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April 30, 2009 - Pearson Named Director of Kennewick Three Rivers Campus
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Corey A. Pearson has been named Executive Director of the Three Rivers campus in Kennewick, Washington, VenuWorks President
Pearson was selected after a nationwide search conducted by VenuWorks. "Corey stood out from the many qualified candidates we had to choose from," Peters said. "His experience managing multiple facilities was certainly a positive."
Pearson has worked 16 years in the arena management field. He comes to the Three Rivers campus from the Rockford, Illinois MetroCentre, where he has been general manager since 2002. Besides the 10,000-seat MetroCentre, he also oversaw Davis Park, a seven-acre festival park, and the historic Coronado Theatre. Before that he was associate director at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and stage manager at the FARGODOME in Fargo, N.D.
"All of these venues have niches in which to work," Pearson said. "There will be new challenges in today's business climate and we must be more vigilant as we explore every opportunity to decrease costs, increase existing revenues and develop new revenue streams."
He succeeds Jeff Kossow, who left in late March to become Executive Director of Economic Development for the City of Kennewick.
The Three Rivers Convention Center has 75,000 square feet of available space. It includes a 14,000 square-foot foyer, 21,600 square-foot Great Hall and nine meeting rooms.
The Toyota Center is a multi-purpose facility that serves a population of 225,000 in south central Washington. It is home to Western Hockey League and af2 arena football franchises. It also hosts concerts, trade shows, conventions, family shows, meetings and more.
The Toyota Arena provides an additional 17,000 square feet of meeting space. It includes a sheet of ice as well as hard surfaced meeting space. It is stand-alone building located just west of the Toyota Center.
"These facilities are essential to the growth and development of our area," said Dean Strawn, President of the Kennewick Public Facilities District board of directors. "They have a significant impact upon the economy of the Tri-Cities area. We are looking forward to working with Corey and our continued relationship with VenuWorks."
BACKGROUND
VenuWorks is well known for its success in providing full management services for arenas, theaters, and convention centers, which are primarily under the governance of municipalities, counties, colleges, and universities. VenuWorks, headquartered in Ames, Iowa, serves 25 facilities in 15 communities in 11 states. It also manages food and beverage operations and provides event booking and promotion services. VenuWorks also performs feasibility studies and consulting work for clients with existing and prospective public assembly facilities.
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