Julie Sokol on Building OC Vibe

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Hey, foreign, Welcome back to the Tacos and Tech podcast. I'm your host, Neil Bloom, and I'm so thrilled to have on Julie Sokol, Chief Technology Officer of OC Sports Entertainment. Hey, Julie, thanks for joining the pod.

Hello. Happy Friday.

Happy Friday. It is nice to see you. And I'm excited to have a fun conversation, a conversation that I think a lot of our listeners will really tangibly feel because it's, it's right in our backyard. Something that they can actually, you know, actually touch and be a part of, which is unlike a lot of technology. A lot of technology is kind of built into the back end. But we're going to talk about how technology interfaces with experience and entertainment and sports, which I'm excited to have. So do you want to give us a quick high level of what OC Sports, Entertainment and OC Vibe is before we dive back into your background?

Yeah, thanks. I'm super excited to represent OC Sports and Entertainment. We've got a couple of really big things happening. Many of your listeners may have heard of OC Vibe. It's our sports and entertainment district that's coming out of the ground as we speak. It's over 100 plus acres that we're taking advantage of, and it's being built up around the Honda center, which is the home of our very exciting Anaheim Ducks. So we're, we're very excited. And phase one is well underway.

Amazing. Well, as a avid hockey fan and someone who puts on a ton of private events, personally, I'm really excited to see this come to life where we're kind of hundred xing an already amazing asset. Right. That's been around, been supporting the community for a while and now just opening up so many new potential and possibilities. So I'm excited to talk about it with you. But tell me about you. How did you get into the technology world? Where does it all go back for Young Julie?

Young Julie. That was a long time ago. Yeah. You know, I was thinking about this before our conversation. I've had three significant chapters, I think, in my career evolution. I was one of those typical college grads that didn't know what they wanted to be when they grew up. And right after university I went straight into management consulting with it was Anderson Consulting at the time and I stayed with them for nearly 25 years and went through the Accenture IPO with them. And that was just an amazing experience. And through that experience I was able to work with some of the biggest brands, largest companies on the planet, solving some very complex challenges for those organizations, working with some really amazing, talented team. I had the opportunity to work with some really great leadership through that experience and then more of my career as I went. The cool thing about consulting is you can take on different roles and have different experiences and add tools to your toolbox as you go, which was the case for me and I really enjoyed it. And I took a pause from that only because I traveled 100% of the time when I was consulting and lived all over the world and needed to kind of be in the same zip code as my kids once they started school. So I took a pause. But at my core still today is my love for consulting and solving really hard, complex problems, working with diverse teams. And I think that's the through line for me is I got to meet the Irvine company in the middle of after my days at Accenture and that was really fun because they were a very talented, highly recognized company, one of the largest multi asset developers in the country and they were operating primarily in the Southern California region which allowed me to re establish myself in the single zip code with my family which was great. And along the way I learned real estate and it was an incredible, incredible experience.

Absolutely sure. I'm sure this will working from you know, Anderson from you know, in a sense Anderson and Accenture working with some of the largest businesses, right. And like you said, some of the most complicated kind of problems worth solving all over the world. But then to hyper focus on things in your backyard, but also Irvine Co. A very physical, tangible kind of thing. Marrying that all together has got to be pretty fulfilling in that regard. But what were some of the unique things, anything unique that came to mind in Orange county or Southern California once you started looking at like anything unique worth of problem solving locally?

I think what was interesting to me is what I didn't have an appreciation appreciation for before I really started diving deep into my career here in Southern California was the amount of innovation we really have here in the region. We have a lot of really top notch universities spinning out a lot of talent. And I think it was refreshing for me actually to see the amount of Innovation, creative thinking that we have right here in our backyard. I think we don't have the big name company headquarters here in Southern California. So I think it, it just surprised me to see the cool small to mid market firms doing some really cool things and having a big impact. So for me it resolidified my love for the area.

You bring up a good point actually because one, we're one of the most populated, dense areas, Southern California yet to not have the largest companies represented here is interesting. The talent obviously wants to be here. Right. I mean where else would you want to be?

It is kind of perfect. Yeah.

Right. And then to want to solve the problems locally for us. Obviously we all like the people who are most innovative, want to solve things for ourselves, for our, in our own backyard. So it's kind of interesting. You do bring up a lot of good points. You got like all the good pieces for a good soup of good innovation. And then probably those smaller medium sized companies will, with that kind of talent will continue to grow into hopefully bigger companies and will. Will manifest the largest companies right here in our backyard as opposed to having to import it in that regard.

Yeah, but, and it was fun bringing to life those assets that you know, you're, you're living in the community where you're building the assets and your family and friends are living there in the communities that you're shaping. And that's kind of cool.

It is. The other piece that you know that we're going to get to here with with OC Sports Entertainment is we also maybe have lacked a little bit of some of the like the largest sports and entertainment kind of stuff in our backyard as well. Right. Obviously Los Angeles is the entertainment capital world, but not always been like the sports capital of the world. Right. I mean Los Angeles hosted the Olympics in the 80s, but you know, many of the world's sports activities happen in other places. And so that's only recent that we've started to have the sports and actual entertaining assets in our backyard. Take us through that need and want to want to go work in that kind of an industry. Like how'd you end up focusing on that?

Yeah, that's a cool opportunity. And to be honest, I'm just really lucky. I feel super grateful to be part of what we're building here at OC Vibe. And like you said, there was already a really strong core here with the Ducks and the Honda center. And you're right, it is definitely putting itself on the map in regard to sports and entertainment. And we really view Orange county can be its own market. You know, we're not an annex or a satellite of la. We. We strongly believe that we're our own market. We are place making right now and so far, you know, it's coming together really nicely. We're very excited to be able to. The Honda center will be the NOC vibe. Will be the host of volleyball for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. So we will. Anaheim will be front and center on the world stage for the Olympics. We're also super excited because we'll be hosting the World Volleyball Championships for women's volleyball in 2027. So the US and Canada will be hosting that and the finals will be a qualifying match for the Olympics and that will be hosted right here at the Honda Center. So we, our intention is definitely to be a rock bed for sports and we're also super excited about the investments that we're making in women's sports.

It's amazing to see. I think Southern California is some of the leaders in the United States focused on women's sports. I mean, from Angel City and the wave on the women's soccer. And now to see women's volleyball, that league has come up really well and really strong nationally. And now to have the international here is really validating, I would say, for that. Right. And so take us through a little bit of the sports side of. From maybe even from like experience towards into technology a little bit. Because obviously for your avid sports goer, I would say the tech part has always been a nice to have in the past and now it's a given, it's a must have. Like people need to be connected at all times. How are you thinking through? How does technology enhance experience as you're kind of working through these events and properties that you're working through?

Yeah, the technology is obviously at the core, so we have a pretty tall order. And really what we're going for from a technology perspective is we are really trying to enable these experiences that we're trying to provide. And we want our fans to be able to be immersed in the. You know, live entertainment is a scarce commodity right now. Right. Like that's something that can't be replaced or replicated because your live experience is what it is in that moment and it won't be the same the next time. The role of our technology platform is really to enable our fans and our guests to experience what's happening in the moment that they're on the campus with us. And so if we're successful with technology, it means our fans are looking up and experiencing what's around them and not looking down at their phones. And in order for that to happen, our buildings have to be smart. Our buildings have to be connected. We have to be able to engage in a way with you that feels seamless and frictionless and easy because we also want you to take advantage of every moment that you're here. And we don't want there to be frustration points or challenge points. We want it to feel easy. So the whole concept of the digital concierge is something that we're trying to bring to life. We are. You know, when you think about the last time that you went to a concert or a sporting event, what was like one of the biggest challenges or frustration points that you had when you were at a live event?

I mean, usually finding your ticket while you're in line is where it starts. Right. Then going through the metal detector, you know, and then everything else from there as well too, right?

Yes. And in Southern California we also have this love of our vehicles. So part of it's also like finding parking and getting off the freeway into the parking garage. And I will say this team at OC by, we are relentless about ensuring, we are doing everything that we can to ensure that your arrival experience when you first touch down with us is easy, that you can, you can park easily, you know where you're going. And then after the event when you leave us, that's also a pleasant experience. So that your last moment with us is pleasant and not frustrating as you're waiting to get out of a parking garage. So we are very passionate about that. We have a lot of innovative technology going into our parking garages. And again, that's all really about making our buildings and the physical place smarter so that we can guide our fans through a more frictionless experience, if you will. So a lot of location based technologies, physical sensors, etc.

Amazing. I mean, I think the, a lot of people just in technology today, I think are, are caught up with how AI is, is doing everything for us. But we have to remember that AI is still powered by hardware. Yeah, we've talked actually we've had a really cool ongoing segment around hospitality and stadium experiences in other states. And a lot of that actually comes back to the original backbone coming into these places and getting ban in which in this scenario I know is Cox Enterprises bringing in the actual hardware line but then also enabling the, the different, I don't know, sensor technology as well and access points throughout a space too. Like what does that look like? In partnering with technology providers like A Cox to bring hardware and software and then connectivity in a way that people don't have to think about it. Like you just said.

Yeah. The network foundation is key for us. So we've spent a lot of time on building that fiber backbone and, and the redundancy that's needed for a district of this level of diversity and size. And when you think about the different type of guest experiences we have to support, you know, we'll have two hot operating on the campus. We'll have a myriad of restaurants. We have over 200,000 square feet of commercial office space. So we'll have commercial tenants here. We'll have upwards of 2,500 multifamily apartment units. So thousands of residents living with us. So each of those experiences require a robust tech stack. So underneath all of those tech stacks is a very robust fiber infrastructure. And you're right, technology is changing quickly. And our, our strategy has been a. Has been to rely on partners who know this space really well, Cox being one of our founding partners, and really build these trusted collaborative relationships with these tech providers who are equally passionate about what we're trying to create here in Orange county. Because it's hard. So we, we run into roadblocks all the time that we got to work through together. So that trusted relationship is key, but at its core, you're right, the network has got to be rock solid and we feel really good about that right now.

Yeah, I'm sure. Well, it helps specifically with Cox business, who plays in pretty much every one of those arenas. Hospitality, residential business. So that's good to. From a consulting perspective of being able to already have kind of been there, done that before. So I know that's helpful. What other emerging trends are kind of coming that you're keeping an eye on that you're excited to kind of, I don't know, be a first mover at or some of these ideas of, you know, what are you to delight every aspect of this as people are experiencing it?

Yeah. A couple things are different about what we're doing. One, the unique component about OC Vibe is that it is a complete sense single owner model. And we are the owner operator. So our team will be putting up the tech stack. So instead of a normal real estate model where you've got a space and you're leasing that out to a tenant and the tenant's building out that space and then setting up their own operations, we are the, we are the builder and the operator, which is what is going to allow us to provide this different connected community feel but it also puts a lot of pressure on us. So take for example the mark. We have a market hall that will have 21 culinary partners and six uniquely curated bars. A very innovative, a twist on a mark food hall concept, if you will. There. We really want to celebrate the up and coming local chefs in the region by eliminating the barriers that a chef would normally have for getting in the marketplace. So we like to say that our culinary partners need to come in with their aprons and knives and we will provide everything else, which means our team will be standing up their operational technology platform, including their point of sales, their inventory management, their delivery and dock management solutions, everything that they need to run a successful operation. So that is unique from anything that we've seen out there in the marketplace. But it also ties us to at the hip with these culinary partners and we genuinely just want them to really be so successful with us. And again, it's an opportunity to celebrate and give local up and coming chefs an opportunity. So that's one thing that we're really excited about. I think the other thing that's differentiated is because it's a single owner operator model and we are standing up the tech tech stack for each of the assets. It does allow us to have a data platform that services the entire connected community. So we are looking to create a single digital entry point. So have that digital concierge that gets to know you over time, that serves up your ticket for the event, the reservation for your dinner before your meal, an opportunity to grab a coffee or a drink after the show that you went to see, and then if you're interested, a reservation at one of our hotels and turning your visit into a staycation if you will. And we're also trying to make it really open for both ticketed and non ticketed fans. So there's going to be a lot to do here even if you don't have a ticket. There's going to be plenty of restaurants and there's a fabulous nightclub called the Golden Bear that we're bringing back, which was iconic in its day in Orange County. That'll be a small venue that will again cater to up and coming entertainment talent here in Southern California. And one of our big aspirations is to be able to cultivate an up and coming music entertainment performer starting in our smallest venue, the Golden Bear, and then moving up into a concert hall, which is our 5,700 seat performance theater and then to an arena show in the Honda Center. Right. Like how cool would that be to be part of a performer's journey in that way.

Incredible. I mean to think one, pretty much you're building the downtown of Orange county, which is all these pieces coming together. We don't even have to talk about the civic aspects of all that, but just the experiential piece that it's actually happening. I also love the sense of urgency with the Olympics in our background.

Yeah. Because I feel stressful.

Right. I'm sure. You know.

Yeah.

Two years, three years away, but still like there's a lot of pieces that it sounds you're activating over time to get up and running in a phase approach any like, I don't know, let's talk about team a little bit. You know, you're leading the technology team. What does that mean to you? To kind of empower and lead a group of, of visionaries who are bringing these things to light. But also, you know, you're, you're looking over their careers as well too, saying you're going to have an impact on an entire, you know, ecosystem. How does that feel for you from kind of a technical leader piece?

Yeah, like I said, I'm really lucky. I'm really fortunate and I'm grateful to be part of the team. The team is really talented. We have a big portion of our team has been with the organization for quite a while and has supported the Ducks in the Honda center and we know that venue really, really well. So I'm grateful to be able to learn a lot about live entertainment from the team that has supported these events over the years. And then it's an honor to be able to bring the real estate know how from my prior experience because you know, we are going to be managing a very complicated real estate entity here. So being able to marry those up, it's been a cool opportunity for us to like do a lot of cross learning and sharing. It is a tall task. So we are, like I mentioned before, a key component of our strategy is leveraging really strong partners in key areas so that we can take advantage of their innovation. So where they're innovating in their sweet spots and focused on their technology, they're going to know it better than we are going to be able to learn it in the time frame that we have available to us. So I think that's been the biggest shift for me personally. Enjoy. And joining OC Vibe is two things. One, we can't use brute force and power our way to the right answer. Technology is changing too quickly, especially in the spaces that we're working in. Immersive technology is changing so much as we Speak. We need to lean on the experts out there who can help us. I think the other big learning for me has been as technologists. We often complain that we have to work around legacy systems that are really old and there's a lot of cobwebs hiding in the closet that we have to find solutions that can work with them. In this case, I have a completely green fields, playing fields. And I have to say that is really hard because there aren't any nuggets to hold on to. There's not like grounding points that you're building around. You're building everything up.

Yeah.

And there's. With all those different asset types, there's just a lot of moving pieces there. So.

Sure. Well, yeah, when you're building your own legacy, you're like, well, we just got to improve or iterate.

Yeah.

Like, no, it's, it's a, like you said, a greens a clean slate. But also I'm sure looking at, let's not make decisions that people down the road will blame us being like, amen. Why did they anchor us in such, you know.

Yeah.

So I'm sure it's a lot of responsibility on you around that. But I'm sure after a career of consulting, to be able to actually create in this regard is a new, fresh challenge. Right. In the fact in the past, most of your career you've been able to say, how can I help? Well, in this regard, it's like, how can I create and empower? That's probably got to feel good. As a technologist in their career.

Yeah. This project is not about step improvement. It's definitely about, you know, being bold and not afraid to try things and we don't have the time to overthink. So yeah, so it is a challenge. It's unique. I'm having a blast. We're fortunate in this project because of course, our owner is a iconic technology innovator himself and that's just again, a cool opportunity and I'm grateful to be working with folks that understand the challenge and are willing to support the innovation. And yeah, it is big though. It's public facing and but we are excited.

You've got to, you know, looking through a little bit of your career. You've got a history of people who at. Who are founders and are focused, hyper focused on leading in their community, which is pretty cool. Right. Making the place that they be. Be the best and be better. So that's got to be, you know, that's, that's a unique trait and a unique. I don't know leadership and torch to kind of carry from your regard from a technology standpoint. So I'm excited to see it come to life. I'm excited to experience it. I'm excited to go see the Ducks, you know, here coming up. Season's just about to start here.

Season's right around the corner. Yeah, they're ready to rock it.

But like you mentioned, food is pretty much weaved into everything that we do. We are super proud of our culinary scene here in Southern California. And as our namesake to this podcast, tacos is is a staple in our backyard. One do we know already if there's going to be some taco spots highlighted in OC Vibe and I wouldn't be surprised. Okay, take us through what your favorites and what we can look forward to. Wise on that side.

Yeah. My favorite tacos.

Yeah. Where do you go? Where and. And who are you pulling for to be in the food hall coming up?

Yes. I don't get to vote on the food hall, and that's probably a good thing, honestly. But I will say the tacos that I love, that are just nearby that I pick up often after work is Tacos Los Cholos right here in Anaheim. And I love them because they're out there like grilling the meat when you're, when you're there. And it just the smells and the aroma and just the whole experience. And there's always a long line. So you have to work pretty hard to get your taco and it's just always fresh. So I would say that's my go to during the week. And I'll just say that I'm super fortunate. I have lived in a few places around the world and I love the whole infusing different cultures and flavors. My husband is a really great cook himself and so we do have that family taco bar going at our house that I have to say is my favorite. And I love it when we infuse it with maybe a little Asian chili peppers or a little tropical fruit or whatever he adds to it. But the, the taco bar right in our own kitchen gets pretty good.

That's the best. I love it. Well, it's a good sign when there's a line. I'm sure there's a line when you have people over for your place as well too. Tacos Los Cholas. I think I've been to it. It's down the street is there's a really cool meat market I think as well. El Gaucho meat market. I don't know if you've Been there. But they are known for their empanadas. So go get tacos and then bring empanadas home for the family for a little South American takeout for that as well too.

Okay. Look at that. Thanks for the tip.

You got it. Yeah. Thank you for highlighting a good taco spot which has not been named on the podcast, which then will go into taco database publish as well. So Tacos Los Cholos is on the board. We love it. We'll do it. This has been awesome. Thank you so much for spending time and sharing, not just your story, but sharing, you know, what is to come for a brand new ecosystem, really, for Southern California. We're excited for it to come to life and to experience it and to have a seamless technology experience that we won't. That if it all goes well, people won't even realize it because everything will just go so swingly. Right.

Okay. We'll come up for a game this season. The parking garages are open and I would love to hear your experience.

Okay.

Love to have you done deal.

We'll make it happen. So thanks, Julie. Appreciate it. And we'll talk to you again soon. Thanks.

All right, thank you.

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