Expands Senior Leadership Team with Hires of Francesca Merlino as Chief Commercial Officer and Joseph Wittmann as General Manager

 

NEW YORK—June 3, 2024—Hudson Yards Experiences (“HYE”), operator of Edge (the highest indoor/outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere), CityClimb (the world’s highest aerial adventure course) and Peak (restaurant, bar and private event business), today announced the appointment of longtime entertainment, media and sports executive, Andrew Lustgarten, to the new role of Executive Chairman of HYE.

Joining HYE’s newly created senior leadership team headed by Mr. Lustgarten are Francesca Merlino as Chief Commercial Officer and Joseph Wittmann as General Manager. The new appointments bolster HYE’s strong operating capabilities and team, positioning HYE’s portfolio of marquee New York City attractions for continued growth and success.

“HYE presents a tremendous opportunity to build upon a portfolio of already distinguished New York brands,” said Mr. Lustgarten. “Edge offers a unique experiential destination that we will continue to position at the forefront of New York City’s live entertainment market through fresh experiences and partnerships that make it a must-visit destination for locals and visitors alike.”

“Andy’s proven track record of building businesses, driving synergies across multi-venue operating portfolios, and orchestrating inventive consumer activations uniquely position him to lead Edge’s multifaceted business,” said Blaine MacDougald, Partner and Co-Head of KKR’s Strategic Investments Group. “We are delighted to unveil HYE’s newly created senior leadership comprised of executives behind some of the world’s most successful entertainment properties.”

“Hudson Yards’ success is a testament to the visionary talent driving every aspect of the neighborhood, and our commitment to continually investing in forward-thinking leaders like Andy,” said Mike Gilbane, Senior Vice President, Related Companies. “Edge is one of New York City’s most recognizable experiences and we look forward to leveraging Andy’s unparalleled entertainment expertise, alongside our impressive group of new and existing team members, as we continue to grow the business.”

Biographies of HYE’s new senior leadership team:

Andrew Lustgarten, Executive Chairman

 

Mr. Lustgarten is an Executive Advisor to KKR focused on sports and entertainment investment opportunities and was most recently CEO and President of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. and President of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. where he oversaw the overall business strategy and day-to-day operations for the Companies’ wide range of entertainment franchises, including the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, and Radio City Rockettes as well as world-class venues Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, The Hulu Theater, The Beacon Theatre, The Chicago Theater, The LA Forum and the development of first-of-its-kind, entertainment venue, Sphere. He was also responsible for leading efforts to identify new initiatives and investments to advance the Companies’ business, such as driving numerous landmark marketing partnership deals across MSG’s portfolio, overseeing MSG’s acquisition of Tao Hospitality Group and Hakkasan and investments in DraftKings and Townsquare Media.

Mr. Lustgarten remains a member of the MSG Sports board of directors and is a member of Parella Motorsports Holdings board of directors.  Prior to joining Madison Square Garden’s family of companies, Mr. Lustgarten held senior positions at the NBA and Cablevision. He also previously served on the board of governors for the NBA and the NHL, the board of directors of Tao Group Hospitality, Boston Calling Music Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and Counter Logic Gaming. He is also Chairman of the Board of the Lustgarten Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research.

Francesca Merlino, Chief Commercial Officer

Mrs. Merlino will join HYE in July from Hornblower Group where she serves as Chief Marketing Officer and is responsible for engaging over 22 million visitors annually across a global portfolio of travel and experience offerings. At Hornblower, she oversees the organization’s marketing strategy, communications, brand, digital, revenue optimization, and analytics teams. Before Hornblower, she spent seven years at The Madison Square Garden Company overseeing media planning and marketing for a diverse array of entertainment and sporting franchises including the Radio City Rockettes, the New York Knicks, and the New York Rangers, as well as over 250 events annually across MSG’s iconic New York and Chicago venues. She spent the first six years of her career in marketing at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She is a graduate of Fordham University.

Joseph Wittmann, General Manager

Mr. Wittman has over 20 years of experience directing some of the U.S.’s most iconic venues and attractions, including over a decade at The Madison Square Garden Company where he managed renowned performance venues including the 3,600 seat Chicago Theatre and 2,900 seat Beacon Theatre. He spent nearly five years at The Shed, a multi-disciplinary non-profit cultural intuition at Hudson Yards, where he oversaw facilities and operations.

About Hudson Yards Experiences:

Hudson Yards Experiences operates Edge, CityClimb and Peak on behalf of a joint venture ownership group led by KKR and Related.

Edge is the highest indoor/outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere offering unparalleled 360-degree views of New York City’s iconic skyline. Rising 1,131 feet in the air and extending out 65 feet from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, the outdoor viewing area features a thrilling glass-floor, angled glass walls and outdoor skyline steps from the 100th to 101st floors. The venue’s cantilevered terrace is an iconic part of the New York’s skyline and is featured regularly in film and media worldwide. For more information, please visit: https://www.edgenyc.com/.

CityClimb is the highest open-air building ascent in the world. The aerial adventure course allows guests, secured by harness and escorted by certified guides, to scale the outside of a skyscraper more than 1,200 feet above ground, then lean out and look down from the highest outdoor platform in New York City. For more information, please visit: https://www.edgenyc.com/en/cityclimb.

Peak’s roughly 10,000 square foot restaurant, bar, café and private event space is located on the 101st Floor overlooking Edge. For more information, please visit: https://www.peaknyc.com/.

Media Contacts:

KKR

Miles Radcliffe-Trenner
(212) 750-8300
media@kkr.com

Related Companies

Kathleen Anne Corless
(212) 801-1000
communications@related.com

 

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