Presents
The Pinnacle Q1 2020
Business Continuity
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MART CITY NETWORKS takes a broad approach to service continuity, including potential effects of an outbreak such as COVID-19. While there is currently no foreseen impact to Smart City’s network and administrative operation of our services, we wanted to provide some detail regarding our preparedness should the situation change. Specific to COVID-19, we are providing an outline of key preparedness activities to ensure continued service delivery during this event. The three areas of focus during any situation that challenges normal operations are as follows: • Impact to systems – does the situation have a potential impact on our systems used to deliver and support events? • Impact to location – are the locations from which we deliver and support events affected and what is our response? • Impact to people – are we prepared should there be impact to the individuals responsible for delivering local service to our customers? While the following provides the high-level efforts in each of these areas, there are significantly more activities that relate to our business continuity efforts at Smart City that are beyond the scope of this communication. Impact to systems First and foremost, there are no known impacts to Smart City systems. Heightened awareness is in place for the following areas: Service scale and operations Smart City has built our systems and services with redundancy in mind. Corporate assets are built on redundant platforms with multiple paths to the internet as well as provided with triple redundancy for power. In the event of an issue we have the capability to migrate our critical systems to an alternate cloud provider or restore from our multi-layer backup infrastructure. Supporting systems Our systems are built to allow us to manage them from the corporate office or remotely from anywhere in the US.
Impact to field locations Our services are designed for remote administration; however, the most severe impact of the COVID-19 Virus could result in the entire local staff of Smart City operations to be quarantined. If this worst-case scenario occurred, we wanted to provide specific details around support of the convention center should local staff be constrained to work from home. • Smart City employs a centralized approach to administering events and their service orders. Our AESOP ordering system can be accessed remotely from any location with an internet connection. • Smart City maintains multiple geographic locations with individuals who are capable of accessing and managing service orders for any event in a Smart City location. • We are implementing a “clean room” in specific convention center locations with a stockpile of supplies and equipment to service an event in case normal storerooms are compromised because of the virus. People As the nation’s leading communications provider to convention centers and hospitality venues, we have the capability of ensuring continued operations with multiple subject matter experts in each discipline, with geographic diversity being a consideration. • Employees responsible for managing the services locally have access to needed resources and are able to take action from home or the office. • Nationwide personnel are available to dispatch to any location that may be compromised because of the virus and corporate monitoring allows for sustained support of all networks and systems. • While Smart City puts the safety and well-being of its employees at the forefront, our proactive and strong defensive approach is expected to allow for uninterrupted service operation should the virus spread. Further Questions Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the information above. This health emergency is unprecedented compared to other natural disaster responses that we have seen in the past. Rest assured that we at Smart City are thinking through each potential scenario to ensure that we are able to deliver services at each venue without interruption.
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The Pinnacle Q1 2020
President’s Corner
Stay Safe
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hope everyone is healthy and safe and we will get through this challenging time.
Keep the Faith.
The Pinnacle Q1 2020
Center Updates
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Seattle Multi-Million Dollar Renovations Project Completed
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MART CITY NETWORKS has finalized a contract extension with the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) to provide extensive technology upgrades as a part of their multi-million-dollar renovations project along with new connectivity to key convention hotels adjacent to the venue. Smart City is replacing the entire network in the Arch building and will be designing and installing the new WiFi 6 network, for the WSCC’s $1.7-billion-dollar addition of the Summit Building to the facility, to be completed in 2022. The WSCC’s new network will have the capabilities to support the largest-scale data and technology needs of the industry’s most complex events.
Uniquely, this contract also features that Smart City will connect the adjacent Sheraton and Hyatt Regency hotels via dark fiber with the WSCC to service the needs of major events beginning with the Microsoft Ready event. “Smart City has been a trusted partner of the Washington State Convention Center. Over the years they demonstrated a thorough understanding of our customers’ needs, which is why we have exercised the extension options to their contract,” said Jeff Blosser, President and CEO of the Washington State Convention Center Public Facilities District. “Smart City’s technical designs, combined with that customer knowledge, made the company the right choice for our facility originally
Charlotte
MART CITY NETWORKS has renewed their service contract with the Charlotte Convention Center (CCC) extending their partnership to provide quality telecommunications and internet services. Smart City and the Charlotte Convention Center have agreed to a twelveyear extension of the existing contract. Smart City has been the exclusive internet, telecommunications, and electrical service provider for the CCC since its opening and is now set to continue services until March 31, 2032. “Charlotte and Smart City have been longtime partners,” said Vice President, East Operation, Tim Wortman. “We are excited to renew our agreement to provide the latest technology enhance-
Executives of Smart City, which have serviced Washington State Convention Center for over 17 years, share in the excitement. “Obviously, we’re eager for the Wi-Fi 6 network upgrades that will improve speed, capacity, and reduce interference, but additionally we’re proud to provide cost efficient connectivity to the headquarter hotels near the convention center.” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks.
upgrades will culminate with the expansion completion in late summer of 2021.
Technology and Telecommunications Contract Renewal with CCC
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and into our future as well with our new facility. We are excited to offer the best networking experience in our industry at the Washington State Convention Center.”
ments to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) and Convention center.” Working in tandem with Smart City, the CRVA is in the process of enhancing the technology offerings at the Charlotte Convention Center including Internet, Wi-Fi and Distributed Antenna System (DAS) services. The DAS upgrade will include additional service providers and increase cell service coverage. The project will also expand Wi-Fi capability, providing a high-density infrastructure throughout the existing public areas and meeting rooms, as well as the additional spaces created by the expansion. The DAS services upgrade should be available to clients and guests in the summer of 2020, and the high-density
“The Charlotte Convention Center is pleased to have extended our technology services relationship with Smart City Networks,” said Steve Bagwell, Vice President of Venues at the CRVA. “Smart City has been a valued partner since 1995, and they were the logical choice for helping us enhance our technology infrastructure and guest experience in conjunction with the expansion of the convention center.” As a premier facility, Charlotte Convention Center has been chosen to host the 2020 Republican National Convention Media Hub from August 24 to 27, 2020. Delegates of the United States Republican Party will select the party’s nominees for president and vice president in the 2020 United States presidential election. Smart City services will be utilized for the live televised events, and up to the minute voting results available to thousands of attendees.
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The Pinnacle Q1 2020
Doing Right by All Our Customers
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LL our corporate and in-field team members nationwide at Smart City Networks extend our support for those impacted by the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) health emergency. Trades shows and conventions are instrumental in building brands, forging partnerships and providing education. Meetings, conventions, exhibitions and business events serve essential roles to support global, economic and social growth. This crisis effects our industry on both a business and personal level. We understand the efforts and investments that show managements and ex-
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hibitors have in events, and the setbacks an event cancellation can have on their business. As a nationwide company providing service to shows hosting masses of exhibitors and attendees the Coronavirus health emergency is at the fore front of our business decisions. Smart City’s second Business Principal is “Do Right by All Our Customers,” meaning we strive to act in the best interest of the facilities we partner with, the shows we provide technology to, and the exhibitors we serve. During this challenging time, our teams are working to help customers navigate these circumstances.
We all agree that the safety of our teams, customers, and communities is the first priority. Smart City has crisis plans in place which our teams are reviewing and implementing, not to mention improving upon, during this challenging time. Our industry has shown that we are supportive and resilient in difficult times. Our best response to this outbreak is to collaborate with the realization that our goals are the same. “Our teams understand the hard decisions everyone is facing right now. We’re following our industry’s best practices and offer timely risk management solutions.” President, Mark Haley, “We are eager to resume services to shows.” Whereas, facilities have had to temporarily suspend events, we look forward to getting back to business. Our teams are committed to delivering our high standard of customer service. We continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation and the challenges it poses to events. Smart City plans to move forward with scheduled events. We will provide updates to keep you informed.
