CHARLESTON, W. VA. – In a unanimous vote, the City of Charleston approved a new partnership with Oak View Group (OVG) Facilities to manage, operate, and schedule events for the 13,500-seat Charleston Coliseum, the 250,000-square-feet Convention Center, and the 3,400-seat Municipal Auditorium.
Oak View Group will immediately begin overseeing and managing the day-to-day operations for all three facilities with an emphasis on generating new business opportunities for the Convention Center. Shura Garnett, senior vice president, OVG Facilities, will serve as the interim executive director of the facilities during the transition.
“The Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center is a showplace in our ‘Capital City.’ The $100-million renovation made it competitive with other facilities throughout the country, but building a facility and filling it are two different things,” said City of Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin. “Oak View Group has a wealth of industry knowledge and relationships with sales and booking agencies that will bring a major return on our investment to Charleston.”
“Oak View Group is the recognized worldwide industry leader in creating new and exciting customer experiences and providing world-class entertainment,” added Goodwin. “We look forward to working with our new partners in reestablishing Charleston as premier destination for live entertainment and meeting and conventions.”
OVG Facilities is at the forefront of assisting arenas, stadiums, and convention centers worldwide in the new protocol to reopen facilities post-COVID-19. The company established a Venue Reopening Task Force of engineering, health testing, and various mechanical systems and chemical applications to help these venues ensure guests, exhibitors, conventioneers, performers, athletes, and employees can return confidently and comfortably to live entertainment venues and convention centers.
The company was hired by the National Hockey League (NHL) to oversee the COVID response for hygiene, compliance, and security for hockey’s return to play in the Canadian hub cities of Toronto, Ont. and Edmonton, Alba.
“We are excited to deliver a series of unprecedented services, support, and results here in Charleston,” said OVG Facilities chairman Peter Luukko. “We look forward to creating new content, programming and booking opportunities.”
As the entertainment and convention centerpiece of Charleston, the Coliseum & Convention Center hosts the majority of the state’s entertainment, sporting, and corporate events. The two facilities can host meetings, banquets, sports, concerts, and exhibitions.
