SMG Continues Win Streak with Two New Venue Contracts

October 11, 2012

SMG has two new feathers in its cap, scoring venue management contracts for Miami’s James L. Knight Center and South Dakota-based Sioux Falls Convention Center.

Both contracts previously were held by Global Spectrum and mark the 6th and 7th straight RFP convention center wins for SMG, according to Gregg Caren, SMG’s senior vice president of strategic development.

“From a company standpoint, wins are always great when these (RFPs) only come out a few within a year,” Caren said. “It validates we are a real leader for convention center management and marketing.”

The Miami City Commission approved by a unanimous decision SMG’s takeover of the James. L. Knight Center contract effective Oct. 24.

“As we transition this important downtown asset, we will immediately seek to improve service levels and key relationships with strategic partners, including local hoteliers and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau” Caren said.

He added, “By providing staff with additional resources, we will help grow market share in both the meetings and entertainment sectors served by the Knight Center.”

The Knight Center includes the Miami Conference & Conference Center, 28,000 square foot Riverfront Hall and a 4,600-seat proscenium theater

“We are very pleased to see The Knight Center join the SMG network,” said Henry Torre, director of public facilities for the City of Miami.

He added, “SMG has an incredible legacy of more than 30 years of first-class management, commitment to its clients and employees, and highest quality service standards. We look forward to working with SMG and their team as they take Knight Center to the next level.”

In Sioux Falls, SMG already managed a theater, a smaller arena and a larger arena that’s on the way, and beginning Jan. 1, they also will be in charge of the city’s convention center.

These two new contracts are the latest in a string of wins for SMG that began with Detroit’s Cobo Center in 2010, Caren said.

Other recent contracts include Chicago’s McCormick Place, Jamaica’s Montego Bay Convention Centre and Syracuse, N.Y.-based Oncenter, comprised of the War Memorial Arena, Civic Center Theaters and the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center.

“These wins are always important to expand our network of facilities,” Caren said.

He added, “The more we can expand our distribution network, the better it is for our venues and our clients.”

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