A tent is a tent is a tent—or is it? For Keith Krzeminski, executive vice president at Shelter Structures America, no two tents are alike, and there’s quite an art to making them both functional and attractive for events. We caught up with Krzeminski as he was transitioning from vice president of strategic accounts and tenting at Classic Party Rentals to his new position. He shares his expertise on tent trends and what planners need to know about working with rental companies.

What’s trending in tents right now?

The latest trends this year are custom clearspan structures with glass, sailcloth tents and colored fabric draping. Some common types of tent structures include curved beam tent structures, A-frame tent structures, legend pole tents and double-decker tents.

Can you share any affordable ways to make tents look more stylish?

Add color with fabric treatments or apply custom graphics to white tents.

What have you been working on lately?

One of the fun projects was for Mercedes-Benz at Pebble Beach, California. We designed, manufactured, shipped and installed a one-of-a-kind structure that allowed Mercedes to not only showcase its cars, but also entertain clients and host events. We even held a concert inside. The final product was a 15-by-45-by-6-meter, flat-roof structure that featured many unique elements. Glass walls and doors were tinted to reflect the sun, yet not too dark to impede the view from inside the structure, which overlooked the third hole at the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Pacific Ocean. We were awarded best tent installation at a large industry event for this, which makes this project even more special.

Why should sports planners consider using tents?

Tents improve a sporting event by allowing it to grow, cater and serve the event from both an operational and entertainment standpoint, providing a variety of venues for attendees. One of the largest projects we completed in 2016 was for the Ryder Cup. It consisted of 1.25 million square feet of flooring and more than 600,000 square feet of tenting, varying from custom hospitality tents to a double-decker tent to a $40,000 merchandise tent.

What advice do you have for planners looking at vendors before signing a contract?

Planners should look for a professional tenting team that has the expertise to complete the project to the fullest while observing all safety rules and regulations. It’s important to do research on potential vendors, find out where the products are coming from and if they own the products being offered. The cheapest option is not always the best option in choosing a vendor. Many of the challenges that exist when working with a tent supplier are deadline- and labor-driven, but these can be addressed with advance planning that focuses on install timelines and effective labor scheduling.