Adam J. Straight is President and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA), overseeing CHI Health Center Omaha, Charles Schwab Field and The RiverFront.
Straight brings more than two decades of experience in the events and venue industry, most recently as Chief Operating Officer of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO), the nation’s sixth largest convention center. Over seven years there, he managed a $73 million annual operating budget, led the facility to LEED Gold Certification and re-certification, oversaw a $763 million Capital Improvement Plan that modernized the interior and exterior of the Convention Center, and guided planning for the $1.5 billion River District Development, a mixed-use entertainment district adjacent to the MCCNO. His work in New Orleans was shaped by community partnership, pandemic response and sustainability. In 2024, he was named to the City Business Power 20 Tourism and Hospitality list, recognizing the 20 most influential leaders in the New Orleans tourism and hospitality sector.
Before New Orleans, Straight spent time at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) in Atlanta, which encompasses the Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park. As Senior Director of Operations, he and his team managed events including NCAA Final Fours, a Super Bowl and the NCAA College Football Playoff Championship. He also served as Executive in Charge and Owners Representative for the $1.9 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction project, and led the Centennial Olympic Park renovation ($29 million) and Exhibit Hall Expansion ($55 million).
Straight’s career in venue operations began in 2001 at the University of Maryland, where he spent a decade working his way up to Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Facilities Management, overseeing 14 athletic venues including Comcast Center and Byrd Stadium. He also managed the planning, construction and opening of Maryland’s $13.5 million football renovation.
Straight is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. He lives in Omaha with his wife, Alyson, and their two sons, Silas and Peyton, and is active in the community through several volunteer initiatives.