Tacoma Venues & Events

The City of Tacoma enhances the quality of life for the community and drives economic vitality through its premier venues, arts, cultural, and entertainment opportunities.

Tacoma Venues & Events oversees these renowned venues, which include the Tacoma Dome, one of the world’s largest wood-domed structures with flexible seating configurations ranging from 5,000-21,000; the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, artful and modern with its trademark glass walls and 119,000 square feet of event space; Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers; and the historic Pantages and Rialto Theaters and Theater on the Square.

Contact

(253) 272-3663

info@tacomavenues.org

1500 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402

Meet the Director

Department Director: Director

Adam Cook

Appointed in January 2022, Adam S. Cook is the Director of the Tacoma Venues & Events (TVE) Department. Adam is responsible for leading the operations and management of the City’s public assembly facilities, including strategic partnerships to improve community access to diverse and creative citywide programming. The role includes generating positive economic impact, managing maintenance and investment into infrastructure to ensure continued viability, and nurturing arts and business sector partnerships.

TVE manages renowned venues which include the Tacoma Dome, one of the world’s largest wood-domed structures with flexible seating configurations ranging from 5,000 to 23,000; the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, artful and modern with its trademark glass walls and 119,000 square feet of event space; Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers; and the historic Pantages and Rialto Theaters, and Theatre on the Square.

Adam has more than 20 years of experience operating sports and entertainment venues across North America. Joining the City in 2019 as Deputy Director for Tacoma Venues & Events, Adam helped lead the department’s day-to-day operations, including managing department budgets, revenues, and contracts. His experience includes serving as Vice President and General Manager at the Rose Quarter (Portland, OR), Venue Director and General Manager at the Edmonton Expo Centre and Rexall Place (Edmonton, AB, Canada), Acting General Manager for Global Spectrum at Comcast Arena (Everett, WA), and most recently as Vice President of Business Operations for Seafair (Seattle, WA). Before moving to the Northwest, Adam worked with Contemporary Services Corporation in Seattle, Miami, and Boston.

Adam currently serves on the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) Venue Management School (VMS) Board of Regents and has served on the IAVM Governance, Arenas, and Membership committees, as a member of its Board of Directors, and serve as Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors. Cook was named a recipient of the Venues Today Generation Next Award in 2014 and has engaged in numerous speaking opportunities and published articles throughout the industry. He is a current member of Tacoma Rotary #8 and formerly volunteered in advisory committee roles with Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County and for Edmonds Center for the Arts.

Education

B.A., Bowdoin College
Certified Venues Executive (CVE), IAVM Venue Management School and VMS Graduate Institute

Downtown Tacoma view with dome in foreground.

Tacoma Dome

The Tacoma Dome, built in 1983 and renovated in 2018, is a prominent feature of the Tacoma skyline and an iconic venue for concerts, sporting events, and the top touring entertainment in the world.

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Greater Tacoma Convention Center

The Greater Tacoma Convention Center offers 119,000 square feet of modern space that can be customized for events from gala banquets to consumer shows. The facility is conveniently located near I-5 and is connected by a grand promenade to the four-star, 304-room, luxury Marriott Tacoma Downtown.

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Cheney Stadium

Cheney Stadium is home to the Tacoma Rainiers, a Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. With a steep seating pitch for each of the stadium's 9,600 seats, Cheney Stadium offers each fan an outstanding view of the action on the field.

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Pantages Theaters

The historic Pantages Theater opened its doors in 1918, the Pantages theater is a restored vaudeville house hosting some of the biggest names in the performing arts and music before a maximum audience of 1,273 patrons. In 2018, the City of Tacoma completed a $21.8 million renovation that included all new seating, seismic improvements, restoration of plaster and paintwork, sound and lighting upgrades, and ADA enhancements. It has a balcony as well as an orchestra pit.

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Rialto Theater

The Rialto Theater opened on September 7, 1918. The beaux-arts style Rialto Theater is a historic venue in downtown Tacoma, originally serving as an art-deco movie house. The original architect was Roland Borhek. It has seating for 738 guests and is host to plays, musicals, and other events.

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Theater on the Square

The Theatre on the Square opened in October 1993. It serves as an intimate, contemporary theater space appointed for plays, musicals, and other theater entertainment. The 302-seat theater features full production capabilities including a rehearsal room and studio space.

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Special Events Funding

The Special Events Funding program is intended to provide funds to qualified event producers. The intent is to foster high-quality, equitable, inclusive, open-to-the-public events across all of Tacoma; it will also seek to help strengthen the capacity of producing organizations to find other sustainable funding sources for the future of their event(s).

Special Events Funding