THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604190223
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: MAYOR MEYERA OBERNDORF
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Excitement is building as opening night at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater draws near. Construction is on schedule, seats under the covered pavilion are installed and landscaping is well under way at the 96-acre site off Princess Anne Road. Ticket sales and community support have far exceeded all our expectations.
We all look forward to the success of the amphitheater as it spotlights our city and region as a thriving and attractive market for world class entertainment. This success also benefits our citizens by generating revenue to pay back the city's investment of $10.5 million. This initial investment should be paid back in approximately seven years and the expected positive impact to the local economy is $8.2 million every year.
This major undertaking is the result of the city's partnership with Cellar Door Productions Inc., a private company which has invested $7 million to make the amphitheater a reality. In this public/private partnership, the city allows its tenant, Cellar Door, to make all decisions regarding promotions of events, bookings, staffing and overall management and operations of the facility. Cellar Door, the largest promoter of live entertainment in the country, successfully operates many other facilities such as Nissan Pavilion in Northern Virginia, and will operate the Virginia Beach Amphitheater in the same professional manner.
We were encouraged when the Jimmy Buffett concert sold out in record time - evidence that our market can support concerts of this magnitude. Still we understand the frustration of citizens who were not able to purchase these tickets due to overwhelming demand. We are aware there have been instances of tickets being resold at much higher prices. While we are not accustomed to this activity in Virginia Beach, we understand that scalping is a problem at large concert venues across the country. We will do our best to enforce the Virginia Beach ordinance that prohibits this practice.
Acts which are booked at the amphitheater will vary from year to year and are dependent upon which artists are touring and actively promoting their latest records. Likewise, ticket prices will vary depending upon the artist and other market factors. Concerts such as the opening concert, Bruce Hornsby, and others are family-oriented with lawn seats starting at $10 per ticket with children 12 and under admitted free on the lawn when accompanied by an adult with a lawn ticket.
A parking charge has been added to the price of each ticket to avoid traffic congestion that results from collecting parking fees at the gate. It is also intended to encourage concert goers to take advantage of on-site parking and discourage parking in other nearby areas.
The amphitheater is expected to aid our efforts to bolster tourism in the spring and fall ``shoulder'' seasons. In addition, the amphitheater will create nearly 700 part-time jobs for local residents.
The Virginia Beach Amphitheater will attract the national and world renown acts that otherwise would not have played in the Hampton Roads area. We are proud to host these top-rate performers in a truly world-class entertainment facility, elevating our city to new heights as an entertainment destination for the region and beyond. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Mayor Meyera Oberndorf
Illustration/photo
A model of the soon-to-be completed Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
by CNB