One company, however, has not only avoided layoffs completely but actually hired more than 50 executives in the last two months to assist with a growing portfolio of venues and development initiatives. The Oak View Group, founded by former AEG chief executive
Tim Leiweke, has been a quiet but persistent force for prosperity and economic development during the pandemic. Launched in 2015 along with Leiweke s partner
Irving Azoff, OVG is overseeing $4.5 billion in arena development projects across the world, including in Austin, Texas. There, the company made its most recent high profile hire, announcing that
Casey Sparks, who previously managed the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma for ASM Global for six years, was joining the company. Sparks will serve as vp of OVG Austin and assistant general manager of the $338 million multi-purpose, state-of-the-art, privately financed Moody Center at the University of Texas, set to open in 2022.
Come and Save It Rally at City Hall on Nov. 19 (Photo by Jana Birchum)
Following rallying by music advocates, city music offices say they re on track to begin rolling out venue relief by the new year. Although applications haven t opened for grants totaling $10 million under the
SAVES Resolution, Music & Entertainment Division Manager
Erica Shamaly said Monday at the
Music Commission meeting that their staff is connecting with third parties to deliver the first round of
Live Music Venue Preservation funds. We should be making an announcement in the next few days, she said. [We] will try to get out emergency aid as fast as we possibly can. We re shooting for before the end of the year.