People In Places: Mike Gatto

Mike Gatto is the senior vice president and chief executive officer for Columbus Arena Management and chief venue officer of Nationwide Arena and Jerome Schottenstein Center at The Ohio State University. Mike has been a driving force in venue management in Columbus for nearly three decades. He uses his visionary leadership, operational expertise and commitment to exceptional guest experiences to elevate some of the region’s most prominent venues, contributing significantly to their long-term success, growth and community impact. We spent time with him on the job at Nationwide Arena to learn more about what it takes to put on some of the biggest events in Columbus for fans and spectators.

Q&A

How did you end up in Columbus?

I came to Columbus in 1998 to open the Schottenstein Center from Las Vegas, where I managed high-profile stadium events. I’m originally from the Philadelphia area. One of my career goals was to open a building. I was initially hired as the director of event services, which is what they call front-of-house operations, managing everything from ushers, security, ticket taking and anything else that guests encounter. I’ve been lucky enough to get promoted a few times and stay here. I thought we’d be in Columbus for five years, and it’s now been 28 years. I call Columbus home and I’m super bullish on the city and on our venues.

The growth of this market has been incredible. I always tell people our goal, or our vision, is to make Columbus the sports and entertainment hub of the Midwest. I think we’ve been able to do that, and it’s given us a lot of leverage in the industry. Now, we are spending so much time on marketing and promoting our events that we’re selling more tickets than most, if not all the markets we compete with.

How did you know you wanted to get into venue management?

It was a little bit by accident. When I was in college, I was a business major, and I played football at a small school. When I was coming out of college, and deciding my next move, my dad pointed out that I had been involved with sports my entire life. I learned I could go to grad school focus for sports management or sports administration, and my dad encouraged me to do it. I ended up going to Temple University in Philadelphia and was a grad assistant in the athletic department. That’s what got me into the sports side. I reported to the associate athletic director who was over all the facilities and venues. That’s where my career started.

Describe what a typical workday looks like for you.

I do standup with my assistant, Jess, every morning to check my location and plan out my day a little bit to see where I’ll be for the day. I typically have a lot of calls and meetings. If we have an event, I try to be at most of our entertainment events at our venues. When we have something going on in multiple venues, sometimes it’s just not possible to be everywhere.

Describe what working an event is like at Nationwide Arena or at the Schottenstein Center.

Many fans may be visiting our venues for the first time, making this a great opportunity to create a memorable first impression. I like to get around and talk to staff and interact with our clients. I’ve never hung out in a suite on a show day. It’s kind of hard to relax on a show day because it’s like hosting a big group of people at your house. You want them to have a good time.

Before every show, I walk the same route through the venue to ensure everything is ready to deliver an exceptional fan experience. I get in about 20,000 steps each time. I have been doing the same route in the various venues I manage for 20 years. It’s exciting to open the doors for all these fans. I’m scanning the venues from top to bottom to make sure there’s nothing suspicious; doors are closed that are supposed to be closed, curtains are closed, nothing is out of place and so on, before the show goes on.

What’s the one event that stands out that was a bucket list event for you that you got to see because of your job?

It’s difficult to nail one down, but one that was more recent and that I think was a big deal for the city is the Blue Jackets playing in the NHL Stadium Series. Certainly, hosting Sir Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen concerts multiple times at Nationwide Arena. The other piece that I love is we’re very friendly with the band, Twenty-One Pilots. The Schott was the very first arena they played at. Our team was able to convince Twenty-One Pilots to play at the Stadium Series, which then I believe gave Tyler (the lead singer) the confidence to know the band can successfully play Ohio Stadium. Now, they’re going to have a show there on October 17, 2026.

What are you most looking forward to in the future?

I think about all of sports and entertainment venues like this: If the airport is the front yard or the front porch of a city, I think the arenas and stadiums and public assembly facilities are kind of the backyard or the playground. The future is all about the continued growth of the city and those venues. Certainly, a significant factor of growth is reinvestment in Nationwide Arena. It’s a community asset. I think it’s very important for the future of the city to reinvest in the building because it’s an anchor for the city. When I first got to Columbus in 1998, the area between the University District, the Short North, and the Arena District was a wasteland. Today, the districts are all connected. The Arena District was a main incubator for all that growth because the Blue Jackets came to Nationwide Arena. Reinvestment means a commitment to the Blue Jackets, will attract new events, new visitors, and ultimately spark more growth.