The discussion assignments are designed to individually examine certain aspects of the entertainment, sports, recreational foodservice or event management business and, in your own words, discuss the specific aspects of the assignment. You will also be asked to review at least two (2) other students’ discussions and add specific comments to their information. You are also required to use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. (The use of slang and other communication idioms used on social media platforms are not acceptable in these weekly discussion forums.) Assignments must also be submitted on time.
Week 6 Discussion Forum:
Scenario:
As the General Manager of a 16,000-seat arena, Jill is responsible to oversee the Risk Management program established to safeguard the customers, employees, performers, and promoters. Jill also has the ultimate responsibility for the maintenance and repair of the fixtures, furnishings and equipment (FF&E) in the facility and has delegated those responsibilities to the Operations Manager, Erik. Last week, Jill conducted a monthly inspection of the facility and logged those items in need of repair on her Risk Assessment Form and forwarded them to Erik for his attention. Jill noticed a few locations in the box office lobby where the tile floor was cracked and in need of repair and/or replacement. Erik contacted the tile contractor and scheduled the work necessary to accomplish the repairs for the next week when the venue would be dark.
The next evening, a 16-year-old female guest tripped and fell as she and her sister were running through the box office lobby to get to the turnstiles as the sold-out Taylor Swift concert was about to begin. The lobby was very congested with customers waiting to pick up their tickets in the Will Call line. As the young guest approached the turnstiles, her heel wedged in a crack in the tile floor causing her to twist her ankle and fall. This traumatic accident left her with injuries, in pain and crying on the floor of the lobby. One of the guest services staff members taking tickets witnessed the incident and called Jill, Erik and the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) on the radio to come to the location of the accident in the box office lobby.
The EMTs were attending to the young guest as Jill arrived on the scene. The EMTs recommended that she go to the emergency room of the local hospital immediately for x-rays and possible treatment for other injuries. The young guest was extremely upset over the situation, in part, because she would not be able to stay for the concert that all of her friends (Swifties) from school were attending as well. Also, her father had paid $400.00 per ticket from a ticket broker on the secondary market to take his wife and two daughters to see Taylor Swift for one of his daughter’s birthday.
The young guest claimed that she tripped over a piece of loose tile and her father maintained that the venue was at fault for her injuries. He stated that he expects the arena to not only pay for her medical expenses, but to also compensate him by refunding the total expense of the tickets he purchased from the ticket broker. He claimed to have a receipt for the tickets which totals $1,600.
While completing the interviews for the venue’s Incident Report Form, one of the supervisory staff mentioned to Jill that the injured guest’s mother is the principal partner in a very high-profile law firm in the community. The staff member who witnessed the fall stated that the young guest was also distracted while texting on her cell phone and stumbled over her sister when her sister stopped in front of her before she fell down. The supervisor completing the Incident Report Form also noted that she was wearing a particularly high pair of stiletto high-heeled shoes.
Discussion Forum Assignment:
Protecting the assets of the venue and reducing its liabilities are key roles of facility management. Although the Risk Management Plan is a venue-wide responsibility and may be developed by management, many of the maintenance and repair functions are usually performed by the Operations Department. Therefore, both the General Manager and Operations Manager play key roles ensuring that the facility is maintained and operated in a safe manner.
Cite the three (3) most critical issues General Manager Jill must address in order to resolve this situation as quickly and fairly (to all parties involved) as possible.
In addition to having an Incident Report Form, thoroughly explain two (2) additional components of an effective Risk Management Plan General Manager Jill must put in place to ensure that the venue is prepared for the future safety of the guests at every upcoming event.
