UPMC Events Center Scheduled to Open in May 2019
Oak View Group Facilities, the operator of the new UPMC Events Center under construction on the campus of Robert Morris University, today named Scott Zimmerman, a 25-year industry veteran, as General Manager. Zimmerman most recently was Director of Booking at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
Zimmerman will lead OVG Facilities’ team in overseeing full management, booking, marketing, ticketing, event coordination, financial oversight, and operational services at the UPMC Events Center, a 161,000-square-foot, multi-purpose arena scheduled to open in May 2019, as the home of the Colonials. He will also be responsible for hiring and training a team of employees.
Prior to joining OVG Facilities, Zimmerman held several positions at the PPG Paints Arena, including Director of Booking and Director of Special Projects. Zimmerman was responsible for the planning, organization, event management, development and coordination of all non-hockey booking related activity at the PPG Paints Arena.
Prior to his time at the PPG Paints Arena, he spent 17 years with SMG in a variety of positions, including the company’s national director of ticketing. He was also the Director of operations of the Petersen Events Center.
“Scott is a well-respected and accomplished leader in our industry with the experience and resources to help us successfully open and operate the UPMC Events Center,” said Hank Abate, President, OVG Facilities. “With his knowledge of the Pittsburgh region and his numerous contacts throughout the touring industry, we are excited to have Scott join our team.”
Zimmerman received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Virginia University and his Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration from Slippery Rock University. He and his wife, Sondra, and their three children reside in Crescent Township.
“We could not be happier with the choice of Scott Zimmerman as the General Manager of the UPMC Events. He is the right choice to fulfill RMU’s vision for the events center to transform Moon Township into one of the region’s premier entertainment districts,” said Jay Carson, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement at RMU.
The UPMC Events Center also includes an 11,000-square-foot conference and meeting space for campus events and outside organizations. The facility will host all RMU athletic games for men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball, as well as provide a venue for other events, such as concerts, commencement, featured speakers, banquets, and much more.
The $43 million UPMC Events Center has attracted several corporate sponsors, including UPMC, Peoples, Koppers, Eat ‘n’ Park, PNC, P.J. Dick, Pepsi, and PGT Trucking. The UPMC Events Center is the largest capital project in RMU history.
OVG Facilities currently manages and books programming for arenas, convention centers, theaters and amphitheaters all over the U.S. Included in their university portfolio is the Kovalchick Complex on the campus of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Watsco Center on the campus of University of Miami.
About Robert Morris University: Through more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across five academic schools, Robert Morris University (RMU) in Pittsburgh, Pa. enrolls more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 48 states and 39 countries. A nationally ranked, doctoral degree-granting research university, RMU offers fully online courses as well as a traditional residential college experience at its campus on 230 scenic acres 17 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Colonials compete in 16 NCAA Division I sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, and lacrosse.
About OVG Facilities: Oak View Group Facilities, a division of the Oak View Group, which was founded by Irving Azoff, Tim Leiweke, and contributions from Silverlake. OVG Facilities is a full-service venue management company that creates customized management plans for each of their venues. The Group currently manages arenas, theaters, convention centers and amphitheaters all over the US and specializes in event programming, venue assessments, and security and emergency preparedness.