Friday, Jul. 25, 2008

Keller business goes even bigger

By BRYCE NIEMAN

At events from Seattle to Washington D.C. and San Antonio to Chicago, all eyes are on GoVision.

Semi trucks with giant video screens attached show concerts, sports highlights and even presidential inaugurations. What the viewer may not know, however, is that the company responsible for those mobile video units is headquarted in Keller.

Visitors to the Keller Sports Complex west of the railroad tracks can catch a glimpse of these innovative vehicles sitting and waiting to be called to a college football game at TCU, Oklahoma or South Carolina; a 4th of July celebration under St. Louis’ Gateway Arch; or at the annual Taste of Chicago festival.

Recently the Keller-based company took a huge step in advancing its business by adding to its fleet GoBigger, a truck equipped with 19-by-31-feet Daktronics High Definition LED screen giving it the largest mobile widescreen configuration in the country.

GoVision trucks have been touring some of the nation’s biggest events for the past five years.

Company president Chris Curtis founded the company in 2002 having had previous experience in the mobile video screen business.

After taking several years off to spend time with his family, Curtis got back into the business and set up shop in Keller because of both the proximity to his Argyle home and easy access to Interstate 35-W, according to sales manager Brady Haass.

GoVision first started providing the screens for all of the Texas Motor Speedway events and quickly grew a strong base in the state of Texas.

Both the Colonial and Byron Nelson use GoVision screens for their annual PGA events. The Alamo Bowl has used the company’s services and the Cotton Bowl did before the Dallas stadium got its own video board two years ago.

GoVision has been at Final Fours, the Breeder’s Cup and the Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime shows.

The company has even made trips to the east coast for shuttle launches at Cape Canaveral and President George W. Bush’s second inauguration in 2005.

"We’ve been to every corner of the country," Haass said, noting the company provides a unique service for its customers. "It’s a moving outdoor TV and there’s no other technology out there that’s visible in the daylight."

Besides the state-of-the-art GoBigger truck, GoVision also offers GoBig which contains a 9-by-16-foot LED screen.

Both GoVision trucks are self-contained mobile LED screens and production facilities. Haass said the trucks can be rolled in and the video screen can be set up quickly, and be taken down again just as fast. For most events, he said, the truck’s driver also serves as its technician making it basically a one-man operation at the event site.

"People can create an event around our services, or we can provide them with sponsorship opportunities," Haass said.

GoTron is the company’s other mobile video option. It sports a 9-by-12-foot LED screen on a lightweight trailer which features plug-and-play production.

Universities will bring in GoVision to run video outside of college football games in the fall, creating pregame events around the GoBig or GoBigger trucks.

At the first of June, GoVision worked its first event in its hometown, providing video for the Salute the Troops presentation at Keller Fest, sponsored by the Keller Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Board Chairman Joe Petersen said GoVision made itself available on short notice and its presence greatly improved the presentation.

"There were lots of challenges," Petersen said. "The site was tight, there was the heat, construction, and lots of coordination needed. These guys (GoVision) worked hard to help us and really did take the entire show to a whole new level."

GoVision’s presence also fulfilled the Chamber’s goal of having as many Keller connections as possible at the Keller event, Petersen said.

"They provided great customer service with very little notice, and didn’t do it to make a profit, but to help the cause," Petersen said.

Other community events in the Metroplex have utilized GoVision including Fort Worth’s Mayfest, Taste of Addison, and both of Grapevine’s annual festivals – Main Street Days and Grapefest.

For bigger productions, such as Fort Worth’s Chevy Thunder Days, GoVision can bring in more equipment and bigger crews that include camera operators and other necessary production personnel.

GoVision also creates graphics when needed. Haass said the company has done all of the graphics for the events at the Colonial and Byron Nelson.

"We wear a lot of hats," Haass said. "Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for everyone."

The Keller company has 13 full-time employees, but also uses freelancers for some jobs such as drivers and camera operators.

GoVision currently travels to about 25 events a month, Haass said, though the fall and spring are the most popular seasons. Summer events have picked up the past few years and the company is hoping to increase the amount of business it does in the winter.

Haass said the company is proud to be in Keller, and Petersen said Keller is proud to have another company with the national reach of GoVision.

"It continues to surprise me, the breadth and quality and variety of business owners in Keller," Petersen said. "Who would think that a company like GoVision would be located in Keller?

"It’s amazing, because not too many years ago, this was a small, sleepy town. Now the diversity of businesses and diversity of the services offered is truly remarkable."

Haas said prices for GoVision services can range from $4,500 per day to rent the GoTron unit to $7,500 per day for the other trucks. However, he said they also have winter and weekend price breaks that can go as low as $1,500.

GoVision also constructs custom video displays.