Bridgestone Arena's David Kells Named Pollstar's Venue Exec of the Year

Nashville, Tenn. (February 9, 2022) - David Kells, Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Venues, was named Venue Executive of the Year at the Annual Pollstar Awards on Feb. 8 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California. The Pollstar Awards have been the most coveted recognition in the entertainment and live music industry for over 30 years.
In addition, Bridgestone Arena ranked first in the world for concert sales in Pollstar's 2021 End of Year Report. Pollstar announced Bridgestone Arena ticket sales as 336,227, inclusive solely of show and concert tickets.

"I am extremely honored to receive this recognition and represent Bridgestone Arena," Kells said. "All of Smashville has worked to create an environment that made dozens of tours and hundreds of thousands of fans feel safe coming to 501 Broadway. This award truly reflects more on our organization than the role one person has in it."
Kells, who has been with Bridgestone Arena and the Nashville Predators since 2005, served as Conversion Manager, Event Manager, Director of Marketing and Vice President of Booking before assuming his current title, takes home Pollstar's Venue Executive of the Year for the second time in his career.
Pollstar Magazine focuses primarily on the concert industry and reports on news regarding sports and entertainment. The nominating committee is comprised of industry leaders in all facets of the entertainment business, including arena managers, artists, artist managers, agents and promoters from across the country and abroad.

ABOUT BRIDGESTONE ARENA

Serving as the home for numerous national and international events, Bridgestone Arena has the distinction of being one of the busiest venues in the United States since the doors first opened in 1996, hosting more than 25.6 million guests during that time. The NHL's Nashville Predators have been the primary tenants of Bridgestone Arena since 1998 and boast one of the most unique game atmospheres in the NHL. The list of acts that have called the Pollstar Arena of the Decade nominee and 2017 Pollstar and IEBA Arena of the Year home is lengthy and includes the Country Music Association Awards; the Country Music Television Awards; and the SEC Basketball Tournament through 2035. To view a full Bridgestone Arena event schedule, visit BridgestoneArena.com.