Spring/Summer 2008 Volume 4, Issue 2 - The SMART Journal

The SMART Journal Spring/Summer 2008
Page 5
Editor’s Corner: Taking a Break
Jason W. Lee, Editor
The Sport industry has been growing immensely and this growth has sparked an unprecedented foundation for the development of
sport based academic programs, publications, and others forms of discourse. As this growth continues, academic and professional
areas such as Sport Management has continued to flourish. Since SMART first began several years ago, the journal has hosted a
wide spectrum of articles associated with the study of Sport Management (and associated aspects). Since SMART’s beginnings, the
field of Sport Management has been fortunate to benefit from the development of various informational outlets including numerous
academic journals which have emerged. As editor and founder of SMART, I am pleased by this. I am also pleased by the contribution
that SMART has been able to make.
Through providing a forum for the investigation and exploration of the such aspects of sport and life, SMART has sought to help fill
the existing gaps and provide a forum where individuals are brought up to date on the latest research and information, while being
prompted to explore, discuss, and analyze contemporary aspects of Sport Management and related areas of involvement.
[Continued on p. 89]
Guest Editor’s Comments: Facility Issues
John Miller, Guest Editor- “Issues in Facilities” Special Edition
This issue features a special edition about sport facilities representing such important topics as sport venue security practices as well
as green design and sustainability. While these are just two of the potential myriad of choices that could have been included in this
issue they epitomize the changes that society today expects in sport facility design and management. The first two articles deal with
the changes that have occurred in the United States over the past seven years. Just this past March, a joint assessment by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security issued a report entitled “Potential Threats to Popular Sports
and Entertainment Venues” which indicated that such arenas and stadiums were attractive targets during the events. Specifically, the
report revealed that such intercollegiate sports as football and basketball as well as the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby may be high
on a list because of the numbers of spectators they attract as well as citing that operational planning against sport facilities is usually
difficult to detect. It is interesting to note that the articles in this special issue, while relating to the same topic, take different
perspectives. The “Sport Venue Security: Planning and Preparedness for Terrorist-Related Incidents” identify potential indicators,
vulnerabilities, and security improvements from the facility managers view. However, “Spectator Perception of Security at the Super
Bowl After 9/11” stresses the need to include spectators in recognizing potential facility vulnerabilities to improve security at sport
stadiums. By taking different ends of the spectrum both articles combine to make security aspects of facility management safety
informative and practically based.
The ”green” movement has recently burst on the facility scene due to the availability of green materials and procedures as well as the
increased awareness by the general public. A prime example of the need for a paradigm shift towards green design was found in a
report by green@work magazine which revealed that buildings in the United States accounted for 37% of all energy, 68% of all
electricity, 12% of all freshwater supplies, 88% of all potable water supplies, and 40% of all raw materials. To counter these trends,
facility green design has been shown to decrease costs while increasing building marketability and sustainability. The article found
within this issue touches on these and other important considerations for future sport facility design and management.
Finally, I have appreciated the opportunity to be the guest editor of this special issue. While there are a number of fine texts regarding
facility management, the continued need for research in this area is becoming more essential. Hopefully, this journal will continue to
serve as an effective forum for continued sport facility management research. I would like to extend my thanks to Editor Jason Lee as
well the manuscript reviewers for their patience and diligence. Thank you.
Volume 4, Issue 2