sign in sign up
<<
Home , 2009 Churchill Cup, Churchill Cup, Denver Outlaws, University of Denver

DENVER SPORTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION (, CO)

ABOUT DENVER SPORTS

Mission: To attract sporting events and sport‐related business opportunities that generate economic impact, engage the community and support Denver’s brand as an active, healthy city.

Background: Denver Sports was founded in 2001 to help bring high‐profile sporting events to Denver. The organization is best known for its involvement with the 2008 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, the 2012 NCAA Women's Final Four and the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown football game that matches the University of Boulder against Colorado State University. For the past 11 years, the organization also led the effort to position Denver for a possible future Olympic Bid. Several board members of Denver Sports also served on the Olympic Exploratory Committee formed by Mayor Hancock and Governor Hickenlooper in 2012.

In December 2012, the Board of Directors of the Metro Denver Sports Commission (Denver Sports) voted to align themselves with VISIT DENVER’s sports marketing efforts, effective January, 2013.

VISIT DENVER is a non‐profit trade association and has been the official marketing arm for the city since 1909, with the mission of marketing Denver as a convention and leisure destination. VISIT DENVER has a sports department that has worked hand‐in‐hand with Denver Sports on bringing in major events, as well as attracting other sports events to the city, such as the annual Colorado Crossroads Volleyball Tournament. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, an avid sports fan, helped lead the alignment, which will combine the mission of Denver Sports and VISIT DENVER, the city’s official marketing arm with more than 100 years of experience in attracting and staging high‐profile events.

VISIT DENVER, a founding board member of the Sports Council in the 1990s and also a founding board member of Denver Sports, has always recognized the economic benefit of sporting events, as well as the national and international media exposure they can generate. VISIT DENVER has employed a full‐time Sports Director since 1996 to solicit and support more sporting events for the city. The most notable results of the past sales and marketing efforts are the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 1990; The Olympic Festival in 1995; the NBA, NHL and MLB All‐Star games and the USA Pro Challenge. VISIT DENVER worked in tandem with Denver Sports, the Mayor and the Governor on the Olympic Exploratory Committee and is currently working with the Broncos to explore a potential future Super Bowl bid.

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 1 of 7

2013 and Beyond: Denver Sports is a clearinghouse and resource for all sporting event organizers interested in Denver as a future location. Denver Sports proactively identifies, pursues and attracts new sporting opportunities and helps Denver to compete regionally, nationally and internationally to host amateur and professional athletic competitions and events.

Under the direction of VISIT DENVER, Denver Sports will continue to maintain its 501C3 for its charitable activities. The work of Denver Sports would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of area businesses, educational institutions, civic organizations and professional sports teams, as well as the involvement and support of the Metro Denver community. An Advisory Board comprised of local business and community leaders assists Denver Sports in fulfilling its mission.

To learn more about DENVER SPORTS & VISIT DENVER, please visit their official website at http://www.denver.org/denversports http://www.denver.org

THE DENVER AREA

Consistently ranked among the top 10 places to live in the , Metro Denver also has all the characteristics businesses need to flourish including our young, healthy, and educated workforce, an affordable cost of doing business and a multimodal transportation system that will take us years into the future. In fact, the region of more than 3 million people is one of the fastest growing in the country.

Nestled between the towering Rocky Mountains to the west and the vast high plains to the east, Metro Denver sits almost in the center of the United States – a strategic location that makes the area a natural crossroads for both domestic and international commerce. The city encourages global interconnectivity, starting with Denver International Airport, the fifth‐busiest in the nation and one of the most modern in the world. Set for completion in 2016, Metro Denver is constructing a 24‐mile rail connection between the airport and downtown Denver. The Metro Denver area consists of seven counties:

 Adjacent to Denver International Airport, Adams County has a mix of established cities, new master‐ planned communities and rural farmsteads.  East of Denver, Arapahoe County is experiencing major residential growth. Aurora is the county’s largest city with a population of more than 300,000. Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village are two of its more affluent neighborhoods.  Situated on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder County’s mountain communities, as well as its parks and trail systems, provide a serene lifestyle and easy access to skiing, hiking, mountain biking and climbing.  North of Denver, Broomfield County is a high‐tech center and home to several major companies. Housing development continues to grow here.  The City of Denver is home to an active and historic downtown area with lofts and high‐rise housing options, as well as tree‐lined neighborhoods that also have historic roots.  South of Denver, Douglas County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, with large portions of the county designated for agricultural and open space uses. Most of this county’s residents commute to Denver or Colorado Springs.

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 2 of 7

 The area’s second ‐ largest county, Jefferson County, includes three cities, Arvada, Lakewood and Westminster. In the county’s western section, residents can live in mountain communities and still work in a major metro area.

Several of the region’s finest cultural venues are undergoing significant expansions. Downtown’s Denver Performing Arts Complex, already the second‐largest arts center in the nation, has completely restored the historical Denver Auditorium Theatre, transforming it into a 2,400‐seat showpiece. The completed a $90 million expansion project that doubled the museum’s size.

Metro Denver is truly a “sports city,” with the fans and facilities to prove it. In the past 15 years, new facilities have been constructed for the area’s major sports franchises. More than six million fans attend sporting events in the area each year. Some of the newest sports venues in the nation are in Denver.

: Home to the 2007 National League Champion ()  Dick’s Sporting Goods Park: Home to the (soccer)  Sports Authority Field at Mile High: Home to the two‐time world champion (football), and ()  Pepsi Center: Home to the (), two‐time Stanley Cup champion (hockey), the (lacrosse) and the Colorado Crush (arena football)  Infinity Park at Glendale: Home to the Raptors (Rugby) and recent host of the  1stBank Center (Broomfield): 1STBANK Center is operated by Peak Entertainment, a new partnership formed by AEG Live Rocky Mountains and Kroenke Sports and seats 6500

The region has many great college and university athletic programs, each have arena and stadium facilities, along with great leadership:

NCAA Division I Schools: . University of Colorado ‐ Boulder (Boulder) – Pacific‐12 Conference . Colorado State University (Fort Collins) – Mountain West Conference . (Denver) – Western Athletic Conference . University of Northern Colorado (Greeley) – Big Sky Conference . United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) – Mountain West Conference . (Colorado Springs) – Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (hockey only)

NCAA Division II Schools: . (Alamosa) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . Colorado Christian University (Lakewood) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . University of Colorado ‐ Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . (Grand Junction) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . (Golden) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . Colorado State University ‐ Pueblo (Pueblo) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . (Durango) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . Metropolitan State University of Denver (Denver) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . (Denver) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference . Western State Colorado University (Gunnison) – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 3 of 7

NCAA Division III Schools: . Colorado College (Colorado Springs) – Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (all sports except hockey)

LODGING, POINTS OF INTEREST AND ATTRACTIONS

With 8,400 downtown hotel rooms and 42,000 hotel rooms metrowide, Denver has the right brand, price point and package for you. As the largest city in a 600‐mile radius, Denver has become the shopping capital of the Rocky Mountain West with the most shopping opportunities between St. Louis and San Francisco. There are 2,000 restaurants in Denver serving all varieties of food, and Denver is the “Napa Valley of beer,” producing more beer than any other city. More than 200 different beers are brewed in Denver.

 Arts and Culture  Attractions  Hotels and Lodging  Dining and Nightlife  Sports and Recreation  Denver 365 Events  Shopping

URBAN SOPHISTICATION MEETS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN THE MILE HIGH CITY

To learn more about the Denver Area visit the following links: http://www.denver.org/denversports http://www.denverchamber.org/Default.aspx http://www.denver.org http://www.denvergov.org

THE COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER

The Colorado Convention Center is a state‐of‐the‐art facility built by meeting planners for meeting planners. Located in heart of Downtown Denver, one of the most walkable and visitor‐friendly downtowns in the country, and within walking distance of 8,400 hotel rooms, the Colorado Convention Center is ideal for any size meeting or convention group. SMG manages, operates and maintains the Colorado Convention Center on behalf of the City and County of Denver.

o 584,000 sq. ft. exhibit space on one level o 63 meeting rooms providing 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space on one level o 35,000 sq. ft. Four Seasons Ballroom o 50,000 sq. ft. Korbel Ballroom o 5,000 fixed‐seat Wells Fargo Theatre o 1,000 parking spaces

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 4 of 7

DENVER’S HOSTING RESUME

1986‐2006 The International Golf Tournament 2007 NCAA Men’s Division I Hockey West Regional 1988 US Men’s Olympic Basketball Trials 2007 U.S. Fencing Championship 1988 U.S. Figure Skating National 2007 MLS All‐Star Game Championships 1989 World Fencing Championships 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball 1st/2nd Rounds 1989 NCAA Men’s Basketball Western 2008 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Regionals 1990 NCAA Men’s Final Four 2008 Big XII Track & Field Championships 1992 Short Track World Championships 2008 MLL All‐Star Game 1993 Pope’s World Youth Day 2008 Democratic National Convention 1995 US Olympic Festival 2009 SportAccord 1995‐2001 Colorado Crossroads Volleyball Jr. 2009 U.S. Curling National Championships National Qualifier 1997 Summit of the Eight World Leaders 2009 NLL All‐Star Game Conference 1998 All‐Star Game 2001 NHL All‐Star Game 2009 U.S. Boxing Nationals 2001 NCAA Women’s Basketball Western 2009 MLL All‐Star Game Regionals 2002‐2006 Champ Car Grand Prix Circuit 2009 Qwest Tour: USA vs. Women’s Hockey Tour 2004 NCAA Men’s Basketball 1st/2nd Rounds 2010 Churchill Cup 2004 USA vs. Japan – Women’s Basketball 2010‐2020 Cinch Jeans Rocky Mountain Showdown (CU vs. CSU Football Game) 2004 NLL All‐Star Game 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals: Rounds 2 & 3 2004‐2006 Mountain West Conference Basketball 2011 Beyond Sport Conference Tournament 2004‐2013 Colorado Crossroads Volleyball Jr. 2011 Denver Big Air World Cup National Qualifier Snowboarding competition 2005 NBA All‐Star Game 2012 NCAA Women’s Final Four 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship 2013 Solheim Cup 2005 MLL All‐Star Game 2014 BMW Championship 2006 NCAA Women’s Basketball 1st/2nd 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championships Rounds

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 5 of 7

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Reports To: President/CEO

The Executive Director will focus on raising the profile of Denver as a premier sports destination by aggressively marketing the destination’s existing resources and targeting sporting events that will generate a positive economic impact for the metro area. This person will work in conjunction with an Advisory Board and VISIT DENVER staff to support the mission of Denver Sports.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

. Utilize expertise of Advisory Board and proactively identify, seek and attract new sports opportunities, both nationally and internationally, professional and amateur, to generate economic impact for Metro Denver. . Evaluate and prioritize opportunities that have the greatest potential and are the best fit for the city, based on research about projected economic impact (attendee spending & room nights), return on investment, media exposure, risk, funding, sustainability and operational requirements, as well as the event’s alignment with the Denver Sports mission and the estimated resources required to implement. . Maintain a planning calendar that details each scheduled meeting or event and the impact it will have on the resources of Denver Sports. . Cultivate and maintain close working relationships with local, regional, national and international sports organizations. . Partner with the VISIT DENVER Sports Director, Denver’s professional sports franchises, key colleges and universities in the region, as well as stadiums, fields, arenas and venues, to develop a strategy that will help Denver Sports to achieve its goals. . Raise funds and sell sponsorships that will support the acquisition and fulfillment of sporting events. . Facilitate the bid process for sporting events from inception through booking, event management and the engagement of key partners. . Assist with marketing and promotional efforts for key sporting events, focusing on regional and national attendance and hotel room night generation. . Work with the VISIT DENVER marketing department to produce a monthly e‐newsletter that is a source for metro/regional news, including articles produced by partners. . Work with the VISIT DENVER marketing department to develop the Denver Sports website that serves as a resource for potential event organizers and recognizes corporate and public partners. . Manage the production of the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown Football Game, and help to solicit new sponsors and resources, in order to put Denver Sports and the universities in the spotlight with community leaders; and maximize the economic benefits for Denver. . Develop events that encourage athletic participation by Denver youth and residents and provide opportunities for Denver Sports to promote a health and wellness/fitness message. . Manage the Denver Sports budget and identify potential new sources of supplemental funding. . Solicit contributions from members of the Advisory Board to help offset operational costs of Denver Sports. . Manage the Denver Sports support staff.

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 6 of 7

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree – preferred degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Marketing or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 5 to 10 years of experience in a Sports Commission, the sports marketing/event industry or Convention & Visitors Bureau, where responsibilities have included proposal development, community engagement and logistical planning for major world class events.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: . Relationships with key contacts within the sports community. . Experience in soliciting, managing and hosting major sporting events. . Proven budget oversight experience. . Proven track record in fundraising and solicitation of sponsorships. . Experience working with a board and/or committee structure. . Experience identifying and developing new business opportunities. . Strong knowledge of the sports market travel industry and the metro Denver area, a plus. . Excellent written and verbal communication skills. . Proven presentation/sales skills. . Excellent interpersonal skills. . Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities under tight deadlines. . Proficient technology application skills; Advanced MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Access), MS Outlook and Internet Explorer skills. Some desktop publishing skills preferred and some knowledge of html is helpful.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

All levels of management, VISIT DENVER Board Members, Denver Sports Advisory Board, sports community members, employee base and external parties.

KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE FIRST 12‐18 MONTHS

1. Help develop criteria for event solicitation based on projected economic impact (attendee spending & room nights), return on investment, media exposure, risk, funding, sustainability and operational requirements, as well as the event’s alignment with the Denver Sports mission and the estimated resources required to implement. 2. Proactively identify, seek and attract new sports opportunities, both nationally and internationally, professional and amateur, to generate economic impact for Metro Denver. 3. Work with Advisory Board and community.

Jim Carra, Executive Vice President, SearchWide™ Email: [email protected] or Phone: 231‐995‐0567 On the Web: www.searchwide.com

SearchWideTM Position Overview - Executive Director, Denver Sports Page 7 of 7