In today’s construction news, learn about the nation’s most reputable infrastructure consulting company, AECOM, has announced the promotion of three executives in its Construction Management division to new national leadership positions in significant market areas. On the other hand, among the best entertainment districts under development in the United States are The Armory, a 225,000-square-foot eating and entertainment complex situated on six acres in St. Louis, and The Pomp, a 223-acre district located 10 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

AECOM Hires Three Market Leaders for its U.S. Construction Management Division

Original Source: AECOM appoints three new market-sector leaders to support its U.S. Construction Management business

AECOM, the world’s foremost infrastructure consulting organization, appointed three Construction Management professionals to national leadership roles in important market areas. EVP Corissa Smith, EVP Ken Johnson, and SVP Jerry Sheets will oversee the company’s convention center, sports, and aviation projects. Together, they will help the Company develop its industry-leading skills in each sector across important urban markets and meet clients’ increasingly sophisticated project objectives.  

Bob Hart, president of AECOM’s Construction Management unit, said, “Our people are among our company’s greatest assets, and our success is a testament to — and product of — their expertise and perspectives “Corissa, Jerry, and Ken are industry leaders, and under their leadership, we will continue to drive technological innovation and best practices across core market sectors, transforming the many cities we serve.”

Each Market Sector Leader will establish growth plans, manage projects across different geographies, lead new initiatives, and manage project teams and clients. They have over a century of expertise leading significant building projects. Their roles will advance AECOM’s Construction Management business in sports, aviation, and convention centers, which includes the new Tennessee Titans Stadium, a massive Beaver Stadium renovation at Penn State University, Terminal 6 at JFK Airport, Terminal 5 at FLL Airport, and Las Vegas and Fort Worth Convention Center expansions.

Over 27 years of construction experience for Ms. Smith. She has led huge, complicated projects, mostly new convention centers and upgrades in operational facilities, throughout her career. Ms. Smith actively participates in strategic planning and advises on project planning, communication, and resource allocation to ensure the project is planned, communicated, and executed quickly, safely, and well. She has expanded convention centers in Phoenix, Sacramento, San Jose, Moscone, and San Antonio (Henry B. Gonzalez).

A 28-year AECOM Hunt veteran, Mr. Johnson is a premier sports venue building expert, helping the business become the nation’s top sports builder. He has designed classic stadiums and arenas for scores of professional sports teams, including the Washington Nationals, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, and Los Angeles Dodger He built collegiate stadiums and huge venues including the United States Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, FL, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of the Indy 500.

Mr. Sheets has led complicated aviation projects worldwide for over 30 years. He led the development and rehabilitation of taxiway/terminal aprons, terminal renovations and extensions, enhanced baggage handling systems, landside civil works, and parking garages at airports. His notable projects include JFK’s Terminal 6, FLL (Fort Lauderdale), MSY (New Orleans), DIA (Doha, Qatar), AUH (Abu Dhabi), RDU (Raleigh, NC), CLE (Cleveland), DCA (Washington DC), Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 5, and SJU (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and BUR renovations.

Ms. Smith, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Sheets start immediately.

About AECOM

The world’s most trusted infrastructure consulting organization, AECOM, provides advising, planning, design, engineering, program, and construction management services. Our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex problems on transportation, buildings, water, new energy, and the environment. Our teams are united by a shared goal to improve the world via unmatched technological and digital competence, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and environmental, social, and governance goals.The Professional Services unit of Fortune 500 corporation AECOM generated $14.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2023. Discover our sustainable legacy for future generations at aecom.com and @AECOM.

12 U.S. Markets Considering or Constructing Entertainment Districts

Original Source: 12 U.S. markets where entertainment districts are under consideration or construction

The Pomp, a 223-acre district 10 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and The Armory, a 225,000-sf dining and entertainment facility on six acres in St. Louis, are among the top entertainment districts in the works nationwide.

1.  Tampa Bay, Fla.

An 86-acre area featuring a $1.2 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark is the focus of a city-Tampa Bay Rays-Hines alliance’s $6.5 billion investment over 20 years. The district has 4,800 market-rate residential units, 1,200 affordable housing units, 600 senior living units, 1.4 million sf of office, medical, and commercial space, 750,000 sf of retail space, a 50,000-sf African American museum, 100,000 sf of entertainment space, including a 4,000-seat concert venue, 14,000 parking spaces, and 90,000-100,000 sf of convention/ Building would commence late 2024.

2. Miami

Miami Freedom Park, 131 acres, was scheduled to begin construction in late 2023. Inter Miami CF developed the multiphase reconstruction of the former Melreese Country Club, which includes a 25,000-seat soccer stadium. The district has a 58-acre park, 23 acres of playing fields, 1 million sf of office, retail, entertainment, and commercial space, and 780 hotel rooms. Design architect Arquitectonica, stadium designer Manica, and stadium project manager CAA Icon.

3. Pompano Beach, Fla.

Cordish Companies and Caesars Entertainment are building The Pomp, a 223-acre neighborhood 10 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, around Harrah’s casino. This $2 billion project, which began in February 2022, will have 1.3 million sf of retail and entertainment space, 4,000 residential units, 25,000 sf of food and beverage outlets, 1.35 million sf of office space, and two hotels. A district centerpiece will be Topgolf, opening late 2023.

4. Gainesville, Fla.

Gainesville’s City Commission voted 6-1 in September to create a downtown entertainment district with alcohol use from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. A city strategic plan adopted in October 2022 preceded this multiblock district’s late October voting. That idea included adding bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, breweries, and boutiques to downtown to increase tourism and expenditure. The strategic plan also prioritizes affordable and mixed-use housing and “a supportive local business environment” that unleashes real estate potential.

5. St. Paul, Minn.

Populous designed the 34.4-acre United Village complex surrounding the 2018 soccer stadium, Allianz Field. The area will have 720,000 sf of office space, 200,000 sf of retail and entertainment space, a 300-seat concert venue, two food pavilions, a hotel, 300 residential units, and a one-acre park as its centerpiece. Construction will begin in late 2023.

6. Kansas City, Mo.

Pennway Point, a six-acre industrial site redevelopment that includes the Carter-Waters building, is one of numerous projects in Kansas City, home to the nine-block Power & Light District, which opened in November 2007. DaVinci, the project’s master-tenant developer, unveiled its first Pennway Point concepts last July: the 6,000-sf Barrel Hall, which showcases some of the city’s favorite and authentic food and beverage brands, and Talegate, a 30,000-sf venue with Beef & Bottle, Funk House, and indoor/outdoor Talegate Park. The latter will feature concerts and movies. Collins Webb (architect), Lankford + Fendler (MEP), PMA (SE), Olsson (CE), and Whiskey Design (branding) are the AEC firms on this project. A 150-foot observation wheel and mini golf facility will flank this district.

Populous has designed two entertainment areas for the Kansas City Royals’ plan to replace Kauffman Stadium. East Village, a 27-acre downtown plan, would be near the 18,000-seat T-Mobile Center. It has a new stadium, residential tower, 4,000-seat performance facility, conference space, and events plaza. The alternate plan would build 90 acres in North Kansas City like Battery Atlanta. It would have an active garden and 365-day events plaza. The Royals estimate that any idea would cost at least $2 billion, and they hope to carry over their current leasing deal, where Kauffman splits a 3/8-cent sales tax with Arrowhead Stadium for maintenance, to their new home, which is scheduled for opening day 2028.

7.  Anaheim, Calif.

OcV!BE, a 100-acre, $4 billion sports and entertainment district anchored by Honda Center and the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), which Samueli manages, was approved in September 2022. ocV!BE will have 20 acres of parks and trails, 1,500 apartments (including 195 affordable units), a 1.1-million-sf office complex, 230,000 sf of shops and restaurants, a 5,700-seat concert venue, two hotels with 550 keys, a five-acre riverfront park, and nearly 11,000 parking spots. 

A 6-megawatt external solar installation will power the district. Construction began this year, and most of the district should be finished by 2028 for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Smith-clementi (master-plan architect), Fuscoe Engineering (CE), BuroHappold Engineering (sustainability), Populous (concert hall architect), iCrave (market hall interiors), and WATG (hotel architect) comprise its Building Team. The parking deck team includes Choate Parking Consultants, Culp & Tanner, tk1sc, and RIOS.

8. Clarksville, Tenn.

VP Riverside Development wants to redevelop 30 acres where the Vulcan rubber mill was. The entertainment district at Austin Peay State University would feature an 8,000-seat minor league baseball park. The district would have 330 apartments, a hotel, stores, restaurants, a live-performance arena (whose size was unknown), and 1,045 parking spots. This project’s design architect is McMillan Pazden Smith, and CSDG is the civil engineer, landscape architect, and planner. Construction could begin in the third quarter of 2024, with the stadium finished by late 2026 and the district in 2027.

9.  Charlotte, N.C.

Last February, a public-private collaboration proposed a new Uptown entertainment hub that would connect the city’s 20,000-seat Spectrum Center (home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets), Queens City Quarters (an entertainment, retail, and F&B venue), and a new transit center. Twelve city blocks would form an entertainment corridor. Construction in the district and transit center could begin next spring if all goes well.

10. Norman, Okla.

Team Norman, a collection of city and university leaders, proposed a $1 billion, 200-acre entertainment area with 80% private financing in early September. The University of Oklahoma would occupy 28% of the district’s space as its main tenant and use a 7,000-seat arena for gymnastics, volleyball, and basketball. This proposal aims to strengthen ties with the university. The district would feature 754 apartments (growing to 1,232 by year eight), 127 single-family homes, and 50 townhomes. A 150-key hotel, 180,000 sf of office, 150,000 sf of retail and restaurants, and acres of greenspace will be included. Construction could start next year.

11. Nashville, Tenn.

This Cordish Companies initiative began last summer. It is converting the George Jones Building into Nashville Live!, a five-story, 50,000-sf complex with a Draftkings Sports & Social dining venue, a western-themed PBR Cowboy Bar, an AVA Rooftop Bar, and a 450-person speakeasy bar. Phases of this project will finish in 2023. Two blocks from Bridgestone Arena is Nashville Live!

12. St. Louis, Mo.

Green Street Real Estate Ventures opened The Armory, a 225,000-sf, six-acre dining and entertainment destination with six bars and a 62-foot stage, in December 2022. The developer estimates 1.5 million visitors in the Armory’s first year. Green Street proposes turning 11 Midtown acres into Armory STL, a 750,000–800,000-sf entertainment zone modeled after Atlanta’s Beltline, containing offices, restaurants, shops, and hotels. Armory STL would be the hub of a larger network that includes Great Rivers Greenway’s Brickline Greenway trail system, four parks, a medical center, and the Gateway Arch. The neighborhood would be near a new Topgolf and St. Louis University.

Summary of today’s construction news

In simple terms, these market sector leaders will be in charge of creating growth strategies, leading new project initiatives, overseeing project teams and customers, and managing ongoing projects across several countries. The jobs of Mr. Sheets, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Smith are effective right now.

On the other hand, among the most anticipated entertainment districts in the United States are Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s, and St. Louis’s The Armory, a six-acre site for restaurants and entertainment.