Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center Operations to be Managed by OVG Facilities, LLC

Charleston City Council tonight authorized the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (CCCC) Board to enter into a five-year agreement with OVG Facilities, LLC, to perform all day-to-day management activities for both the Coliseum & Convention Center and Municipal Auditorium. OVG is a national booking and management firm that currently operates 69 facilities with more than 1,000 employees. A new interim General Manager, Shura Garnett, will start Wednesday, September 9th. Ms. Garnett will fill the role until a permanent general manager is named. 

“The Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center is a showpiece in our Capital City. The $100 million renovations made it competitive with other facilities throughout the country. But building a facility and filling it are two different things,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “OVG has a wealth of industry knowledge and relationships with sales and booking agencies that will bring a major return on investment to Charleston.”

In addition to running the day-to-day operations, OVG will handle all bookings, sponsorships, advertising and sales - including expanding current sales initiatives. The Board of Directors still retains supervisory authority and will approve budgets, capital expenditures, and material contracts.

“I am thrilled that we have entered into a partnership with OVG.  This relationship will give us a much needed seat at the table and will allow us to emerge quickly and successfully from this COVID-19 situation when that time occurs,” said Carrie Fenwick, Chair of the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center Board of Directors. 

“Our knowledge, contacts, and experience in the entertainment and convention industries will be invaluable and will allow the City of Charleston to join the ranks of other successfully managed venues across the country,” said Peter Luukko, Chairman of Oak View Group Facilities.

The City maintains ownership of the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center and Municipal Auditorium, including the real estate, equipment, logos and trademarks. The City will grant OVG the right to license and use the facility. All current employees will continue to be employees of the City of Charleston but will be managed by OVG.