DALLAS (CelebrityAccess) Spectra has named industry veteran J. Anthony Lopez the new GM for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCC), effective yesterday.
Lopez comes to Dallas with 30 years experience, most recently serving as assistant GM for Chicago’s McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention center.
As GM for the KBHCC, Lopez will oversee all aspects of the facility’s daily sales, marketing and operational activities, as well as work in cooperation with the City of Dallas, who is leading the future master plan efforts to reimagine and upgrade the KBHCC and its surrounding campus.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the Spectra team in Dallas, and can’t wait to get started during this exciting time of city-wide expansion and development,” Lopez said. “In reimagining the venue, we’ll specifically address top priority needs of major meeting planners from across the country, and will bring citywide events to Dallas as a result—the potential of the KBHCC is unlimited.”
Lopez has extensive sales, marketing and operations experience with facilities in Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. Prior to McCormick Place, he was the director of operations at Iowa State Center then executive director for Minneapolis Convention Center. In his previous roles, Lopez oversaw expansion projects, upgraded service offerings, streamlined employee training, spearheaded sustainability projects and implemented event rating systems.
“With Anthony’s arrival, Spectra has assembled an A-team in Dallas to invigorate KBHCC’s operations and reintroduce downtown Dallas to a new host of meeting planners,” Dave Anderson, Spectra’s senior vice president of convention centers, said. “Anthony’s wealth of industry knowledge, combined with his vast experience directing big-name operations, perfectly positions our team to bring significant meetings and conventions to this great city.”
Spectra officially took over operations at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on April 1, after the Dallas City Council unanimously approved the contract earlier this year. With another unanimous vote of confidence, Spectra took over operations at the 277-acre Fair Park in the heart of Dallas on Jan. 2.
“With Anthony’s track record heading up large, successful operations, we knew he was the leader we need to be a change-maker for the venue and the city,” John Page, Spectra’s president of venue management, said. “Spectra has a strong history of success in convention centers, a track record which we’re privileged to build upon in the heart of Dallas.”
