Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall enjoy record year in Grand Rapids

The recently closed fiscal year proved to be a record-breaking year for the SMG-managed venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan – Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place, and DeVos Performance Hall. With the record-breaking combined fiscal performance from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, the three venues are continuing the momentum generated by the celebration of Van Andel Arena’s 20th anniversary in 2016.

Van Andel Arena hosted 37 events for a total of 60 performances throughout the fiscal year, not including Grand Rapids Griffins AHL Hockey games and non-ticketed events. Some highlights included the legendary Paul McCartney setting a record for gross ticket sales for a single event and Kanye West bringing the heaviest production the arena has ever seen. The arena also hosted Journey & The Doobie Brothers, Blink-182, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Snoop Dogg, Professional Bull Riders, Eric Church, a live broadcast of WWE RAW, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers and several others.

“We had a big year planned for the 20th anniversary of Van Andel Arena, and that carried over down the street at DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall as well,” said SMG Regional General Manager Richard MacKeigan. “The enthusiasm we operate with and the success we have been able to enjoy is a manifestation of the support we have from the community and SMG, and the confidence we gain from the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority.”

Adding yet another arena highlight to a year that already had plenty, the Griffins clinched their second Calder Cup Championship in franchise history on home ice in June.

"Grand Rapids has three wonderful venues and the corporate staff in the SMG Live Entertainment Division did a magnificent job working with them to achieve some outstanding results that we are very proud of,” said SMG Executive Vice President Doug Thornton. "We work hard to make sure our corporate resources are of great value to our buildings around the world, and the performance in Grand Rapids last year is a perfect example of the partnerships we strive to create."

Chris Cornell at DeVos Performance Hall

DeVos Performance Hall hosted a number of significant events as well, including Aretha Franklin, Dan TDM, Bill Engvall, Boston, Chris Cornell, and others. In addition to its usual run of public shows such as the 9th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival, an event created by SMG Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA), DeVos Place hosted a number of private events, conventions, conferences, and meetings to keep a fully loaded schedule that rarely left the building idle.

Comedian Bill Engvall at DeVos Performance Hall

In addition to ticketed events, the buildings hosted several events open to the community as well. Both DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena hosted art installations during ArtPrize, an annual international art competition held in Grand Rapids. Two of the installations in DeVos Place were chosen as winners in their categories.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary, Van Andel Arena opened its doors to the public with a free Halloween Open House in October and capped off the year-long commemoration with a charity dinner in January featuring a moderated discussion with General Managers of the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, and Detroit Tigers with all proceeds benefitting local non-profit organizations.

Both DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena hosted graduation ceremonies this fiscal year. Other events such as the Turkey Trot 5K to benefit Grand Rapids Public Schools on Thanksgiving morning, Barley, BBQ & Beats to benefit Hospice of Michigan, and Heart of West Michigan United Way’s Food from the Heart took place as well.

The year wasn’t without its accolades along the way as Regional General Manager Richard MacKeigan was named among the industry’s elite on Billboard’s Top Arena Managers list in September and followed that up by being named winner of Venues Today’s “most prestigious award,” the Hall of Headlines in December.

In order to improve the guest experience, Van Andel Arena installed new LED lighting both inside and outside of the arena, and repaired sections of sidewalk around the building. The arena also wrapped itself in a bow again to celebrate the holidays and gave the marquee a facelift to improve its graphical capabilities.

DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena both continued their commitment to the 2030 District, a downtown district facilitated by the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan with help from the Institute for Energy Innovation, aimed at dramatically reducing environmental impacts in the community. DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena also participated in the Annual Battle of the Buildings Energy Summit to highlight its ongoing sustainability efforts.

“We can’t wait to show West Michigan what is in store for the new fiscal year,” added MacKeigan. “We are thrilled to be able to match the energy that we feel from the community and our partners that make this all possible.”

Fans in costume at the 20th Anniversary Halloween Open House

Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place executives nominated for industry awards

Garth Brooks at Van Andel Arena on May 12, 2016

This December, Venues Today magazine will be presenting its “most prestigious award,” the Hall of Headlines, with SMG receiving a record 14 nominations, including four executives from Grand Rapids. The categories featured in the nominations include News, Bookings, Operations and Tech, Marketing, and Concessions with SMG nominated in all 5 categories.

Rich MacKeigan, General Manager for SMG at Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place was nominated for bookings for breaking multiple venue records including Garth Brooks’ record for most tickets sold for a single engagement and Paul McCartney’s record for gross ticket sales for a single event.

Hilarie Szarowicz, Director of Marketing at Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place was nominated for hosting a Facebook promotion encouraging people to share their favorite event memory and/or photo using hashtag #MyVAA20 in honor of the 20th Anniversary of Van Andel Arena. The promotion was intended to build awareness of the arena’s 20th anniversary while capturing user content for use in future marketing materials. The campaign resulted in 41,599 people reached, 1,300+ memories (comments) posted, 844 reactions and 118 shares.

In the Concessions category, Jeff Dubin, Director of Food & Beverage for SAVOR at Van Andel Arena, was nominated for introducing a new take on the everyday salad bar called a “Living Salad Bar” for the bands, staff and crew of the “San Francisco Fest Tour,” featuring rock bands Journey, The Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason Aug. 2, 2016.

"Living Salad Bar"

The Living Salad Bar featured several types of lettuces and kales with all of the typical salad ingredients, with the exception that the lettuce is still alive. In order to provide the freshest salad possible, staff and crew snip their lettuce fresh off the plant before placing it on their plate.

For the Operations and Tech category, SMG’s Eddie Tadlock, Assistant General Manager at DeVos Place, was nominated for efforts to decrease energy usage by 6.03 percent by installing new equipment and reducing wasted resources resulting in the venue finishing second in the 2nd annual Michigan Battle of the Buildings Energy Summit.

In total, 14 SMG executives were nominated across all five categories of the awards. Other SMG executives nominated are listed below.

Bookings category:

• Leonard Bonacci, Regional Vice President at University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ 
• Lynn Carlotto, General Manager at Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario, Canada 
• Jerry Goldman, Assistant General Manager at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN 
• Jeff Nickler, General Manager at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK 
• Chris Semrau, Assistant General Manager at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, in Sioux Falls, SD 

Marketing category:

• Josh Kesler, Marketing & Sales Manager at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville, KY 
• Steve Poremba, Director of Marketing at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA 
• Meghan Doyle, Director of Marketing at the BOK Centre in Tulsa, OK 

Concessions category:

• Mark Anderson, General Manager and Vice President of Premier Food Services in Del Mar, CA 

News category:

• Eduardo Cajina, General Manager at the Coliseo of Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Van Andel Arena’s Richard MacKeigan named among concert industry's elite on Billboard’s Top Arena Managers list

SMG Regional General Manager Richard MacKeigan has been a vital part of putting Grand Rapids on the map in the concert industry for the past 18 years and his work is not going unnoticed. The September 24, 2016 issue of Billboard magazine includes the list of Top Arena Managers chosen for “their leadership of the venues that dominate Boxscore rankings,” and MacKeigan is mentioned among the 10 listed for arenas with capacities between 10,001 and 15,000.

The magazine mentions Van Andel Arena’s 20th anniversary and some of the larger shows that have come to Grand Rapids recently, including Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Elton John, and Kanye West.

“We have consistently fought above our weight class when it comes to concerts and their success,” says MacKeigan in the piece.

MacKeigan, a native of Canada and father of three, came to Grand Rapids in September of 1998 as SMG General Manager. He has been at the forefront of shaping the entertainment industry in Grand Rapids with financial, marketing, booking and operational responsibility for Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall.

“This is a reflection of everyone in Grand Rapids. The community has supported us for 20 years and allowed us to continue to grow and bring in some of the biggest shows touring today,” MacKeigan said of the ranking. “The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) placed their trust in SMG and our local staff, and we have worked hard in partnership with our SMG Corporate staff to be sure promoters, agents, managers and artists continue to have Grand Rapids at front of mind when they are planning their shows.”

Van Andel Arena Tops List of North American Venues
The Boxscore rankings, which are the determining factor in the Top Arena Managers list, show Van Andel Arena as the top ranking venue in North America with a capacity between 10,001 and 15,000. The Grand Rapids arena ranks as #5 worldwide and joins Intrust Bank Arena (#6, Wichita, Kansas) as the only other SMG-managed venue on the list. SMG also manages Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, which appeared at #4 worldwide for venues with a capacity above 15,000.

The Boxscore ranking lists venues by size and total gross ticket sales between November 10, 2015 and July 18, 2016. Van Andel Arena’s #1 North American ranking comes behind a reported $13.4 million in gross ticket sales from a wide-ranging set of shows. During this period, the arena saw huge sales from sold out and near-sold out shows such as Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Zac Brown Band, Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, Elton John, Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire, twenty one pilots and Def Leppard, as well as a six-show run from Garth Brooks that broke venue attendance records. The sellouts and huge crowds continue a trend that the arena has enjoyed since first opening its doors, proving to promoters again and again that Grand Rapids is a must-play destination when routing their artists’ tour schedules.

The momentum has continued since then with programming growing in both diversity and size. Van Andel Arena recently hosted one of the largest productions to date with Kanye West’s “Saint Pablo Tour” on September 27, and Paul McCartney set an arena record for gross ticket sales from a single event when his “One on One” Tour made a stop in Grand Rapids on August 15.

Spokefly: Keeping Grand Rapids Green!

With Grand Rapids becoming a center of business and culture development, efforts are being made to make it more…green! Sustainability has become a strong focus of development in the city, especially through the implementation of new public transportation. Recognizing the desire for more convenient and green transportation, Spokefly, a bike share program brought by the Spoke Folks, has recently launched in the Grand Rapids community. Spoke Folks brought their love of cycling to the city with this easy to use bike sharing system. So…

What is “bike sharing”?

Bike sharing, according to Spokefly, allows for a cleaner and greener way to commute within the city. Through sharing bikes with others, this form of public transportation cuts back on toxic emissions from cars and promotes a healthier lifestyle while also placing convenient bike stops throughout the city for easy access to businesses downtown. With these locations sporadically placed throughout the downtown area, bike riders can rent a bike for $1 per ride plus $0.15/minute. For example, a 10-minute ride will cost $2.50. The Spoke Folks hope to expand the program to the city’s neighborhoods next year.

How does it work?

In order to use Spokefly, you’ll first need to become familiar with the locations in which you can rent a bike. Download the Spokefly app from the Apple App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android). From there, you’ll be able to use a map to determine where the closest bike location is for you. From the same app, you’ll be able to pay for rental, unlock a bike and return a bike to a Spokefly location. Once you get a location set, you’ll snap a picture of the bike to the Spokefly app and get the combination needed in order to return the bike.

Is there one near the Arena?

There is a Spokefly bike rack next to Van Andel Arena, towards Ionia Street. There is also one located near the corner of Monroe Avenue and Lyon Street, right next to DeVos Place, for convenient travel to events in both the convention center and DeVos Performance Hall.



Please click to download the app to iPhones or Androids.

SMG Director of Marketing Lynne Ike Honored with WGVU Engage I HAVE Made a Difference Award

Lynne Ike, SMG Director of Marketing for Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall, was awarded yesterday with the 2014 WGVU Engage I HAVE Made a Difference Award as an outstanding individual in the Arts category.

The WGVU Engage I HAVE Made a Difference Awards are awarded to one individual and one non-profit organization that best exemplifies outcomes in the five WGVU Engage areas of focus and overall excellence in support of our community. The categories include Inclusion, Health, Arts, Veterans, Education, People’s Choice, Non-Profit of the Year and Person of the Year, and are judged by a group of panelists representing the WGVU Engage Committee, WGVU Public Media, and the community.

Lynne Ike has been chair of the WGVU Engage Arts Committee for two years, and has strived to create opportunities for young people to experience the arts. She facilitated a trip, complete with boxed lunches, to a Grand Rapids Symphony Pops concert for children from D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s Home, and is currently working to bring children from this organization to a Grand Rapids Symphony Holiday Pops concert. Her efforts also enabled local veterans and their families to attend a Sesame Street Live performance at Van Andel Arena last year.

Lynne is active with the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority’s Community Inclusion Group (CIG), which strives to bring diverse entertainment to Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall. Her efforts with CIG include working with various West Michigan communities to raise awareness of events and to create a welcoming atmosphere at the venues, as well as at other businesses downtown, including restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other establishments.

 

Tweet a congratulations to Lynne: Tweet

Special Invitation from Community Inclusion Group

*Keith Sweat on August 2nd has been cancelled. If you purchased tickets at our box office, refunds have been processed automatically. Otherwise, refunds are available at the point of sale.

The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority’s (CAA) Community Inclusion Group (CIG) would like to invite you to join our VIP List. By joining our VIP List, you will have information about events and attractions delivered right to your inbox. Simply click here to join and see a full list of events and attractions coming to YOUR community venues. If social media is more your speed, we invite you to connect with us:

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DeVosPlace/DeVos Performance Hall

Twitter
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@DeVosPerfHall
@DeVosPlaceMeet

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By way of background, the CAA owns and operates the Van Andel Arena®, DeVos Place® and DeVos Performance Hall. The CAA’s mission is to encourage economic development within the West Michigan region, create jobs and provide facilities for the entertainment, enjoyment and/or benefit of the citizens in an economical manner by developing and operating convention, entertainment, and sports facilities within Kent County.

In 2005, CAA Board Chair Steve Heacock established a subcommittee to examine the reach of the CAA’s diversity efforts and to prepare a plan that includes financially viable actions for the CAA to undertake. Today, this group is known as the CIG. The CIG is a committee comprised of local community leaders who help identify and ensure that viable diverse events and programming take place at the venues. With this in mind, we are committed to making sure that you are in the know about events and attractions that come to the CAA’s venues and to the greater downtown area. Please consider joining our e-mail list and feel free to forward the link along to those who may have an interest, including co-workers, friends, family, Greek organizations, congregation members, etc.

Steven Heacock, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Chairman, was named the “West Michigan Business Person of the Year”

Steven Heacock, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Chairman, was named the “West Michigan Business Person of the Year” by the MSU Alumni Club this past February the 24th.The announcement was made at the 16th Annual MSU Means Business Networking Event at the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids. The featured speakers were Stefanie Lenway (the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean of the Eli Broad College of Business and Eli Broad Graduate School of Management) and Scott Westerman (Executive Director of the MSU Alumni Association).The CAA is the seven-member board that owns Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place. For more information please visit, www.westmichspartans.org.