Romer Gets SEC Back on track

Steve Romer, the new General Manager of the Sydney Entertainment Centre (SEC), has spoken for the first time about his determination to return the venue to being a top concerts destination.

In an article to be published in the September/October 2009 issue of Australasian Leisure Management, Romer explains the steps that the new venue managers, Darling Harbour Convention and Exhibition Pty Ltd, took following the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority's eviction of the previous lease-holders, Arena Management, on 6th August when Kevin Jacobsen's company entered into administration with spiralling debts.

Explaining a turbulent period, which began with having just 14 days until its first event (the Rice Rally Gospel concert), Romer recalls, "the first thing I did was to meet with Arena Management's 19 permanent staff, all of whom had been dismissed, and rehire them."

Romer, who served as Director of Operations at the neighbouring Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre for the past six years, and is also President of the Venue Management Association (Asia & Pacific) goes on the explain how the SEC will be relaunched and rebranded.

As he explains, the SEC "is an iconic venue, a place of important memories in people's minds and it has a role in Sydney rather like Madison Square Garden has in New York."

The full article can be found in the September/October 2009 issue of Australasian Leisure Management, available to magazine subscribers.

8th September 2009 - END OF THE ROAD FOR ARENA MANAGEMENT

27th August 2009 - SYDNEY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS

13th August 2009 - SHOW GOES ON AT SYDNEY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

21st May 2009 - ROMER RE-ELECTED