Wrigley Field Hits a Home Run with GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation for Cleanliness
NORTHBROOK, Ill.—June 3, 2021—Historic Wrigley Field in Chicago is the latest professional sports stadium to achieve GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™, (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. Additional facilities that can now display the accreditation seal include Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City; Alley Theatre in Houston; as well as popular properties and hotels in Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Greece, Austria, Spain, and the United States.
“When a facility has an organized approach to cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention, employees have a clear picture of their roles and responsibilities,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “GBAC STAR accreditation helps organizations create and execute a plan for minimizing risks associated with infectious agents. This makes it an ideal fit for historic places like Wrigley Field, newer hotels, and everything in between.”
Built in 1914 and known as the “Friendly Confines,” Wrigley Field has been the home of the Chicago Cubs for more than a century. In 2004, the City of Chicago named the ballpark a Chicago Landmark, and in 2020, the site was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The ballpark, which is the second-oldest active MLB ballpark, averages more than three million fans per year, and is a sought-after destination for sports enthusiasts around the world.
The latest facilities to earn GBAC STAR accreditation include:
Airport
- South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Ind.
Commercial Offices
- Association for Talent Development in Alexandria, Va.
- AT&T Forum in Washington, D.C.
- GAIAT Facility Operation Solutions Co. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Convention Centers
- Las Cruces Convention Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
- Yakima Convention Center in Yakima, Wash.
Hotels
- Busan Lotte Hotel in Busan, South Korea
- Canaves Oia, Luxury Resorts, Santorini in Oia, Greece
- Courtyard by Marriott Edmonton West in Edmonton, Alberta
- Delta Edmonton Centre Suites in Edmonton, Alberta
- Delta Edmonton South in Edmonton, Alberta
- Doubletree by Hilton Edmonton West in Edmonton, Alberta
- Fairfield by Marriott Edmonton International Airport in Edmonton, Alberta
- Fairmont Dallas in Dallas
- Fairmont Hotel MacDonald in Edmonton, Alberta
- Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Edmonton West in Edmonton, Alberta
- Hemingways Nairobi in Nairobi, Kenya
- Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis in Memphis, Tenn.
- Hyatt House Atlanta Perimeter Center in Sandy Springs, Ga.
- Hyatt House Denver Aurora in Aurora, Co.
- Hyatt House Louisville East in Hurstbourne, Ky.
- Hyatt House Tampa Airport Westshore in Tampa, Fla.
- Hyatt House The Woodlands/Shenandoah in Shenandoah, Texas
- Hyatt Place Charleston Airport/Convention Center in North Charleston, S.C.
- Hyatt Place Ottawa West in Ottawa, Ontario
- Katikies Villas Mykonos in Mykonos, Greece
- Kristiania Lech in Lech Vorarlberg, Austria
- Marquis Reforma Hotel & Spa in Mexico City
- Matrix Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta
- Metterra Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta
- Radisson Hotel Edmonton South in Edmonton, Alberta
- Royal Sonesta Harbor Court in Baltimore
- Sawridge Edmonton South Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta
- The Principal Hotel Madrid in Madrid, Spain
- Thompson Dallas in Dallas
- Varscona Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta
Museums or Cultural Venues
- National Aquarium in Baltimore
- Venue 66 in Los Angeles
Restaurant or Food Service Facility
- Pappas Restaurants in Dallas
Retail Facility
- The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley in Center Valley, Pa.
Stadiums or Arenas
- Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder
- Wrigley Field in Chicago, home of the MLB’s Chicago Cubs
Theatre or Performing Arts Center
- Alley Theatre in Houston
“As more people return to the places where they work, eat, shop, watch sports, and socialize, they want reassurance that these environments are safe,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “The GBAC STAR seal is a clear sign that a facility knows how to properly manage biorisks and prevent future infections through cleaning, disinfection, and other best practices.”
Learn more and apply for GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation at gbac.org/star.
Find accredited facilities and those pursuing accreditation via the GBAC STAR Facility Directory at gbac.org/directory.
About GBAC, a Division of ISSA
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility and service accreditation programs, training and certification of individuals and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.
About ISSA
With more than 10,500 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.
For more information about ISSA and GBAC, contact ISSA Associate Director of Communications and Digital Content Graeme Golucki at [email protected]; phone, 847-982-0800.