Date of Award

1-1-2010

Document Type

Campus Access Thesis

Department

School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management

Sub-Department

Sport and Entertainment Management

First Advisor

Haylee Mercado

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the understanding and inclusion of sustainable initiatives in large public assembly facilities. The research questions examined in this study were used to understand 1) To what extent do arenas understand the need for facility best practices, 2) To what extent do arenas incorporate best practices into their facility and within daily and operational functions 3) What factors are the most challenging for practical implementation of best practices, 4) How were operations and sustainable activities altered in response to a well-developed green touring event within the arenas, and 5) What areas were the most challenging when accommodating the needs of a well-developed green touring event? Given the exploratory nature of this study, the most appropriate methodology was to utilize a case study analysis using semi-structured in-depth interviews. The qualitative approach allowed for a greater understanding of the intentions and a greater depth of information from each source. Four facilities were used as the study's unit of analysis and five interviews were conducted overall. Through these discussions, a better understanding of sustainable pressures and practices emerged.

The findings from this study indicated an industry pressure for facilities to incorporate sustainable best practices into their operational activities as there is an ever increasing request for green practices by performers. Moreover, there is not a consistent or standardized method to assess the impact of various initiatives. Similarly, there is not a system of incentives or standards to achieve for the various categories of sustainable best practices. Based upon the present findings, managers should look for ways to initiate sustainable practices within their facility to keep up with the increasing trend within the industry. Moreover, as more performers and incoming artists/tours start to ask for these accommodations and they become more commonplace, the ability to meet these needs might become a factor in choosing a facility. By meeting these needs the facility can potentially gain a competitive advantage.

Rights

© 2010, Peyton Jeter

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