ORPHEUM THEATRE DIRECTOR NOMINATED FOR INDUSTRY AWARD

Wichita, KS (November 5th, 2014) – Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre, an SMG-managed facility, is honored to announce that Theatre Director, Barney Byard, received a nomination for the Venues Today 2014 Hall of Headlines Award. The annual awards celebrate individuals who made a difference in the facilities industry in the last year and are awarded in four categories-News, Bookings, Marketing and Concessions.

Byard received a nomination in the Bookings category for instituting new programming at the Orpheum Theatre with the Emerging Artist Series. The series is designed to bring new musical talent to the community, help those artists grow a following in Wichita, and place the Orpheum at the forefront of the effort to promote interesting and eclectic new music.

With the support of presenting sponsor, Scholfield Honda, and media sponsors, KMUW, 105.3 The Buzz, F5 Paper, ICT Music + Art, Fliphound and City Blue Print, the Orpheum and SMG Wichita hosted the following up-and-coming acts: The Tontons, Jared & the Mill, Graham Colton, Wild Moccasins with The Eastern Sea, The Nearly Deads with Not A Planet and Rev Gusto, and Love Canon.

“We are very proud of Barney and our entire SMG Team at the Orpheum Theatre for creating this series from the ground up. The Emerging Artist series received a lot of positive support in its first year, while offering a diverse lineup of young new musical talent in our market,” said A.J. Boleski, General Manager of SMG Wichita.

Venues Today is an industry trade magazine that reports on live entertainment and events and tracks industry trends internationally. Hall of Headline nominees are voted on by Venues Today subscribers and staff, and the winners will be featured in the Year-End December 2014 issue.

SMG Hires Peter Jelinski as General Manager of Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre

West Conshohocken, PA (November 4th, 2014) - SMG Canada is pleased to announce that Peter Jelinski will now be taking over as General Manager of Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, effective immediately. The Regional Event Centre, currently under construction, is scheduled to open in August, 2015.

As a 20+ year veteran of the entertainment industry, Jelinski most recently worked as the Booking & Entertainment Manager for Edmonton Northlands in Edmonton, AB.  In this position, Jelinski handled booking at the Rexall Place Arena at the Edmonton Northlands, developing and maintaining relationships with regional and national promoters and producers of live entertainment and maximizing revenue for both the venue and the shows.  Before that, Peter held the position of Assistant General Manager for the University of Regina Students Union.  During his time with the University of Regina, Peter was involved with campus event programming, policy and strategic plan development, talent buying, and department budgeting.

“Peter Jelinski is a very well respected industry professional with a track record of success in both venue marketing and the live entertainment business,” said Harry Cann, SMG Senior Vice President of Operations & Business Development.  “Peter’s experience, positive working relationships and enthusiasm made him the ideal choice for this position. We are thrilled to have him join the SMG Canada team and I am confident that the Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre and the City of Medicine Hat will benefit substantially from Peter’s expertise, creativity and leadership.”

“I am truly honored that SMG has entrusted me to lead their efforts in Medicine Hat,” said Jelinski. “Having been part of the live entertainment industry for many years, I am very much aware of the solid reputation SMG has earned at many venues and I am proud to join their team. Working with local government, businesses, and the community to achieve the City’s goals for the Regional Event Centre and helping to position Medicine Hat as a destination of choice for businesses, visitors, and residents is an exciting opportunity.”

“The City of Medicine Hat welcomes Peter Jelinski to our community.  With his extensive experience in the industry and the support of SMG professionals, we are confident that he will hit the ground running and be a great addition and provide strong leadership to the new Regional Event Centre,” said Grant MacKay, Project Lead for the Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre project.  “The City is looking forward to a long term successful relationship with SMG and appreciates being involved in the hiring process of this very important General Manager position.” 

Taylor Swift to open tour in Bossier City

(Taken from The Shreveport Times).

Taylor Swift is headed back to Bossier City.

The Grammy award winner announced Monday she will launch her 1989 world tour May 20 at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City. The tour will hit North America and Europe before heading to Australia in December 2015.

The first tickets go on sale to the general public Nov. 14, with TaylorSwift.com members and American Express Card members having access to tickets Nov. 7.

“SMG has a great relationship with her management and promoter team, and this is something we’ve been working on for a number of months,” said CenturyLink Center general manager Rebecca Bonnevier. “The fact we’re able to announce it today (Monday) and be part of not just the tour but have her kick off her tour here means a lot to us.”

The upcoming show will not be Swift’s first performance at the CenturyLink Center. The 24-year-old previously performed in 2009 and 2011, both of which were sold out shows, Bonnevier said. She anticipates the same for the May 20 show.

“1989” is Swift’s fifth studio album. It was released Oct. 27 and and has exceeded two million downloads in the U.S., according to a news release announcing the tour. The album is poised to surpass one-week sales records for an album by a woman, set by Britney Spears’ “Oops! ... I Did It Again” in 2000, according to Billboard.com.

Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy will open North American dates. Shawn Mendes will join the tour on select dates.

Florence Civic Center Wins ConventionSouth’s Annual Readers’ Choice Award

For Immediate Release

Florence, SC (November 3rd, 2014) - Winning yet another award this year for venue excellence, Florence Civic Center has been awarded as one of only two convention centers in the entire state of South Carolina to win the ConventionSouth Magazine’s 2014 Annual Reader’s Award.

“Winning Convention South’s Readers Choice Award is very rewarding for the entire SMG Florence staff,” said Kendall Wall, General Manager of the Florence Civic Center. “Our team has worked very hard to educate planners about what Florence has to offer. The growth of the hospitality district surrounding the venue has enabled Florence to become a key player in the market.  Planners love having the SMG Advantage, the amenities of over 1000 hotel rooms, numerous restaurants, a regional shopping center and the perfect location at the intersection of Interstates 95 and 20 for easy travel access.”

ConventionSouth has been distributing this award since 2001 and provides the opportunity for readers to vote on which venues in the South present the highest level of service and quality facilities. The recognition comes from the country’s top meeting professionals who host events in the region and they have determined that the Florence Civic Center has demonstrated the necessary level of professionalism and service to meet their high standards.

“This is a well-deserved award for the Florence Civic Center,” said SMG’s Executive Vice President, Convention and Exhibition Centers, Gregg Caren. “The management and staff all work hard to provide the best possible experience for both exhibitors and attendees and the results make the venue a central hub for activity in the Florence area.”

The Annual Reader’s Award is the third award the Florence Civic Center has received this year, with the venue previously winning Facilities Media Group of New York’s 2014 Prime Site Award as well as ConventionSouth’s 101 Largest Expo Halls.

SMG TULSA GENERAL MANAGER RECEIVES BOOMTOWN AWARD

(Tulsa, OK) November 3, 2014 - SMG Tulsa General Manager Jeff Nickler received the 2014 Boomtown Award for the category of "The People People." Presented by Tulsa Young Professionals (TYPros), the award is given to recognize business leaders who are champions of Tulsa working to promote quality of life, retention of top talent and recruitment of the next generation of business and civic leaders.

"This is a great honor and one that Jeff definitely deserves. He's played a pivotal role in the success of the BOK Center since it opened, and now is leading the venue in all its continued accomplishments," said John Bolton, SMG Vice President of Entertainment. "His ability to attract the top touring acts to BOK Center contributes significantly to Tulsa's vibrant music scene and overall quality of life."

Nickler was promoted to SMG General Manager in February 2014. Prior to that, he held the position of Assistant General Manager of BOK Center, Director of Booking and Special Events Manager. He is an active member of TYPros.

"Thank you TYPros for this award. It's an honor to be recognized by an organization that brings so much to Tulsa," Nickler said. "I'm luck to work with such an amazing team of employees at SMG. Without them, awards such as this and the overall success of both BOK Center and Cox Business Center would not be possible."

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS: FROZEN BREAKS RECORDS FOR FAMILY SHOWS

NOVEMBER 3rd, 2014 – Think back to that time… the lights were low, the Arena was full, and there was a brief pause in between songs from your favorite artist. You hear the first chords and immediately you see the flicker of lighters and the harmonious sounds as everyone in the building joins in to sing every lyric of the song. Fast forward to 2014 and you see camera phones, Ipads, and cameras flashing. The first notes begin to play. Instead of your voice it is your child’s voice singing strong and loud to the Disney mega-hit Frozen.

From Wednesday, Oct. 29^th through Sunday Nov. 2^nd Disney on Ice Presents: Frozen enthralled sold out crowds; the magic of Disney as powerful as ever. Royal Farms Arena staff witnessed the delight of children from all over the mid-Atlantic as they sang every song and squealed with delight as their favorite story was re-told on ice.

Frozen has surpassed all family shows in the history of the Arena, “…it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. This particular Disney was our bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, tied game where the batter hit it out of the ball park; nothing short of amazing… Feld Entertainment has a long and storied history at the Arena. They have been with us since we were the Civic Center. We are thrilled that we were part of this historic event, a part of their history…” Frank Remesch, General Manager, Royal Farms Arena.

Years from now, long after the faces have faded on their souvenir cups and the plush toys purchased are nowhere to be found, when the children that were here for Disney on Ice Presents: Frozen are talking about their experiences at live events to their children, we have no doubt that among the many concerts and sporting events they will attend in their lifetime, this show will rank in the top; it will be a part of the soundtrack of their lives.

Bahía Urbana surpassing 100 events in 2014

Originally published in Caribbean Business Magazine.

(Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico) October 27th, 2014 - Bahía Urbana’s General Manager Linnette Isona is touting the San Juan Bay venue’s successful 2014 with more than 100 events between box office and free events for the community, and an estimated 250,000 attendees.

An additional 12 events are on the agenda for November and December.

The “Christmas Illumination Fantasy,” a family event with live music, fireworks and artisans, and “Guavate en la Bahía” will both be held on November 30.

Other scheduled events are this week’s “Flash Back Halloween Party” on October 30 with 1980s and 1990s music, and “Navitown,”an amusement park with machines, games and bounce houses from December 24 to January 2015.

“This is a unique venue in the San Juan Bay area, a privileged location that welcomes visitors and tourists throughout the week,” Isona said. “But we are also blessed with the support of our people. Puerto Ricans Rican have turned Bahia Urbana into a successful space where they can enjoy variety of events that run the gamut from concerts, movie nights and sports parties to culinary festivals, salsa dancing nights and jazz sunsets.”

Isona commented that the outdoors space they provide and the round-shaped “Festival Lawn” are attractive sites for producers, promoters and the different audiences they appeal to “because they know that besides a breathtaking spot and five-star service we pride ourselves on our surveillance and security protocols.”

Among the new attractions at Bahía Urbana, a children’s carousel that operates on weekends as well as colorful candy popcorn and cotton candy machines. This area can be rented out for birthdays and private parties.

Café Ocho, the onsite signature tapas bar, is now open on Fridays from 5p.m., Saturdays from 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m.

As a tribute to traditional Puerto Rican Christmas cuisine: “Guavate en la Bahía,” a culinary festival from November 30 will offer the best roasted suckling pig, pork cracklings, rice with pigeon peas, blood sausages, fritters and other Holiday delicacies.

Isona, who also announced the launch of an advertising campaign appealing to different audiences on social networks, said that every space of Bahía Urbana is available for corporate groups, private parties, birthdays and even romantic proposals. The latter, which have gained popularity recently, are designed with the client and a local events company to fulfill the fantasies of demanding and adventurous couples who want to build Bayside memories that romantics dream about.

“We are here to serve our customers, always,” she said.