(CelebrityAccess) — On Thursday, venue management company Spectra announced that industry vet Jim McDonald has been appointed as the General Manager of the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center.
McDonald will be responsible for supervision and oversight of the two facilities and with the direction of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), which oversees the state’s interests in the arena.
“Jim has a tremendous reputation in the venue management industry and has been a great asset to both the Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall,” said CRDA Executive Director, Matt Doherty. “We look forward to his leadership and his vision for the future of both buildings.”
McDonald has served as Assistant General Manager and Director of Operations for both the Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall since 2014, handling everything from labor relations and budgeting to facility maintenance and public safety.
Prior to joining Boardwalk Hall and the Convention Center, Jim served as the Director of Operations at Talen Energy Stadium, home of the MLS Philadelphia Union; Director of Operations for the University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and College Football’s Fiesta Bowl; and Operations Manager of the Wells Fargo Center and Spectrum, home to the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, NBA’s Sixers, AHL’s Phantoms, NLL’s Wings, and AFL’s Soul.
He has been part of the operations team behind numerous high profile events, including The Republican National Convention, the NHL Conference Finals, NBA Finals, NBA All-Star Game, NCAAA Basketball Regionals, Super Bowl XLII, XLVIII, and XLIX, the MLS All-Star Game, the Rugby Sevens, the Gold Cup, and Wrestlemania 26.
“Jim has made an enormous impact during his tenure as Assistant General Manager with these two major Atlantic City venues, so he was the clear choice to become our new General Manager,” Mike Scanlon, Spectra’s Senior Vice President of Arenas and Stadiums, said. “With deep roots in the area, he understands that the Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall are economic drivers and prime examples of a thriving region. Both facilities are in good hands with Jim at the helm.”
