compressed timeframe,” said Chambers, adding that normally they would have several months in advance to get ready. However, McCormick Place had hosted the NATO summit just six months prior, which familiarized the staff with working with and the expectations of the Secret Service. Chambers added that some of the Secret Service agents who worked the election night event were the same who worked the summit, which made things easier. “We're really trained … I hate to say [it's] easy because it really isn't,” said Chambers. “But, certainly we knew who we were going to go to and what their expectations were.”

Read more at VenuesToday