Oak View Group (OVG), the global venue development, advisory, and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries, announced the expansion of its leadership team for Moody Center, a new $338 million, state-of-the-art, privately-funded arena in Austin, Texas. Joining OVG is Trudes Sweeten as vice president of events and Seth Bailey as vice president of technology. Sweeten and Bailey will assume their new role immediately and will report to Jeff Nickler, senior vice president of OVG Arena and Stadium Alliance and Moody Center general manager, and Casey Sparks, vice president of OVG Austin and Moody Center assistant general manager. “Since day one, our goal has been to build a talented and dynamic leadership team at Moody Center,” stated Nickler.
“Collectively, Trudes and Seth both bring over three decades of high-caliber arena, event management, and live entertainment experience to our organization. I am certain they will both complement and contribute to the culture we are building at OVG Austin.” As vice president of events, Sweeten will oversee and provide leadership to the events department, which is responsible for overseeing, planning, coordinating all events held at Moody Center. Before joining OVG, Sweeten was assistant general manager at El Paso Live in Texas, for which she oversaw the marketing, operations, events, and security departments of four venues and parking garages.
Prior to El Paso Live, Sweeten spent ten years as the director of events with the BOK Center and Cox Convention Center in Tulsa, Okla., where she created the venue’s internal career development program, guest services training program, as well as numerous safety guidelines and trainings. Sweeten’s career at the arena level began in 2002 as an event coordinator at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. She is a graduate of Venue Management School and the Academy of Venue & Security. Sweeten commented, “Moody Center is one of the most unique projects I’ve been a part of. I know Austin has been waiting a long time for a venue like this and I’m excited to bring that vision into a reality.”
As vice president of technology, Bailey will oversee and provide strategic plans for all facility technologies within Moody Center. Prior to joining OVG, Bailey was director of technology at the BOK Center & Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa, Okla., where he oversaw all facets of facility technology including video production and IT departments. Throughout his career, he has worked with many regional venues including Baylor’s McLane Stadium, Intrust Bank Arena, H-E-B Center, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Dallas Stars, and Oklahoma City Thunder. “I am very fortunate to join such a strong team here in Austin lead by leaders like Jeff and Casey,” noted Bailey. “The culture that Oak View Group has already built here is incredible to be a part of. To be able to have all that and to be able to do that in a world-class city like Austin is a dream come true.”
The 15,000+ seat world-class arena located on The University of Texas at Austin campus will be built for music and host the best and biggest names in the music industry while providing a state-of-the-art venue for top touring concerts and shows. Debuting in April 2022, Moody Center is set to host The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, John Mayer for two nights, and The Killers with more major announcements rolling out later this year. Moody Center will also be home to Texas men’s and women’s basketball teams, graduations, as well as university, high school, and other events for the Austin community.
