THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 9, 1994 TAG: 9412090639
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
The company that filled concert halls nationwide with mega-musical acts such as the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springstein and Whitney Houston, will likely be running Oceanfront events next summer.
The city is recommending that Cellar Door Productions of Virginia, the nation's largest presenter of live entertainment, receive the contract to organize events for holiday weekends and ongoing Boardwalk entertainment.
Virginia Beach Events Unlimited Inc., the controversial organization which has run the programs for the past four summers, was one of three bidders that did not receive staff recommendation.
The City Council will be asked to vote on the contract next week. Several council members said Thursday that they did not know enough about the contract to comment.
Vice Mayor W.D. Sessoms Jr., while complimenting Events Unlimited, said he was pleased with the staff's recommendation of Cellar Door.
``I think we've got a first-class partner in this deal,'' Sessoms said. ``I certainly wouldn't knock what has been there before, but you go to a bid for a reason.''
Events Unlimited came under criticism last year for running $120,000 over budget on the National Fireworks Competition and for paying its president, former Councilwoman Nancy Creech, an annual salary of more than $50,000. This year, the agency was late with its quarterly financial reports and came up nearly $100,000 short on the inaugural American Music Festival.
Creech, reached earlier in the week, declined to comment on the contract until the council makes a decision.
Councilman Linwood O. Branch III, an early critic of Events Unlimited, said he is excited by the possibilities presented by Cellar Door.
``We feel that we've found a niche that we can promote and really turn Virginia Beach into a destination,'' he said. ``I'm looking forward to a very exciting schedule - a variety of musical and other types of events.''
Cellar Door president Bill Reid said he plans to bring more than just good music to the Oceanfront, but he was reluctant to detail his ideas until the contract is awarded. He said he wanted an opportunity to form a steering committee.
Some ideas Cellar Door included in its proposal for the contract:
A weekly series of professional storytellers for children.
A bigger and better American Music Festival.
A beefed up Oceanfront arts festival to rival the Spoleto U.S.A. in Charleston, S.C.
Cellar Door is also the front-runner to get the contract for events at the proposed city amphitheater. Reid said having control over both venues would permit his organization to better serve residents and tourists.
If he books Jimmy Buffett at the amphitheater, for example, Reid said, he might be able to have a calypso band at the 24th Street stage, turning what might have been just a concert into a weekend event.
``We can make people stay longer and make their experience in Virginia Beach that much better,'' he said. by CNB