Business View Magazine - Dec 2023

especially amid shifting trends. She relays, “One of the great things coming out of COVID is people don’t want to go to the big cities anymore. Groups that only would ever go to the big flashy cities, now they want to go somewhere new and walkable and outside. So, it has opened up some new opportunities for us, which is fantastic.” The center’s unique advantage of having two attached hotels, Marriott and Hilton Properties, offers a diverse yet integrated experience under one roof, another marketable feature. “You don’t ever have to go outside, but it’s three different experiences,” Deri describes. “So that is one thing that we really lean into. People like that a lot.” The Spokane Public Facilities District’s success is further amplified through partnerships with entities such as West Coast Entertainment, responsible for the Best of Broadway programming, the United Soccer League (USL) occupying the Spokane Stadium along with Spokane Public Schools, and the renowned junior hockey team, the Spokane Chiefs. With a staff of 100, Deri emphasizes the CONTEMPORARY SERVICES CORPORATION (CSC) IS RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE AS THE PIONEER, EXPERT AND THE ONLY EMPLOYEE OWNED COMPANY IN THE CROWD MANAGEMENT FIELD. CROWD MANAGEMENT | SECURITY | USHERING TICKET TAKING | GUEST SERVICES | BICYCLE PATROL | CONSULTING 818.885.5150 csc-usa.com importance of contracted services, including the in-house caterer Levy, event staffing service CSC, TicketsWest, and others, which greatly contribute to the overall success of the district’s facilities. Curran underscores the value of regional collaboration, which has played a key role in projects like The Podium, powered by STCU. She shares that partnershipwith the county involved the issuance of bonds, providing necessary funds with an agreement for repayment. The city contributed $5 million, and the park contributed land. Seeking state support, the Spokane Public Facilities District secured almost $3 million over three years. These efforts extended to the construction and operation of the Spokane Stadium, where the school district facilitated building construction, and the two entities are working together to optimize its utilization. “So, literally anybody out there that we could partner with, we did,” she acknowledges. “I think people sometimes feel like if you partner you’re giving up some power, but you’re actually enhancing your power by an amount you can’t even 293 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 12 SPOKANE CONVENT ION CENTER