Academy on Nighttime Management
The Sociable City Academy on Nighttime Management is a professional training for night managers and nighttime advisors. Presented with online seminars and onsite case studies and sessions to assist you build the foundation for a dedicated office on nighttime management with staff.
The Academy will be especially helpful for city planners, elected officials, aspiring or current night mayors, police, nightlife venue operators and business district managers, as well as any "big picture thinkers" in nightlife planning and management.
Online Learning
You will have access to online training sessions presented by RHI president Jim Peters and Vice President Alicia Scholer. These sessions will introduce you to the lessons learned and provide the framework of a sociable city plan gathered from decades of RHI working with cities throughout the world.
- Social Enhancers: Throughout history people have gathered to dine, drink, listen to music and dance. This section will introduce how four factors combine to enhance sociability that can also increase risk.
- Market Forces and Governance: The dynamics of where people gather to socialize is constantly evolving due to changes in market forces. Learn why governance by public and private sections can establish the boundaries to support business and reduce risk as these changes occur.
- Building Blocks and Core Measures of a Sociable City: Learn how to apply RHI’s Four Building Blocks and Six Core Measures to evaluate the status of your city.
- Public Safety Team: This session will describe the importance of an interagency regulatory and compliance team for data sharing and early assistance with at-risk businesses.
- Hospitality Alliance: Facilitating the creation of an alliance of hospitality and nightlife businesses builds a more streamlined communication process providing input and output of important information on trends and risk factors.
- Office on the Social Economy: Get a blueprint for building an inclusive advisory team and job description for dedicated staff.
Onsite Learning
Bring your team for an immersive experience with case studies and tools for you to identify your Transformation Team and set priorities for creating an Action Plan.
Learning Goals:
- Identify driving forces that are changing downtowns and town centers from shopping districts to social districts
- Gain insights on how cities are creating an entertainment commission or an office on nighttime management with dedicated staffing (night mayor/manager)
- Get the tools you need to evaluate the current status of your city’s nighttime economy
- Once you have a plan for creating an office with staff you will learn how to apply RHI’s building blocks in creating an action plan
Academy Agenda: Friday, April 1, 2022 | 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
onsite: strategy planning
- Facilitated discussion guides your team to establish goals and objectives for your city.
- A workbook provides a template for building your public safety, hospitality alliance and transformation team
- Interact with individuals currently in the role of "night manager" to gather insights on potential candidates for a similar role in your city
onsite: Case studies showcase

The Academy will feature guest faculty bringing case studies on various approaches to nighttime management.
- New York City brings a comprehensive approach with a dedicated office and staff, advisory board and hospitality alliance
- NITECAP is a newly formed association of night managers. Sarah Hannah-Spurlock will provide a summary of their members history and structure of their nighttime management program
- Montgomery County Maryland is the first "Sociable County" organized to facilitate resources and coordination among cities
- Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection is a template for an interagency licensing and compliance department.