By Mike Harris
Publisher

After months of speculation, the proposed management company for Lake Gregory Regional Park was unveiled by 2nd District Supervisor Janice Rutherford at the joint Municipal Advisory Council meeting on Jan. 23 at the San Moritz Lodge.

While stressing that the county board of supervisors still needs to vote on the agreement, Rutherford said the new proposed vendor is ASM Global, an international venue management company. In the Inland Empire, it manages the Ontario Convention Center and the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

It also manages the Palm Springs Convention Center, the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, the Long Beach Grand Prix Race Course, the Long Beach Arena, the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Rutherford introduced Michael Krouse, regional vice president, Convention Centers West, to those present as the point person for ASM Global. He also serves as president and CEO for the Ontario Convention Center and the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

ASM Global positions itself as “the world’s largest and most trusted venue management and services company, spanning five continents, with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, our venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences.”

Krouse made a brief presentation about his organization, including three short videos about the company and one focusing on the organization’s locally featured event, the Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion.

Krouse said the Route 66 event is an example of what his team can do for a community.

“This is a totally free event, and (last year) we had more than 160,000 people attend the two-day event,” he said.

Krouse said while he wanted to wait until the supervisors approve the management contract before he outlined some of the organization’s plans for Lake Gregory, he stressed that it would be locally driven.

A date for when the management agreement between the county and ASM Global will be approved has not been set.

Sources told The Alpine Mountaineer that the county and ASM Global are still trying to work out details as to what the county will pay for, such as a new roof for San Moritz Lodge, and other capital improvements for Lake Gregory.

County officials had been hopeful that the management agreement would come before supervisors in January, but that did not happen. Officials are now targeting perhaps the board meeting in February, which is posted for Feb. 11. The next board meeting after that won’t be until March 10.