The city of Roanoke, Va., has signed Philadelphia-based venue management firm Global Spectrum as the new operator and manager of the Roanoke Civic Center. Global named Chris Connolly, a 10-year company veteran, as the new GM of the Civic Center. Global Spectrum will begin operation of the Roanoke Civic Center on January 2.
In addition to the Roanoke Civic Center, Global Spectrum currently operates three other facilities in Virginia, including the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, Va.; the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va.; and the Ted F. Constant Convocation Center on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.
Connolly will lead Global Spectrum’s day-to-day operations of the Roanoke Civic Center, including booking and scheduling events, overseeing the daily financials for the facility, and supervising the operations of the 10,000-seat multi-purpose coliseum, performing arts theatre, exhibition space and a special events center.
Connolly, who is relocating to Roanoke from London, Ontario, Canada, where he served as assistant GM at the Global Spectrum-managed John Labatt Centre, since 2005. He joined Global Spectrum as a marketing and hospitality coordinator at Global Spectrum’s flagship arena, the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, after completing an internship there in the premium services department in l997.
