VenueConnect 2025

Doug Thornton
President, North American Venues (Legends Hospitality/ASM Global)
Caesars Superdome & Smoothie King Center


As President of one the world’s largest facility management firms, Doug Thornton manages the North American Venues Division of Legends/ASM Global, a responsibility that includes oversight of over 150 facilities in the U.S., including 7 NFL stadiums and over 150 arenas, convention centers, theatres and attractions. During his tenure with ASM, Thornton has helped to host and produce numerous special events, while being involved in other aspects of the sports and entertainment business. In his executive role with the company, Thornton has led the expansion of ASM’s stadium and arena business in recent years to include the management of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Internationally, Thornton led the company’s involvement with the Kai Tak Sports Park, a 50,000 seat stadium and sports campus in Hong Kong, China that opened in 2023. Thornton joined ASM as General Manager of the Louisiana Superdome and New Orleans Arena in 1997, where he would later lead the unprecedented $225 million renovation and re-opening of the Superdome in 2006 after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The project was widely viewed by the industry as the largest stadium reconstruction project in American sports history and was credited for playing a significant role in the City’s recovery. In 2002, Thornton managed operations for Super Bowl XXXVI, the first to be played under a National Security Special Event designation after the 9-11 tragedy. Under Thornton’s leadership, Caesars Superdome has continued to move into the future, with continued improvements and features that allow the facility to remain competitive at a time when newer stadiums are being constructed throughout the country at higher costs. The facility just completed a multi-phase, $450M renovation and upgrade.

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