The Los Angeles Convention Center, professionally managed by AEG Facilities, was awarded the 2016 Venue Excellence Award by the International Association of Venue Managers during the 91st VenueConnect annual conference held in Minneapolis, Minn., July 23-26, 2016.
The Venue Excellence Award recognizes five IAVM venues of any type within the membership which demonstrate excellence in the management and operation of public assembly venues. In order to win the award, the LACC had to excel in the following areas: Operational Excellence, which includes sales and marketing, customer satisfaction, sustainability, and financial integrity; Teambuilding and Professional Development; Safety and Security; and Service to the Community.
Highlights from the LACC’s submission include reaching milestones in environmental sustainability and enhancing operational efficiencies, safety and security, and customer service while surpassing financial goals. In 2015, the LACC became the largest convention center in the U.S. to achieve LEED: EB+OM Gold recertification – a monumental accomplishment for a facility of this scale. The LACC is also dedicated to providing first-class service to clients and attendees. In order to align service standards and expectations, all employees, partners, and service contractors complete AEG’s “Encore” Guest Services training. The trainings focus on four major service spotlights: 1). Safety, 2). Smile, 3). Sizzle, and 4). Synergy. To further LACC’s commitment to exceptional customer service, a Guest Services Department was added in 2015 to provide on-site event support. Additional security cameras and a growing security department further augment the safety of all LACC patrons and align with the LACC’s overarching commitment to excellence. Finally, AEG Facilities has successfully saved millions of dollars for the City’s General Fund and has built a multi-million dollar financial reserve in its first 2.5 years of management.
“We are incredibly proud to have won the 2016 Venue Excellence Award and this would not be possible without the unwavering dedication and hard-work of all of our talented employees. Ultimately, our primary goal is to provide an exceptional facility and unparalleled services to our clients and attendees and we are honored to be recognized for our efforts by our industry’s leading organization,” commented Brad Gessner, general manager of the LA Convention Center and senior vice president at AEG Facilities.
