EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW CONCERT VENUE DIRECTORY

sources that are able to create and support bookings. We have AEG Sports that creates and operates events such as the Amgen Tour of and Bay to Breakers run in San Francisco that impact fans and communities beyond tradi- Bob Newman tional events, in addition to having COO, AEG Facilities partial ownership in more than a dozen sports franchises. We understand uniquely a ob Newman, AEG Facilities’ chief operating sports team’s integration into a officer, isn’t an easy guy to catch up with. And venue. We live it every day, whether B it’s in one of our own buildings or considering he has oversight of buildings on four a building that we’re supporting through management or other operating services. We’re able to continents, it should come as no for to kick a ball You joined AEG Facilities two bring our experience to the table surprise he spends a lot of time on around. years ago. What drew you to with any venue we work with. the road. So Pollstar decided it’s time We can say, “We live your life the company? But Pollstar did catch up with we all met Bob, even though he every day. Here’s what we do for Bob in between stops in “New Jer- has already had a very successful The opportunity with AEG Facili- ourselves to make ourselves better, sey, London, Berlin, Poughkeepsie, 20-year career as a public facility ties is an example of how, every and we’d like to apply those same Shanghai and Beijing,” as AEG executive, including sports man- once in a while, you’re given an best practices for you.” spokesman Michael Roth joked. agement, marketing, sales and open window. This is one of the It applies also to AEG Global Actually, it wasn’t much of a joke operations of venues large and windows where you look at what Partnerships, which is our indus- – we’re pretty sure he wasn’t really small. is on the other side and say, “Wow, try’s leading sales and sponsorships in Poughkeepsie. Bob’s responsibilities include I have got to jump through it.” entity, which continues to create He has a lot of territory to cover. acquiring venues in key markets, It was an opportunity to do groundbreaking partnerships be- When we talk about worldwide fa- promoting tours and developing things in our industry that hadn’t tween some of the world’s leading cility management, AEG Facilities programming to capture not only been done before. AEG is a com- consumer brands and our venues, is hard on the heels of companies “butts in seats” but eyes on screens pany with assets and resources tours, festivals and other assets. like SMG and Live Nation with utilizing AEG’s broadcast capa- already in place and a commit- The relationships they conti- 55 of the world’s top venues either bilities and relationships. ment to grow those assets and nue to establish and expand are owned or managed across the globe. He’s also working with AEG’s resources even further. unparalleled in our world. But what makes AEG Facilities myriad other divisions to get the It’s the character of the com- An example of this is with so remarkable isn’t even the sheer most out of the live entertainment pany to ultimately support and Nokia in North America. What number of venues under its aus- experience, and do it seamlessly, benefit venues across the globe began with one sponsorship pices, but the vision beyond the whether it be 50 Michael Jackson while creating experiences for our has grown to naming rights at four walls of its most spectacular concerts in London, a world cham- guests that will impact their lives multiple venues. In Europe, the buildings including London’s O2 pionship boxing match, World Cup in very positive ways. O2 brand is synonymous with Arena and the multi-venue L.A. soccer matches or the Grammy With 55 elite venues affiliated sports and entertainment venues Live complex in , to Awards. with AEG Facilities across four with their naming rights for the name but two. Bob hails from Bloomfield, Conn., continents that host more than O2 Arena in London and the The O2 World in Berlin has holds a bachelor of science degree in 6,000 events annually, we take O2 World in Berlin. recently opened, and Stockholm, marketing from the University of very seriously our mandate to Sweden’s Globen Arena is another Connecticut and a master of science create memorable experiences for At least two of those named world-class European venue that in sports management from the Uni- the 40 million guests that attend venues are within the broader carries the AEG stamp. A deal with versity of Massachusetts. events in our venues each year. L.A. Live project, which goes Ogden IFC in Australia brought the He’s active in the International far beyond just building venues. Acer Arena in Sydney into the fold. Association of Assembly Managers, With so many divisions, how The 2008 Summer Olympic Games was a panelist at the International does AEG accomplish this on Yes, L.A. Live is a great example of in Beijing created even more oppor- Sports Summit and is on the board multiple venues that are all inte- a global scale? tunities for AEG in the increasingly of directors of the national Asso- grated into the master plan of a important Asian market. ciation of Consumer Shows. That Overall, AEG is a company with sports and entertainment district. And then there’s all those soccer is, when he’s not on a plane to many components that all fit These types of developments are stadiums including the Home Poughkeepsie or Beijing. together to form a whole. not appropriate everywhere. But Depot Center in Carson, Calif. – Bob resides in Los Angeles with In addition to AEG Facilities, when they are anchored by venues which is much more than a place his wife Kelly and daughter Allie. we have AEG Live and all of its re- such as Staples Center, the O2

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Arena and perhaps O2 World, we Then, you take those best can combine such venues with practices that you develop in restaurants, bars, cinemas, a mu- your own venues and your man- seum and other entertainment agement experiences – both the options to create a true destina- great experiences and the chal- tion point that will attract mil- lenging experiences – and inte- lions of guests annually. grate and share that with the rest In Los Angeles, it did create of your network. other opportunities for sponsors Once you start sharing posi- such as Nokia to broaden their tively back and forth, that’s when sponsorships and allow them to things really start to take off. One reach a far wider demographic. thing we pride ourselves on is the Those are examples of just the network of facilities that we have resources, and how it all comes across four continents talk to together. It really becomes a each other all the time. snowball coming down the hill; They do not operate in a it just gets bigger and bigger. vacuum. They share information on a regular basis among our net- With all of the attention on work. They are venues that have ANSCHUTZ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP President/CEO Tim Leiweke joins thrived by building on each oth- sports and entertainment, it’s Bob Newman outside the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live before the first of three Prince easy to forget that AEG owns ers’ success and supporting each concerts in a single night, at separate venues in the complex, March 28. or manages a large number others’ success. of buildings. You get leverage and a synergy that truly is material if you have a the hospitality options that the By opening a brand new AEG Facilities has 55 facilities network of buildings that operate O2 has in it, from the suites to building in London, or the worldwide across four conti- collectively. the premium clubs and chairman new buildings that are going to nents. The venues are, thankfully, rooms, even to escalators. open in China, there’s always an a network of elite venues located Vertical integration is a buzz We’re able to take the same ex- opportunity to take what you’ve in the world’s greatest markets. term lately. Is AEG working perience to Berlin with the open- learned and raise the bar. ing of O2 World. Again, when we We’re very focused on market toward that kind of model? You take your relationships success and ensuring that, no look at various markets, we have with your partners in the industry, matter what the opportunity, we I don’t know how much of what we the ability to take what we’ve whether it’s a corporate partner, can make a material difference do is vertical as opposed to hori- learned, what we think are great or your vendors, and bring those and a positive impact on what zontal. You’d have to map it out. models, and apply them and tailor opportunities to them as well. we’re delivering to the table. But when we say “best prac- them to their community. What you’re seeing around tices” it doesn’t mean we have We don’t think that’s vertical the world and in North America Are there advantages to to do it ourselves. We have lots integration as much as it is smart is that we are creating a whole building and owning venues of great partners out there. business. new experience for the artist and as opposed to third-party We’re not in the food and the guest in the venues. beverage business. We do busi- So the idea is to make the facility management? It takes a lot of willpower and ness with great food and bever- venue itself an attraction in a lot of vision, but it’s incredibly I think there’s two parts to that age operators. We explore the addition to what you put in it? exciting and motivating. There’s question. best opportunities for the best Definitely. By truly focusing on the so much upside when you ap- First, we’re fortunate enough operators in the best locations. customer experience, you extend proach life that way. to have an experienced and re- What we’re doing in London your relationship with the guest. It’s great to be part of a net- spected company that is built on is an example of what we try to This takes into consideration the work like that. I think that’s what exploring opportunities. If those apply to each location through- time leading up to the event to well the difference is, and how we’re opportunities mean an invest- out the world. after the event concludes. able to do things differently ment in a venue or ownership, With the opening of the O2 you throughout the world. then it’s something that we’re have a venue that has redefined What is your philosophy not bashful about exploring. the arena music experience in the for applying your experiences So let’s take a quick snapshot When you own your own United Kingdom, not to mention of AEG’s progress with those venues to the extent that we do, its effect on the rest of Europe and in and around new venues? global venues. or have operating risk in venues the world for that matter. With every new arena project, to the extent that we do, it really It’s an indoor venue that, for the there are opportunities to com- O2 World in Berlin opened forces you to operate and develop first time, has been built to match bine new technology with new in September. We were there a menu of services that no one the quality of that market, and it’s operating philosophies to im- in March, a very short period else has because you have a lot a great entertainment market. It’s prove our guest experiences of time, to welcome our one on the line. the only London venue that has in existing and new facilities. millionth fan into the arena.

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Sports and entertainment cause the live entertainment com- are extremely popular in China. ponent of our lives isn’t going away. It’s a great market for the NBA. In fact, some would argue that it’s They have a large office over now more important than ever. there, servicing many of their differ- Whether you can make the ent entities and, for us, it is a perfect entertainment relevant and the partnership. The NBA’s relation- experience affordable is impor- ships are vested and their enthusi- tant and, obviously, the artists asm for China matches our own. or the sports teams are a big part It’s just another example of of that equation. having two great entities coming But also, with the experience together to develop something that we provide in and around that didn’t exist up until this the venues, you can make that point in time. collective package relevant and affordable in any economy, and What are some of the cultural you can have success and activity. challenges in operating on a worldwide basis? Will AEG’s broadcasting

NEWMAN AND RICH KREZWICK, AEG Facilities VP of regional operations, check When operating on four conti- component, such as the out the boxing ring installed at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live for the heavyweight bout nents and in countless countries, inhouse studios at L.A. Live, between “Fast” Eddie Chamberlain and Sam “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter March 27. one thing we do have is an ap- be extended globally? preciation for the importance of The wonderful thing about tech- understanding the fabric of the O2 World is just an absolute We have opened a promoter’s nology these days is that you can community we’re operating in. winner. The Berlin market has office in Dubai to coordinate our apply it just about anywhere in the We ce r tainly have g re at know- embraced the building which, activities with several planned world with just the click of a button. how and resources for the indus- in turn, has attracted site visits For now, we plan to take advan- projects in that region. We be- try as a whole, but we stress to from potential developers of new tage of these resources both in lieve that it’s one of those emerg- our staff the importance of tailor- arenas from all over the world. broadcasting content from L.A. Live ing markets for our industry that ing our operations to the locality. Our naming rights partner, to our other venues as well as will be huge down the road. It takes time. It takes effort. O2, has activated in London to through traditional distribution But if you want to have long-term the highest level of any naming channels and in the creation of How did the 2008 Beijing success it’s something that you rights partner to ever be affiliated original content through the same Olympics create opportunities have to do. You have no choice. with a building, providing their channels. for AEG? Our goal is to have a staff that customers and our customers This platform is also instru- is primarily made up of the local with special amenities within the We had some existing partner- mental in activating corporate demographics of the community building. That’s been fantastic. ships in China prior to the sponsors in ways they’ve never we’re in. What we have to do is We did an agreement with Olympics and have expanded been activated before. bring them experience, bring them the city of Stockholm, Sweden, these associations since then. training and bring them resources. in October to assume the lease at There’s an important partner- We are convinced that if you How do you apply your experi- Globen Arenas. We are going to ship with the National Basketball bring the right resources and ence to something as huge as have a fantastic year there and are Association to jointly own, de- the right attitude, you can be Michael Jackson’s 50 shows at on our way to hosting more than velop and operate venues in key successful anywhere. London’s O2 Arena? 85 concerts in 2009. cities throughout the country. The There has not been a situation We a l s o h ave t h e ar e na s Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou We’ve b e e n for tu n ate e n ou g h anywhere in the world that we in Shanghai, Guangzhou and arenas are the first three. to have created a “residency” cannot apply this philosophy to Beijing under construction right We managed the Beijing basket- concept that has proven very have a successful venue. now. Beijing will open in October ball venue for the Olympics and successful for certain venues and Shanghai will open following are overseeing some redesign and including the O2. Has the current global the World Expo in 2010. reconfiguration of the venue for its A few examples include nine economy affected project We b e li e ve t h e e nt i r e re g i on post-Olympic life. We are focusing Garth Brooks dates in Kansas will be one of the most important on adding a lot of amenities and development or construction? City, the six Dixie Chicks / Eagles for music and sports in the com- fan conveniences to the arena. Like any other industry, every- dates at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live ing years. The Shanghai building, which one is sharpening their pencils and two very successful runs for As an example, Shanghai, with a is right in the middle of the cam- to make sure they’ve got all of George Lopez also at Nokia The- population of 20 million, is a great pus for the World Expo 2010, their I’s dotted and T’s crossed. atre L.A. Live. The O2 has already capital market that has never had a will be open as part of the Expo. But we think that you’re going to done two major residencies: the venue of this type. It’s exciting to Following that, we’ll operate the continue to see growth of our in- 21 Prince dates and the 18 Spice think of the potential that it has. arena starting in October 2010. dustry throughout the world be- Girls dates last year.

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On a slightly different scale, In terms of sheer spectacle, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace Jackson can’t really be com- in Las Vegas was essentially cre- pared to any other event. ated for residencies including the five-year, sold-out run for Celine Michael Jackson is a remarkable Dion; Elton John’s Red Piano talent, a talent that obviously the shows and the current residen- world has been waiting to see again. cies of Cher and Bette Midler. The O2 Arena in London This is something we believe is, again, the example of what strongly in. We believe that there happens when you have the very is a select group of artists with best building in a great market. whom you can set your stake Without the O2, these 50 down in the sand and do a long Michael Jackson dates don’t hap- run, and avoid the grind of tour- pen in London or anywhere else in ing that can wear you down. the world. But when you combine a great market with a great venue – The Michael Jackson dates a venue that’s proved itself to be the coming up are a unique event pinnacle of music in the world for and the enthusiasm coming from arenas – this is what can happen. BOB PAYS A VISIT TO HIS TEAM in Australia. L-R: AEG Ogden Chairman/ across the world was truly just It creates environments CEO Harvey Lister, AEG Facilities Sr. VP of Finance Bob Reed, remarkable. that haven’t been created before. Ogden IFC Executive Director Rod Pilbeam and Newman. The staff in London did an These are the type of things that absolutely great job in preparing you can be successful with. for the onsale. Our staff went There’s a great market in South imagine how quickly we have to through 50 shows in two days, America and in Europe, as well as turn the facility around AEG also has quite a presence nearly three quarters of a million the , for continued to make it work for everybody. tickets. Look at the enormity of in the soccer world. How is the development of these new stadi- We have an insatiable appetite what happened and how quick future looking? ums that will continue to gener- for content of all types. We really ate brand new experiences and make a commitment to grow that it happened. On the venue side, you are revenue streams for the teams. content and draw on all of our re- It is an indication that even talking about one of the biggest sources, whether it’s content that in this economy, with the right spectator sports in the world, we own or somebody else owns. act, the right venue and the right- so obviously it’s important to us. Home Depot Center programs Our goal is to maximize priced ticket, there is a demand, The Home Depot Center in a full campus of facilities be- the number of people attending a want and a desire for this kind Los Angeles has set the standard sides soccer. Will that model and the success of that content of live entertainment. And this for soccer stadiums in the U.S. expand? so we can grow it and hopefully was a perfect example of that. as well as internationally. The Home Depot Center is replicate it throughout the world. where Chivas U.S.A., L.A. Galaxy We have in the neighborhood and now the Los Angeles Sol of 15,000 employees in mostly [women’s pro soccer team] play. AEG facilities and it truly is the So, we have three soccer tenants spirit of the company and the in that part of the facility. willingness of these employees to We a l s o hav e a wo rl d c l a s s te n - go into uncharted territories that nis stadium, a collection of venues makes AEG unique and successful that do additional events including – and that is a sincere statement. the X Games, high school football It’s a culture that we have and championships, world champion- as long as we support that and ship boxing events, beach volley- support everybody in the field, ball, rugby, lacrosse, and training we’ll continue to have the growth and games coordinated by the U.S. and success that we’ve had in Soccer Federation that maintain the past couple of years. offices on-site. But I assure you that we fully One of the largest outdoor box- anticipate that we’re just at the tip ing events ever took place last year of the iceberg of the size and suc- when Oscar de la Hoya headlined cess of this company. You’ll con- a night of championship bouts. tinue to see rapid, rapid expansion. The Home Depot Center Everyone has a passion for IT’S FIGHT NIGHT AT L.A. LIVE as AEG Facilities’ Eric Bresler, Brian Kabatznick, Dale Adams, Newman and Rich Krezwick compare notes in the hosts the X Games every year in what they do, the intensity to Nokia Plaza between the Nokia Theatre and Staples Center March 27. the middle of the Major League get it done and an absolute trust Soccer season. You can only in each other. Deborah Speer 

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