Lionel Dubay’s career path was classic. First you do the job and then you get the job. That and having the right mentor pushed Dubay into his role as director of the Augusta (Maine) Civic Center when it opened in 1972. In 1970, Augusta City Manager Paul Poulin hired Lionel Dubay, who was freshly graduated […]
Labor negotiations with Linc Cavalieri were scripted. All of the buildings Linc ran in Detroit were fully unionized. “We were never anti-labor, but you have to conduct labor negotiations and, when you do, you are on opposite sides of the fence,” said Bob Cavalieri, Linc’s son, who is currently working for ASM Global (formerly SMG). […]
A big part of the joy of receiving the Joseph P. Anzivino Award from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) in Chicago was sharing the stage with some very important people. Mike McGee, who received IAVM’s top honor, the Charles A. McElravy Award, that same day, has always been a supporter and friend. Presenters […]
In 1974, Lawrence Welk toured arenas, doing exceptionally well across the country. Lionel Dubay, two years into managing the brand-new, 7,200-seat Augusta (Maine) Civic Center, saw an opportunity. His first call to promoter Lon Varnell, a legend in the industry, didn’t go so well, though the mere fact Varnell took a call from a pretty […]
Bob Collins was a newbie to World Wrestling Federation when he worked the March 28, 1988 Wrestlemania IV in Atlantic City, N.J.. One month into the job, he was off to observe and compare the instinctive expertise of two marketing geniuses — Donald Trump, now president of the U.S., and the charismatic Vince McMahon, founder […]
Early in Mich Sauers’ career signing on new venues for private/contract management, he learned a valuable lesson. “This was in the beginning, my formative years,” Sauers said, setting the stage. He was in charge of business development for what was SMI at the time (Spectacor Management Inc.). Allen Flexor was president of the Philadelphia firm […]
Allen Bloom, famed booker and negotiator for Irving Feld’s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, is a legend in the entertainment industry. He helped orchestrate the circuses’ big ancillary income flow — popcorn, sno cones, cotton candy and souvenirs. Linc Cavalieri is also a legend in the industry, having run several buildings in Detroit, […]
The man on the phone wanted to talk to the “boy with the tie” about his ticket issue. No solution offered by the ticketing professional was good enough. The man wanted the decision-maker who could grant his request. That’s when Maureen Andersen realized it’s not about who sits in the chair, but how you behave […]
In 1965, Don Rankin of Pritchard Sports was a rookie cop in Baltimore, walking a post. “I knew I had a known police fighter on my beat. He was pointed out to me and I was told to be cautious.” At 8 p.m. one night, Rankin walks into the P& M Lounge on North Avenue […]
Venue managers are not usually the focus of attention. So when Russ Simons was opening what was then called Nashville Arena on Dec. 18, 1996 — a night he will always remember as magical in every possible way — that moment attention focused on him stands out. The opening concert was Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas. […]