THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 6, 1996 TAG: 9605040003
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
The Virginia Beach amphitheater is not even open yet, but it is already gouging music fans. Every ticket sold is subject to a ``parking fee'' of $1.50. There are approximately 7,000 parking spaces at the venue. At a sold-out concert, there will be 13,000 fans who have been forced to pay a parking fee even though many did not drive a car to the show. Multiply 13,000 by $1.50 equals $19,500. Multiply this figure by the number of concerts planned for the amphitheater, even if the show does not sell out, and you end up with a couple hundred-thousand dollars.
This policy is outrageous. The ticket price is already jacked up several dollars because of the Ticketmaster ``service charge.'' What kind of ridiculous charge is this ``parking fee''? I challenge the city of Virginia Beach and Cellar Door Concerts to explain publicly the need for this additional burden on amphitheater ticket buyers.
SAMUEL NASH
Virginia Beach, April 29, 1996 by CNB