OVG bolsters Seattle arena team

Oak View Group (OVG) has made three appointments to the executive team for its new arena at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington, due to open in mid 2021.

With immediate effect, Eric Bresler joins OVG as senior vice-president of programming, while Tom Conroy becomes vice-president of operations and Rosemary Selle vice-president of marketing.

“As we continue to make momentous progress in the construction of our world-class arena for Seattle, we also are assembling the best in executive leadership to operate and run the arena day to day,” says Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke. “Eric, Tom and Rosemary are all highly experienced and the best in their respective fields.

“I’m pleased to officially welcome them on board and have no doubt they will continue to add to the culture of excellence we strive to establish and execute.”

“The success of this venue depends on securing world-class talent”

As senior VP, Bresler will lead programming and entertainment business development, as well as assisting in providing content for other US OVG venues, including Moody Center at the University of Texas, the new arena at Agua Caliente in Palm Springs, and the New York Islanders’ new arena in Belmont, New York. He joins from AEG Facilities, where he was VP of event booking and development.

Conroy, meanwhile, was previously director of operations at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre, while Selle most recently served as regional director of marketing for AEG Facilities/ASM Global, based at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Steve Mattson, executive vice-president of Oak View Group and GM of the Seattle arena, comments: “We are building a world-class, iconic arena in Seattle and the success of this venue depends on securing world-class talent. In adding to our leadership with Eric, Tom and Rosie, we have injected exactly that. They are proven performers that will differentiate Seattle as one of the best facilities in the industry.”

In addition to its US properties, OVG – founded in 2015 by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff – is developing arenas in Milan, Italy, and Manchester, UK.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.