THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 27, 1996 TAG: 9603270412
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
When city officials announced last year they would build a ``world class'' amphitheater to attract the nation's premier entertainers, they naturally assumed the best.
They envisioned great music, under clear skies, presented to happy people spread out on a green lawn in the relaxed atmosphere that is the hallmark of resort city living - and all at a reasonable price.
For the most part, they will get exactly that.
What they didn't expect is that world famous entertainers create markets for tickets that would make the average baby boomer blanch.
Thus on Tuesday, city officials held hurried talks with the president of Cellar Door Productions of Virginia to learn how a company that scalps tickets to major events had managed to get their hands on sold-out Jimmy Buffett tickets, only to offer them at prices three times face value.
The Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band concert slated for Aug. 14 sold out in less than an hour on Saturday. People who stood in line were limited to 8 tickets, which each cost $36, plus $3 service charge and $1.50 for parking - a total of $40.50.
But classified advertisements for a company called Tickets Plus began appearing in The Virginian-Pilot as soon as the concert lineup was announced on March 14 with offers for tickets for all major acts, including Buffett.
Their price: $99 a ticket for the lawn and $119 for reserved seats.
When Tickets Plus was called Tuesday evening, a recording warned that a ``substantial service charge'' is tacked on to the ticket price.
An operator who then came on the line answered questions about prices until she was told the caller represented a newspaper. The operator then announced she only answered calls for Tickets Plus and hung up.
The inflated prices have incensed some concert fans, who wondered how resellers had managed to get enough tickets under the 8-per-person limit.
There were no bulk sales, said Bill Reid, the president of Cellar Door Productions of Virginia, which is leasing the Virginia Beach Amphitheater in a joint partnership deal with the city. Cellar Door is promoting the concerts.
The resellers probably found folks to stand in line to gather their inventory eight seats at a time.
``The real issue is how many tickets they have,'' Reid said. ``There is no way of telling. My guess is they don't have that many.''
Reid said his company did not like the scalping.
``We're trying to address the problem. Nothing is more galling to us than to have people scalp tickets that we want for fans in Hampton Roads.
``But if someone stands in line and buys tickets at face value and then turns around and sells them at inflated prices, it's difficult to stop that.''
The nation's concert promoters have grappled with methods to thwart scalpers, such as lottery sales and limits on the total number of tickets people can buy, Reid said.
Scalping is already against the law in Virginia Beach, but the city's ordinance has never been tested, so it is unclear if it applies to tickets sold outside the city.
City attorney Leslie L. Lilley said Tuesday afternoon that his staff was examining other ways to combat scalping.
Experience has shown that enforcement is difficult, however, Reid said.
While Reid admitted that the prices to see some of the nation's most popular groups were high, he pointed out that not all acts will be so expensive.
Ticket prices are determined in large measure by the groups themselves, promoters and market conditions.
Reid said that such prices need to be put in context.
Prime entertainment opportunities are expensive.
``How much were Phantom of the Opera tickets?,'' Reid said. ``Some were $65, and it played more than a month. Try to get tickets to the ACC tournament, or the Washington Redskins. You have to take this in perspective.''
If tickets for Buffett seem steep to people who remember concerts costing $10 or less, consider the price of the upcoming Eagles concert.
Those tickets, which go on sale on Saturday, are expected to start selling at $80 - an amount that will make many people think twice about seeing the group.
``It's ridiculous,'' said Sue Masterson, a 38-year-old single mother of one who lives in Princess Anne Plaza.
``They built the amphitheater so people of Virginia Beach could have something to do. But if they charge you $84, well, I just can't go.
``That kind of money could pay a bill, or buy my son a pair of shoes, or whatever he needs for school,'' said Masterson, who works for Virginia Beach Social Services.
``You know, if it weren't for people like us, these stars would not have their jobs or sell their records and CDs. It's not fair. It's not right.''
Eagles tickets go on sale at Ticket-master outlets and by phone on Saturday. MEMO: Staff writer Karen Weintraub contributed to this report.
by CNB