By Theresa Hogue

The post OSU takes measures to reduce water usage in response to statewide drought conditions appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Keith Kobland

Grounds employee Stephanie Anson operates the new zero-turn electric powered lawn mower.

It?s one of the sounds of summer: a gas-powered lawnmower. The noise is quite common in neighborhoods as people work to keep their lawns looking good. It?s no different on the Syracuse University campus. With 800 acres of grounds, cutting the grass comes with the territory. But the noise and pollution created by gas-burning engines is soon becoming a thing of the past on campus, as grounds crews transition from gas-powered equipment to electric. Included in this grouping is the use of a zero-turn commercial grade mower with a 60-inch cutting deck, powered not by gas, but rather, four large batteries.

?It does pretty much the same thing as a gas-powered mower, except with a lot less noise, less maintenance and the fact it uses no fossil fuels,? says grounds manager Pat Carroll, who explains the technology and power of the new electric mowers far outweighs that of the old. Plus, he says, ?our grounds crews appreciate the fact that their clothing doesn?t reek of gas fumes.?

The side benefit of course is the softer nature of the machines. When the blades are turning, it still sounds like a mower, but with a softer whir of the engine. And when the blades are off, it moves silently across campus. It will make the quad and the rest of campus grounds quieter by about a third, according to some estimates.

From a bigger picture, the use of electric-powered equipment is another step in fulfilling the University?s commitment toward carbon neutrality.

According to Sustainability Coordinator Melissa Cadwell, the zero turn mower ?will be used approximately 20 hours per week, for 22 weeks per year, and will mitigate roughly 1,446lbs of carbon per year. And this is just for one piece of equipment. There are more, but this is the biggest by far.?  The mower was funded through Sustainability Management?s carbon neutrality fund used for projects that promote and/or lower the campus?s carbon emissions.

?Sustainability Management?s goal is to continue to help support Grounds with converting traditional lawn equipment to electric equipment, which will lower our carbon emissions and sound pollution,? said Cadwell.

So keep watch for the new electric equipment on campus. It?s more likely you?ll see it than hear it.

Read the original article here

The post New Electric Equipment Reduces Noise, Increases Carbon Neutrality on Campus appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Henry Greenstein, Cronkite News

Footprint will be the latest company with its name on the marquee of the downtown arena, following America West, USAirways and Talking Stick Resort. (Photo courtesy of Suns Legacy Partners and Footprint)

PHOENIX ? For Phoenix Suns fans immersed in the high drama of the NBA Finals, the decision might have come as a surprise. The team announced on July 16 it was renaming the downtown arena to Footprint Center, in a deal with a local plant-based packaging company.

But it was less of a surprise for experts on sports business, and its intersection with environmental issues.

?When you (a team) add some type of sustainability component or climate component, it gives you an opportunity to say that you?re actually sending a very positive message,? said Rich Brand, a sports lawyer at Arent Fox who frequently negotiates naming rights deals. ?At the same time that, you know, admittedly, you?re getting paid a little bit of money here and there ? or a lot of money here and there.?

Brand represented Amazon in its $300-$400 million deal to rechristen the home of the Seattle Kraken and Storm Climate Pledge Arena, after Amazon?s initiative urging companies to substantially lower their carbon emissions. That environmentally focused agreement in June 2020 was followed by Ball Arena in Denver in October and now Footprint Center in Phoenix.

Both Ball, with aluminum, and Footprint, with plant fibers, are focused on reducing plastic waste.

These naming rights deals show sustainability-focused companies rising to new levels of prominence in the sports world, through ?a sponsorship agreement on steroids,? as Brand puts it, and increasing their public reach.

?I think it shows the maturity of the movement ? environmental sustainability movement ? whether it?s a consumer product or not, to be able to have the resources to position itself,? said Brian McCullough, a sports management professor at Texas A&M University who specializes in sport ecology.

Much like last year?s Ball Arena deal in Denver, the Footprint Center agreement provides substantial exposure to a locally headquartered, environmentally focused company. (Photo courtesy of Suns Legacy Partners and Footprint)

What?s more, McCullough?s research at the Special Olympics in Seattle found that when fans partake in environmentally friendly practices at sporting events, they bring these back to their home communities, and ?even fans that might be reluctant in their everyday life would actually engage in those behaviors,? he said.

This aligns with one of Suns owner Robert Sarver?s goals with the Footprint partnership, as stated in a press release: ?Integrating Footprint?s plant-based fiber technology into our core business functions will mobilize partners and fans to drive collective and systemic change, in our arena and beyond.?

Kristen Fulmer, founder of the sports sustainability agency Recipric, noted that sports teams have a unique ability to positively influence fan behavior in this domain. She drew a comparison to the Washington Nationals? partnership with True Made Foods to bring healthier ketchup to their stadium.

?Because the team has done it, (fans are) probably more likely to recognize that label in the grocery store and buy it themselves,? Fulmer said. ?So it?s almost facilitating environmental actions, because we know fans are so loyal to their teams that that trust is gained almost immediately.?

Fulmer added that sports help bring environmental discourse to the mainstream. For example, Climate Pledge Arena, she said, generates discussions about sustainability that certainly wouldn?t happen otherwise.

?If someone just describes where they want to meet someone, they have to use the word ?climate,?? she said. ?And so it just becomes more ingrained in our everyday language.?

McCullough noted that naming a facility after a sustainability-focused company does set the bar extremely high for in-stadium practices. (The official press release declared the arena an ?immersive living innovation lab.?) He said it will be key for the Suns to carefully consider the totality of their environmental strategy to ensure they?re meeting expectations.

?Research would say that (waste management) constitutes anywhere from four to maybe seven percent of the carbon footprint of an event. So it?s still quite low,? McCullough said. ?I mean, it?s still meaningful, but it?s still low in the grand scheme of things. So hopefully, you know, the Suns are doing more beyond that.?

If waste management is only a small portion of a stadium?s environmental impact, why has it been the focus of two recent naming rights deals? Kristin Hanczor, senior partnership manager at the Green Sports Alliance, said it?s more visible to fans than other sustainability efforts.

?You don?t necessarily know how much water is being used to manage the field or how much energy is being used to cool the arena,? she said. ?Those aren?t numbers that a fan will come in and see: ?Wow, this venue?s energy bill is really high, they should be implementing energy efficient appliances.?

?But when you?re a fan, chances are you walk into that venue, you consume something that is going somewhere after you leave.?

Brand said the world is placing an increasing emphasis on what companies like Ball and Footprint do, and (as Fulmer said) naming rights provide them an opportunity to demonstrate their products? benefits in-stadium. He compared it to his work on the Golden 1 Center naming rights deal with the Sacramento Kings. In the stadium, he said, people who became members of Golden 1 Credit Union got special discounts and fast-pass lanes.

Similarly, Ball can physically hand out its aluminum cups at Nuggets and Avalanche games ? as, soon enough, Footprint will distribute its packaging at Suns and Mercury games.

?What better way to get your mission out?? Brand said. ?What better way to push the climate pledge? What better way to talk about sustainability and plant-based products??

Read the original article here

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By Rachel Holt, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) ? There?s a new food option at Fenway Park, as Chef Ming Tsai introduces fans to MingsBings at the historic ballpark.

?It?s a high-protein, plant-based, gluten-free patty that?s easy to eat,? said Tsai.

Campbell Finlay was the first customer in line.

?It?s good. Excellent! Highly recommend it,? Finlay said.

Making excellent food is something the James Beard award-winning chef is know for, but recently, he?s put an emphasis on healthier cooking after his wife Polly was diagnosed with lung cancer nearly four years ago.

?And one of the things we decided is, ?Okay, you?re going to go vegan,’? said Tsai. ?Thank God for Dana-Farber. Thank you, Dana-Farber. They developed an awesome drug that she took that wiped her cancer out. But by going vegan, it really helped her recovery.?

Ming was helping Dana-Farber long before his wife?s cancer fight by supporting the Pan-Mass Challenge. He helped prepare food for PMC events, and rode in the event himself.

?I rode the 100 miles two years ago, it?s awesome. It literally was one of the best things I?ve ever done I think,? said Tsai.

And now a portion of the proceeds from MingsBings will go back to Dana-Farber.

?When we do well, we share it with the community,? said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. ?So it?s very important for us to do well on the field, but it?s important for us to be good citizens. So this is a win-win.?

Through July 29, MingsBings can be found on Jersey Street, starting two hours before each game and inside Fenway behind the bleachers.

?To premiere it here in Fenway, the premiere stadium in the country, it?s just so exciting for us,? said Tsai.

For more on MingsBings, visit https://mingsbings.com.

Read the original article here

The post Celebrity Chef Ming Tsai Using New Vegan Option At Fenway To Raise Money for Dana-Farber appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts’ signature philanthropic initiative extended for an additional five years

The post Vinik family pledges additional $10 million to Community Heroes program appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By ESPN News Services

Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team will next be called the Guardians.

The ballclub announced the name change Friday with a video on Twitter narrated by actor Tom Hanks, ending months of internal discussions triggered by a national reckoning by institutions and teams to permanently drop logos and names considered racist.

The name change is effective at the end of the 2021 season.

The organization spent most of the past year whittling down a list of potential names that was at nearly 1,200 just over a month ago. But the process, which the team said included 140 hours of interviews with fans, community leaders, front-office personnel and a survey of 40,000 fans, quickly accelerated, and the club landed on Guardians.

Team owner Paul Dolan said last summer’s social unrest, touched off by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, spurred his intention to change the club’s name.

“We are excited to usher in the next era of the deep history of baseball in Cleveland,” Dolan said in a statement. “Cleveland has and always will be the most important part of our identity. Therefore, we wanted a name that strongly represents the pride, resiliency and loyalty of Clevelanders.

“‘Guardians’ reflects those attributes that define us while drawing on the iconic Guardians of Traffic just outside the ballpark on the Hope Memorial Bridge. It brings to life the pride Clevelanders take in our city and the way we fight together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family. While ‘Indians’ will always be a part of our history, our new name will help unify our fans and city as we are all Cleveland Guardians.”

The team’s colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge.

In 2018, the Indians stopped wearing the contentious Chief Wahoo logo on their jerseys and caps. However, the team continues to sell merchandise bearing the smiling, red-faced caricature that has drawn protests from Native American groups for decades.

“It is a major step toward righting the wrongs committed against Native peoples and is one step toward justice,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director and founder of IllumiNative, a group dedicated to fighting misrepresentations of Native Americans.

The name change has sparked lively debate among the city’s passionate sports fans. Other names, including the Spiders, which was used by a now-defunct Cleveland team, were pushed by supporters on social media platforms.

Guardians will be the fifth name in franchise history, joining Blues (1901), Bronchos (1902), Naps (1903-14) and Indians (1915-2021).

“This is a historic moment for our franchise, and we are excited for our players and staff to debut our new team name and look in 2022,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said in a statement. “We look forward to our team proudly representing the city of Cleveland as the Guardians.”

Cleveland’s change comes as the Washington Football Team continues to work toward a similar makeover. Washington recently said it will reveal a new name and logo in 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original ESPN article here

The post Cleveland changing name from Indians to Guardians after 2021 season appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Effort will divert more than 76,000 pounds of waste from Indiana landfills

KEY POINTS

• PS&E, RecycleForce partnership will keep 76,000 pounds of hard-to-recycle plastic out of Indiana landfills
• Partnership represents PS&E?s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship
• RecycleForce helps reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals while championing sustainability across central Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS – A commitment to sustainability is in the Pacers Sports & Entertainment DNA, a value that starts with Steve Simon and permeates throughout the organization as it continues to look for opportunities to reduce waste and go green. That is why PS&E and RecycleForce today announced a partnership that will keep more than 76,000 pounds of plastic and steel out of Indiana landfills when Bankers Life Fieldhouse seats are removed and replaced as part of the Fieldhouse of the Future renovation project.

?Just as the Fieldhouse of the Future will give new generations of fans world-class experiences for years to come, the project also presents us with an opportunity to creatively reduce waste and double-down on our commitment to care for our environment,? said Rick Fuson, Pacers Sports & Entertainment President and Chief Operating Officer. ?RecycleForce plays such an important role in our community, both in championing sustainability and reducing recidivism, and we are proud to work alongside them to keep tens of thousands of pounds of materials out of Indiana?s landfills.?

Immediately, 3,742 seats in the Fieldhouse?s Krieg DeVault Level will be converted into raw materials for manufacturing, with as much as 33,000 pounds turned to plastic and another 42,800 pounds converted to steel. The steel will be shredded and sent to an Indiana steel smelter to be made back into rebar or sheet steel, while the plastic will be converted into 3,044 gallons of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and naphtha blend stocks and 1,015 gallons of wax.

Moreover, as Fieldhouse of the Future renovations continue, an additional 8,700 seats from the Balcony Level will also be repurposed by RecycleForce for even greater waste reduction and sustainability.

“We appreciate PS&E for their commitment to our environment and their collaboration with RecycleForce on this incredible effort,? said Gregg Keesling, RecycleForce President. ?Nearly all of our returning citizens grew up as lifelong Pacers fans and watched the games during their period of incarceration, which makes this partnership even more special.?

The effort is the latest sustainability initiative PS&E has undertaken with strong community partners, a continual focus for the company. Other work includes converting non-recyclable waste to energy, numerous recycling initiatives, and staging zero-waste events.

RecycleForce has for more than a decade been a leader in sustainability throughout central Indiana. The organization uses environmental stewardship as a means through which to help formerly incarcerated Hoosiers reintegrate into their communities through education and workforce training.

For more information on the Fieldhouse of the Future project, please visit https://www.bankerslifefieldhouse.com/fieldhouse-of-the-future.

For more information on RecycleForce?s efforts, please visit https://recycleforce.org/.

###

About Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Pacers Sports & Entertainment is an integrated sports and entertainment company including the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Pacers Gaming, Pacers Foundation, Inc., and operations of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Its team of inspired and dedicated employees has a shared purpose of winning through a commitment to excellence, serving the local community and entertaining fans and guests.

About RecycleForce

RecycleForce was founded in 2006 with a dual mission: To protect our environment through safe and responsible electronics recycling while providing a structured program for formerly incarcerated citizens who are incorporating themselves back into society via a combination of education, training, and counseling. Our goal is to break the endless cycle of offenders returning to prison and instead make them productive members of our community right here in Indianapolis.

Read the original press release here

The post Sustainability Fuels Pacers Sports & Entertainment, RecycleForce Partnership appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By The Metal Packager

The New York Yankees has teamed up with Anheuser-Busch and Ball Corporation to offer more sustainable beverage cups at Yankee Stadium.

For the 2021 and 2022 season, Ball?s aluminium cups will be available in a bid to make the stadium more sustainable.

A post on the Yankee?s Twitter read: ?We?re proud to partner with Anheuser-Busch to produce these Ball aluminum cups in order to make Yankee Stadium more sustainable.

?The cups will be available for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Cheers to a bright future!?

The first-of-its-kind creation came about in 2019 and debuted first in Denver-area sporting venues.

It has since gone on to feature at the LA Rams? So-Fi Stadium and now available for customers across the US.

Dan Fisher, Ball Corporation?s President, said the wide availability of the aluminium cup has several advantages.

He said: ?Ball has a long history of being a brand that people trust, and we are excited to reenter the B2C market with the retail rollout of the innovative and infinitely recyclable Ball Aluminum Cup.

?As a company, we are relentlessly focused on enabling the circular economy and finding new ways to help solve the packaging waste crisis with aluminium beverage packaging. We look forward to working with our retail partners to continue advancing this mission.?

Read the original post here

The post Ball aluminium cups at Yankee Stadium appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By USL League One

WINDSOR, Colo. ? After being announced as a USL League One expansion club on January 12, 2021 and seeking community input on its brand, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC today unveiled its official name and logo. Hailstorm FC will begin play in League One in 2022.

?It?s a very exciting day for the Northern Colorado soccer community,? said USL President Jake Edwards. ?Now that Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC has a name and a visual identity, the community can really start to get excited about their local club ahead of its first season in 2022.?

Hailstorm FC worked with leading soccer brand designer Christopher Payne, who has designed a number of crests for various teams across the United States and England.

?It was a four-month process that I?ll never forget,? said Payne. ?I am extremely proud of the brand that we have created. The crest is bold and striking and has so many references to the local area. I loved collaborating with this ownership group. They have an ambitious and exciting plan for this football club and the local community, and I can?t wait to see the club on the pitch in 2022.?

The crest for Hailstorm FC includes a shield that anchors the club in football tradition while also proudly displaying features that represent the community. A mountain range sits at the peak of the crest to symbolize prominence, strength, and endurance. Hailstorm FC?s brand colors feature streamlined and classic tones of navy, tan, gray and white shades.

?This is a community that craves sports and is covered with soccer fans of all ages,? said Hailstorm FC Owner and Future Legends CEO Jeff Katofsky. ?We are thrilled to be able to bring a culture of competitiveness, togetherness, and success with a brand that echoes the beauty and strength of the power of Mother Nature.?

Hailstorm FC will join USL League One as an expansion team and play against the other existing and new members of League One, with their first season kicking off in spring 2022. The complete format and schedule for the 2022 League One season will be announced when confirmed.

Northern Colorado will play its inaugural home campaign at Future Legends Complex, a 118-acre sports complex in Windsor, Colo. providing top-level athletic facilities for major tournaments, events, and leagues for players of all ages and skill levels. The complex includes a professional stadium, one collegiate stadium, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, an almost 4-acre indoor bubble sports arena, hotel lodging, and retail options.

For more information about Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, visit HailstormFC.com or follow the club on social media (@nocohailstormfc). For more information on Future Legends Complex, please contact Casey Katofsky, Executive Director, at CKatofsky@FutureLegendsComplex.com or visit FutureLegendsComplex.com.

Read the original press release here

The post Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Set to Begin USL League One Play in 2022 appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

Suns, Mercury and Real Mallorca Partnering with Footprint to Champion a Healthy Planet and Healthy People

The Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Real Mallorca announced today a new long-term partnership with Footprint, a material science company creating a healthier planet by reducing dependency on single- and short-term use plastics. The partnership will include naming rights and product integration, and it will exponentially amplify awareness and use of plant-based fiber alternatives to plastic and build toward a carbon-neutral, plastic-free arena. Over the next year, fans returning to the newly named Footprint Center for Suns and Mercury games or concerts and shows will begin to experience food served in Footprint?s biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable solutions as well as educational points about the positive impact of making a switch from single-use plastics in their everyday lives. Ultimately Footprint Center will become an immersive living innovation lab for fans, enterprising partners, and likeminded venue operators from around the world to visit.

?We?re thrilled to partner with Footprint to reduce the arena?s dependency on single and short-term use plastics by making Footprint Center a hub for sustainable products and packaging,? said Suns, Mercury and Real Mallorca Managing Partner Robert Sarver. ?It was important to us to find a partner that could truly make a positive impact in our community and on the planet, and Footprint is a global leader that is also Arizona-based and therefore shares our commitment to the Valley. Integrating Footprint?s plant-based fiber technology into our core business functions will mobilize partners and fans to drive collective and systemic change, in our arena and beyond.?

As part of the partnership, Footprint will bring its food and beverage solutions and a team of dedicated experts to help Footprint Center become carbon-neutral and single-use plastic-free while creating a living innovation lab for food and beverage suppliers to learn more about consumer sentiment and how they can transition away from plastic. Together, they will forge solutions that can be scaled outside Footprint Center and across the industry, helping companies concerned with ESG to integrate plant-based fiber solutions that are designed to be recycled and composted into their core product lines. The first change fans will see will be plates, packaging, utensils, coolers, and other single-use plastic items that can be replaced with Footprint?s innovative plant-based technologies. Footprint Center will also feature recycling and compost containers, not trash cans, which will be serviced to make sure the recycling loop is complete.

?We have a unique opportunity with the Suns, Mercury and Real Mallorca to transform sports and entertainment experiences where fans can enjoy their food and drinks in sustainable packaging and learn more about how they can make changes in their daily lives to get rid of single-use plastics,? Footprint CEO Troy Swope said. ?Together we?ll create a living innovation lab of new ideas for consumer feedback, new opportunities for our customers, and we can educate fans in a way that will create a ripple effect outside the arena. Today is just the beginning.?

Reducing dependency on single-use plastics is just one way brands and fans can take a stand for the environment. Footprint Center will set a new standard in sustainability and demonstrate what?s possible for other arenas around the world. Both organizations recognize the need for third-party vendors and suppliers to accept the challenge of eliminating single- and short-term use plastics and invite them to look to Footprint Center as a viable testing ground.

In addition to supplying some of the world?s top food brands with sustainable plant-based fiber solutions, Footprint started the Footprint Foundation, and in 2021 initiated Pledge2050, a call to action encouraging people around the world to quit single-use plastic. Athletes, entertainers, and fans coming to Footprint Center or Mallorca Stadium to perform will be invited to take the pledge. Starting in single venues can be a gateway for others to understand how to make the switch from plastic to compostable and recyclable solutions.

This partnership is a significant step forward building on the momentum of the arena transformation that began in 2020, and has included over 8,200 tons of material being diverted from a landfill, 757 tons of plastic and metal being recycled, new LED lighting in all finished spaces, new energy efficient mechanical systems with economizers for more fresh air, and reused and recycled materials used throughout the arena. Prior to the transformation, the arena transitioned to solar through partner APS in 2012; making it one of the first venues to take this step at the time.

?We believe our partnership with Footprint will put Phoenix on the map for a more sustainable future,? said Suns and Mercury chief revenue officer Dan Costello. ?Taking this step will position the Valley at the forefront of the sustainability movement. A local effort to eliminate plastic and become carbon-neutral will set a standard for innovation that can spread through the city and scale throughout the sports and entertainment industry. Sustainable business is good business for our teams, the community and the environment.?

Besides having a positive impact on the Valley, this partnership will have global reach as Footprint will bring its consulting services and sustainability products and options to Real Mallorca?s stadium as well. The European Union banned single-use plastics starting July 3, 2021, which makes the adoption of new solutions an imperative.

About Footprint

Footprint provides sustainable solutions that eliminate single-use and short-term use plastics. Footprint uses material science and process engineering to design, develop and manufacture plant-based biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable products that are on par with plastic?s cost and performance. These solutions, digestible by the earth, keep harmful chemicals away from consumers and have directly already led to a redirection of 61 million pounds of plastic waste from the environment. Footprint is rapidly expanding into new categories with differentiated solutions for customers and has 2,430 U.S and foreign issued and pending patent claims. Customers include Conagra, Sweetgreen, Beyond Meat, as well as Fry?s and other national and international retail chains.

Footprint was founded in 2014 by former Intel engineers, Troy Swope and Yoke Chung. The company employs more than 1,500 employees, with operations in the U.S., Mexicali, Europe, and Asia. Footprint was named to the 2020 Fortune ?Change the World? list, is a member of the World Economic Forum?s Global Innovators Community and was named a CNBC Disruptor 50 company in 2021.

For more information on Footprint?s sustainable solutions visit www.footprintus.com.

About Suns Legacy Partners

Led by Managing Partner Robert Sarver, Suns Legacy Partners, LLC operates the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and Footprint Center. The Suns are Arizona?s original professional sports franchise anchored by 2021 Coach of the Year Monty Williams, 2021 Executive of the Year general manager James Jones and a roster featuring future Hall of Famer Chris Paul and All-Star Devin Booker. The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury are celebrating its 25th season led by 2020 Tokyo Olympic-bound trio of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Footprint Center in the heart of downtown Phoenix, recently underwent a $245 million transformation, making it the preeminent destination for sports and entertainment in the southwest.

Read the original press release here

The post Phoenix Suns and Mercury Form Global Partnership for Newly Named Footprint Center To Become A Transformative Venue to Accelerate a Plastic-Free Future appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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The artwork installed at an increasing number of popular convention centers transforms these necessarily utilitarian buildings into magnificent galleries that rival some of the most inspired museums in the world.

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The City of Arlington announced plans for Esports Stadium Arlington, an esports-specific venue designed to draw competitive gamers and fans from around the world. The proposed venue will be built within the existing Arlington Convention Center in collaboration with architecture firm Populous.

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Meetings Today checked in with Michele Hughes, Director of Sales & Marketing with the Connecticut Convention Center (CTCC).

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Goodbye big-box, bunkeresque venues. Hello green rooftop micro-environments, wellness spaces and hip street-party-scapes.

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Addressing profound changes in how their customers are approaching learning, many conference centers are in a process of reinvention

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Many convention centers are striving to reflect and showcase their locations.

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An exceedingly intelligent choice for meetings and events.

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The times they are a changin’, and all for the better from this reporter’s perspective.

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Generic big-box convention centers seem to be going the way of the buggy whip and typewriter.

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Here is the top feedback when it comes to staging cutting-edge conference meets.

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Are you fully engaging your attendees?

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When it comes to putting fun on the agenda, State College is one smart choice.

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Dana Freker Doody answers questions from Meetings Focus' Invigorate Your Large Events webinar.

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Today's conference centers are more about standing out than fitting in.

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Educational facilities throughout Florida give attendees a chance to relive the college experience.

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Modern convention centers are about experience as much as setting.

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The 2014 IACC Annual Conference reported it has attracted the most registered attendees since 2008.

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State College, home to Pennsylvania State University, welcomes groups with its vibrant ambiance and excellent on-campus (and off-site) facilities.

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