Business View Magazine | May 2019

62 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MAY 2019 Lane Club during race weekends. We also host Henrico County Technical Education graduation in Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, the region’s only covered amphitheater. We host a Neighborhood Night Out for our local community, as well. We have a neighborhood committee that meets every other month to keep in the loop about what events are upcoming. We are woven into the fabric of our community, so we want to always keep an open dialogue with our neighbors.” BVM: What are the most important points you’d like people to know about the Richmond Raceway Complex? Hazzard: “About half a million people attend non-race events, annually. Some events, alone, will bring in 20,000, so we keep very busy, year-round. With new additions and an increase in concerts, that number will continue to grow. We currently have 37 full-time employees, plus contractors and others. On NASCAR weekends, when people come in from other tracks and we have part-timers and security, that number goes up to over 1,000. “The Richmond Raceway Complex is so diverse. We are unique in motorsports in having so much indoor, climate-controlled space on property. We have a monthly call with all of our sister tracks in the International Speedway Corporation family to go over events we’re working on, and most would love to have 100,000 square feet of space with the opportunity for built-in new business, annually. It’s a fun job that’s different every day. “Our property showcases what a unique facility we have. We even have a warehouse where several television series and films have been produced – we even have the biggest green screen, I believe, in North America. It’s a 200,000-sq.-ft. warehouse and the entire backside is painted green. That really helps the Virginia Film Office sell different shows to produce in the Commonwealth. We’re a jack-of-all-trades here, and we’re lucky that we get to do so much. A lot of people reminisce about coming out in the past for the Virginia State Fair, or the Strawberry Hill steeplechase races, or in the ‘90s when our amphitheater first came to life. It’s amazing how much has changed, and how much we continue to grow.” PREFERRED VENDORS n Topside Tent & Party Rentals www.topsidetentrentals.com Simply the Best Topside Tent and Party Rentals not only rents the finest tents in Richmond, we also carry the extra accessories to complete your event start to finish. Tent heaters and air conditioning for comfort, lights for atmosphere, china and tableware that sparkle and shine, popcorn and cotton candy machines for added fun, and dance floors for rocking the night away. Whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate meeting, or just a small party, we’ve got what you need to make it a success. n Productive AV www.productiveav.com