KPMG Ignition - D.C.

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and KPMG LLP opened the newest KPMG Ignition Center, located within MSE’s Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. in June 2022.

With its debut, MSE and KPMG created a one-of-a-kind innovation suite for highly-interactive client experiences, designed to navigate disruption and uncover business opportunities—with the most exciting sports and entertainment backdrop in the region.

The KPMG Ignition - D.C. is one of 20+ KPMG innovation centers around the globe but the very first developed inside a sports venue—one of the busiest in the world.

Seeking to address a business need for KPMG to engage in-person with its clients in an innovative and unique setting and MSE's pursuit of developing additional daypart uses for an otherwise dormant arena, KPMG and MSE senior leaders collaborated to reimagine the existing suite as a hub which capitalizes on the pioneering culture of both organizations.

How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

The partners have taken a suite normally used to host clients to watch NHL and NBA professional sports games and innovated within it. Bringing customers into an environment that’s unexpected and creating this destination to engage people to think differently, is a game-changing concept. And the reality is even more transformational for real clients and real organizations seeking the same spark to their traditional business practices.

This new space has also created a new real estate category of shared workspace by turning suites normally used only a few hours per game day into workspace, all day and year-round. This reimagining of suite space is another innovation which MSE can bring to current and potential business partners in multiple sectors. The leaders at KPMG were first movers and an exemplar in finding new uses for the great convening operation MSE has built, and other companies have started to join them.

Objective

Part of MSE’s organizational goals is to lead the transformation of modern-day sports arenas into a truly multi-purpose business centers destined to operate beyond just hosting traditional sports and entertainment events and create an entirely new model of engaging business development, innovation, and commerce, daily. And with its Ignition Centers, KPMG are masters in their support of a myriad of businesses by curating development experiences using a talent, environment, assets, and methods tailored to the needs of their clients.

The KPMG Ignition - D.C. was developed to merge these foundations to create the first-of-its-kind, high-tech business suite to serve as a meeting place for KPMG and its clients to collaborate and solve business problems together, 365-days-a-year, at any time of the day. Leaders also recognized that the new world of hybrid business work is challenging corporations to think beyond the traditional ways they engage with employees and clients and think differently about how they market and promote their services. And this new suite helps solve that challenge as well. The suite has established a new benchmark in facility usage, suite ownership, and business commerce.

Strategy & Execution

With KPMG Ignition - D.C., MSE and KPMG have combined a high-energy atmosphere, unique, immersive fan experiences, and extraordinary hospitality to create a one-of-a-kind environment that sparks creativity and the next big ideas in both established and emerging industries.

The center can accommodate 28 people within the 900-square-feet suite on the second level concourse at Capital One Arena. And the 500+ square feet of open area can be transformed to meet clients’ needs.

From its walls to its furniture, the suite’s modular and movable functionality creates a unique room design for each business session. The glass partition separating the internal working space from the arena seating is switchable smart glass able to go from clear to frosted instantly. It allows for privacy for the KPMG occupants, as well as privacy for visiting teams, concert set up, and other arena bowl set-up activities during the day.

The multi-million-dollar renovation also included cutting-edge technology like central video walls to display stories and facilitate discussions, interactive screen displays scattered throughout the room, high-resolution monitors on the ceiling and at the entryway that showcase relevant visuals during meetings, and video streaming capabilities to allow attendees to join sessions from anywhere in the world.

Organizations

• Monumental Sports & Entertainment
• KPMG

Credits

Jim Van Stone
President of Business Operations, Chief Commercial Officer
Monumental Sports & Entertainment