“That’s my normal focus. That’s the kind of man I am,” said Duane Curry, new general manager of the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, when I asked about his history with community outreach – something he seeks to highlight as GM at Gateway. “Community is big.”
Curry has a long history working his way up the ranks for 25 years in teams that operate large venues. Duane was an Operations Crew Member at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC), the Operations Crew Leader at GICC, and then Conversion Manager at Gateway Center Arena. Gateway Center Arena is located on the Gateway Center Campus. This campus houses the Gateway Center Arena, the Georgia International Convention Center, the Historic College Park Golf Course, hotels, dinning places, office buildings, and the BMU (Building Maintenance Unit) Training Center.
“We are grateful to be in the position that 9 to 10 months out of the year we are booked already,” he said when I asked how the seats at a venue (for 4.800-5,000 people) are filled. “We’re book with (ATL) Dream (WNBA) in the summer, and Skyhawks (NBA G League) from November to March. We also have the HBCU Conference, the NCAA Tournament and women’s volleyball (ATL Vibe). We are very blessed to be in this position.”
I asked Duane Curry how he handles 5,000 people at its max. I have handled 1,000 people for a concert with the help of a small team, but I wondered about handling five-times that amount and he said, “It’s based on the type of event. The process can be different…but we have a protocol in place…we have security, guest services… Actually, my operations staff…is next door.”
Scroll to continue reading
His teams also include caterers (Proof of the Pudding) that are at GICC. As general manager, Duane Curry will oversee the operations of all the components that make the Gateway Center Arena operate. With a degree from University of West Georgia (masters) and Clayton State University (bachelors), and 25 years working with and leading operations teams, this provides him with the unique ability to take this major milestone in life and move both the Gateway Center Arena and the community, which it serves, to another level.
“They were excited,” he said when I asked what his team members thought of him becoming general manager of the Gateway Center Arena. “They said, well deserved!”
The College Park native asked when did I bring my Uplifting Minds II Entertainment Conference to Atlanta because I had mentioned it and how supportive Atlanta was, and I replied, “From 2000 – 2003.”
Curry said, “That’s when the convention center opened – in 2003.”
Every time I went to Atlanta the airport was crazy-busy and I asked about that. I asked if that was normal and he said, “Yes! Our airport is the busiest airport in the world…it’s the hub. And our location is minutes away from the airport (Hartsfield-Jackson). It’s a hidden gem…no need for a rental car…take the train.”
I asked Duane if the always busy Gateway Center Arena ever host concerts, because that 1000-person event I mentioned was a concert. I was thinking maybe I can bring my clients’ concerts there.
Curry replied, “Yes! And during COVID, we hosted concerts in the Parking Lots.” www.GatewayCenterArena.com
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large), journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations).EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Women Say They Prefer Older Men. Blind-Date Data Tells Another Story
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
