Denver, Colorado (November 16, 2020) – PCL Construction’s Dale Koger, vice president and general manager, sports division, and Gary Birdsall, vice president, sports division, are recognized on the Sports Business Journal’s list of “Power Players: Leaders and Innovators in Design and Development.”
The individuals and firms selected for the 2020 list represents forward thinkers in sports facility architecture, design, engineering, construction and development. Koger and Birdsall were chosen for their leadership, creativity and innovation in shaping the sports venues of today and in the future.
Koger and Birdsall joined PCL in 2018 to drive growth and success in the company’s sports market. Together, over their careers, they’ve led the development on more than $18 billion in sports venue construction over the past 20 years, including SoFi Stadium, the new home of LA’s Rams and Chargers. Overseeing the company’s sports division, they collaboratively work with PCL’s offices throughout North America to lead the budget development process and related planning along with assisting in pursuits, project setup and project oversight.
Looking towards to future of sports venues and facilities, Koger foresees major broadcast networks, entertainment content promoters and sponsorship entities exerting a large amount of influence over the planning and design of new venues. “Live audiences are a small percentage of the viewing audience,” Koger explains. “Television and online streaming viewership prove to be critical for attaining the greatest exposure for sponsorships and overall viewing via technology.”
“We are seeing a demand for more than a hotdog and beer for those attending a sporting event,” said Birdsall. Enhanced venue experiences such as social gathering places and wireless connectivity will continue to be a first-tier consideration in attracting fans, specifically millennials, to live sporting events. When asked how the pandemic has impacted considerations around venue design, Birdsall explained, “The industry faces many decisions regarding venue design as well as facility operations protocols, including touchless systems, cashless transactions and pedestrian directional control, and insight into design enhancements and venue modifications will be front-and-center for the foreseeable future.”
About PCL Construction
PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of $6 billion, making PCL one of the largest contracting organizations in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com.