chapter 2 Managing Recreation Facilities Fundamentals of

chapter 2 Managing Recreation Facilities

Fundamentals of Recreation Facilities • A facility refers to the environments where leisure activities occur. • Facilities can include naturally occurring resources, such as park areas and lakes, or they can be man-made structures, such as museums and health clubs. • A facility can be indoors or outdoors. • facilities can take many forms, and they are of great importance to recreation professionals.

Structures • Recreation facilities exist in two broad categories of structures. • One category is natural environments, where little about the attraction has been constructed by people. • The other category of recreation facilities includes man-made structures that are conceived, planned, designed, constructed, and occupied by a management system to deliver a recreation product.

Natural Environment • A natural environment facility might include a lake, stream, cave, or other natural resource. • Natural environments often have a management component that regulates use of the area in addition to providing auxiliary services to facility users, such as boat, canoe, kayak, or ski rentals. • These types of facilities may be managed by a local, state, or federal agency or private entity for use by the general public.

Structure q. Natural environment v. Area that includes trees, water, lay of the land, mountains, lakes, which are left to be maintained in their original and natural state.

Man-Made Structures • A man-made facility is a designated area that facilitates a process, operation, or course of activities and is conceived, planned, and built by people to deliver a particular recreation product. • Man-made structures can be either indoors or outdoors and are designed to deliver a specific product. (continued)

Man-Made Structures (continued) • An outdoor man-made facility can range from local playgrounds or tennis courts to large water parks and sport stadiums. • An indoor man-made structure also can be observed in many forms, ranging from bowling alleys or fitness centers to indoor arenas or major resorts. • Some structures may consist of both indoor and outdoor facilities, such as a swimming pool with a concession building and locker room.

Structure Constructed facility

Facility Extensiveness • Recreation facilities serve a multitude of purposes and may vary in size, volume, and square footage. • As each of these grows, so does the responsibility in managing the facility. • The extensiveness, or number of products provided at a facility, indicates the complexity of recreation facility management, which encompasses everything from risk management to maintenance, not to mention unexpected disruption in product delivery.

Extensiveness q. Varies because of each facility’s unique nature As a facility, either simple or complex, increases in size, volume, square footage, the responsibility in managing space This reflects the extensivenes s of some facilities.

Facility Uniqueness • Each recreation facility is unique as a result of the facility design and the product being delivered. • In addition, administrative styles, management philosophy, staff composition, and leadership qualities all contribute to the uniqueness of a facility. • Although the functions of a facility manager may remain the same, it is the unique characteristics of each facility that create the diversity.

Facility Complexity • Technology has created a more complicated work environment for management where operating equipment, efficiency systems, registration applications, and maintenance functions all affect the production and delivery processes. • In many respects, facilities and equipment have evolved into a science of human behavior and structural and mechanical technology, making the daily duties of recreation facility managers more complex than ever.

Complexity-advancement in technology, equipment, mechanical systems Enhance comfort and efficiency of everyone in production process – employees or user. Creates a more complicated work environment for management

Recent Changes in Facility Management • Recently, the role of facilities in the operation of organizations has taken on new meaning. • Today the emphasis is on utilizing a facility to its capacity while maximizing revenue and minimizing expenses. • The better a facility is utilized, the more it is perceived as beneficial to the mission of an organization. (continued)

Recent Changes in Facility Management (continued) • Some of the reasons for this change in emphasis include – – – demand for functional space advancing technology legal code interpretation cost savings protection against liability interest in sustainability.

Sustainability • Sustainability refers to operating a facility while minimizing its long-term impact on the environment. • Being green is another term referring to ways that a facility can be more efficient and lessen its negative influence on the environment. • Recreation facilities are being designed and operated using technological advancements in materials and efficiency systems that minimize their effect on the environment.

Demand for Functional Space • Unutilized space in a facility is not only inefficient, it also has negative fiscal repercussions. • Today, recreation professionals are placing more importance on analyzing and assigning space to maximize its use. • Few facilities can afford to have space that is not being used or is creating expenses without producing revenue. • In an effort to maximize resources, recreation professionals are constantly analyzing the product and seeking to make all facility areas a functional part of the production process.

Advanced Technology • Properly functioning and successful facilities require highly automated systems along with technological applications integrated with human capacities. • This can include anything from computer-oriented efficiency systems to technologically complicated equipment. • Recreation professionals face constantly changing technology that emphasizes obtaining and assessing information to enhance the efficiency of human resources and any equipment that delivers a product.

Code Interpretation • State and federal governments have written codes that protect the welfare of all users and employees. • Interpreting and applying these regulations requires professional attention to protect a recreation agency and its users.

Cost Savings • Recreation agencies are required to be financially accountable for their operations. • Financial inefficiency can result in lost income, decreasing profits, and negative perceptions of an agency. (continued)

Cost Savings (continued) • All costs related to the operation of recreation facilities have come under scrutiny by facility managers, including; – – Utilities Maintenance Labor Facility financing

Protection Against Liability • Recreation professionals must take every precaution to protect users of their product. • They must establish risk management strategies and provide facilities and equipment that are free of both mental and physical dangers.

Facility Functionality-Positive Influences • The existence of a facility has no significance until the production and delivery occur. • Once a management system is functioning within a facility, the facility has a reason to exist. • A recreation facility and its equipment must be functional and coordinated with the production process for efficient and effective product delivery.

Facility Functionality-Negative Influences • A recreation facility is only as good as it is designed to function. • A poorly designed facility can hinder the ability to produce a product to fulfill the expectations of employees and users. (continued)

Facility Functionality-Negative Influences (continued) • Examples of negative occurrences include: – – – – – doors being locked when they should be opened not having proper signs to direct users dead trees not being removed snow left on a sidewalk malfunctioning or unclean restroom facilities limited or no security system missing fire extinguishers design flaws unclean spaces. • A recreation facility is only as good as it is designed to function.

Employees – Positive Influences • The primary goal of a recreation agency is to do everything possible to produce and deliver a product that is valued by users, and employees are a key component to achieving this goal. • Employees are trained to be competent through their education, certification, training, and professional development. • Competent recreation professionals have the ability to anticipate problems and avoid them while presenting the product in a positive way.

Employees – Negative Influences • Unfortunately, in some instances employees can have a negative influence on a facility. • Employees not showing up for work, displaying inappropriate attitudes or behaviors, and performing poorly on the job can lead to users having an unsatisfactory experience.

Users – Positive Influences • The success of a recreation agency depends on bringing users to a facility to enjoy an activity, purchase something, or watch an event. • The goal is to provide an experience that meets users’ expectations and encourages a return visit. • The users’ capacities, including behaviors and attitudes, will help them to fulfill their reason for visiting the facility.

Users – Negative Influences • Facility use is not always positive, and a facility user who exhibits negative behavior can become a serious disruption. • Users may violate rules or policies, such as smoking in undesignated areas, using foul or abusive language, initiating physical altercations, or vandalizing or damaging equipment. • They may just have an unpleasant attitude toward other users or employees.

Responsibilities of Recreation Facility Management • The basic responsibilities of recreation facility management are: – – – Ensure delivery Operate efficiently Be flexible Be cost efficient Maintain Effective Human Resources and Relations

Career Implications of Facility Managers • Career opportunities in the recreation profession have expanded dramatically in recent years due to the proliferation of new facilities in the marketplace and the understanding that there is value in employing personnel with academic training in the recreation profession.

Career Implications of Facility Managers - Employment • There are more than 4, 000 recreation organizations in the United States alone. • Organizations with the responsibility for large populations such as military bases, community systems, colleges and universities, correctional settings, schools, hotels and resorts, stadiums and arenas, recreation centers, and hospitals provide even more opportunities for employment.

Career Implications of Facility Managers - Associations • Most professions have at least one formal membership-based organization consisting of professionals who meet regularly to address issues relevant to their field. • They address content that reflects trends, research, safety and legal matters, professionalism, and systems of efficiency and effectiveness in facility management. (continued)

Career Implications of Facility Managers – Associations (continued) • Examples of associations that are invested in the importance of recreation agencies include: – National Education Association (NEA) – National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) – International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB); – Resort and Commercial Recreation Association (RCRA) – International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) – National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) – National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)

1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. In Class Assignment From a management perspective, describe some of the issues that might impact your perception of you facility, either positively or negatively. Cite specific examples or elements of a facility that reflect the facility as having “new responsibilities. ” What does the concept of “facility extensiveness” mean? Give an example of an item/element of your facility that meats the definition of “facility complexity. ” Extra Credit Optional Assignment List a professional organization that would have some benefit to you if you were an employee of your chosen facility. Describe some of the benefits provided by the professional organization. Go to one of the following websites, www. destinationmarketing. org or www. nrpa. org or a website of your choice, and identify a job you would be interested in. List the job name, agency, location and salary range. List some of the responsibilities of the job.