BELMONT PARK, NY (CelebrityAccess) — Venue management company Oak View Group announced the appointment of veteran sports exec Kim Stone to serve as president of UBS Arena and executive vice president of OVG East Coast.
Stone will be based in Belmont Park, New York where he will oversee all business and building operations at UBS Arena and will take on oversight of OVG’s East Coast portfolio of owned and operated venues, including the under-construction Baltmore Arena, which is slated to open early next year.
In her new role at OVG, Stone will take on oversight of the development of a strategic plan for UBS Arena, as well as seek to drive premium sales, corporate sales, and event bookings.
Stone is scheduled to take up her new roles at OVG on August 1st and will report to both the board of managers of UBS Arena and Francesca Bodie, president of business development for OVG.
“I’m proud of the work OVG has done through its diversity and inclusion initiatives and the impact it’s had across our entire organization. Kim is a strong addition to our all-star senior management team, and I’m pleased to welcome her to OVG,” said OVG Co-Founder Irving Azoff.
“The New York Islanders, as a partner in UBS Arena, are delighted and honored to welcome Kim Stone to our family,” said Scott Malkin, co-owner of the New York Islanders. “Her commitment to excellence, in every step of her career, sets the standard for our organization.”
“We’re building one of the most dynamic and diverse teams in the industry, and Kim’s joining OVG plays a critical role in not only ensuring we’re hiring the best talent, but we’re working closely with the communities where we do business,” added Tim Leiweke, chairman & CEO of Oak View Group. “Kim is an excellent fit to lead our world-class organization at both UBS Arena and OVG East coast venues and I’m thrilled to have her join the OVG team.”
Before she joined the team at OVG, Stone served in leadership role with the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors, overseeing everything from corporate partnerships, food and beverage, season ticket renewals, to concert programming.
“I’m excited to join Tim Leiweke, Francesca Bodie, Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, and the incredibly talented team at UBS Arena and Oak View Group. OVG’s incredible growth in all venue platforms has been unsurpassed. UBS Arena has transformed the music and professional hockey experience in New York with unique, world-class amenities. Having led our DE&I initiatives in Miami, I understand deeply that a commitment to diversity unlocks immense value for our staff, our business, and the community we serve. We will build upon our early success at UBS since its November 2021 opening and continue to reimagine what is possible in the vibrant New York Metro area and for OVG on the East Coast,” Stone said.
