THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 8, 1996 TAG: 9605070137
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
When plans were announced for building an amphitheater, I was excited that we would have a new facility that could showcase musical acts we were previously unable to host here. I still look forward to seeing the new amphitheater and have already bought tickets to the Eagles and James Taylor concerts. However, I am concerned about the way ticket sales are being handled.
As a taxpayer here, first I have to help pay for the amphitheater, then I have to sit on a phone for hours to get any chance at a halfway decent seat for a show, then pay a very expensive $153 for three tickets to sit on the lawn and see the Eagles. Now today, I call to find out what we are allowed to bring in to sit on, and to my surprise I hear that we cannot bring in anything to sit on except a blanket. If we want to sit on a chair on the lawn, we are required to rent a chair from the amphitheater. How much will this cost? Will I now have to stand in line for an hour with my $153 tickets to get in the gate and then go stand in line again to rent a chair to use? Why can't we at least bring in a sand chair to use that won't block anyone's view?
All these extra ``hidden'' (unpublicized) costs are too much for a lot of people. It seems to me that almost all of this season's entertainment line-up is geared to the 30, 40 and 50 age range. I don't know about others in this age, but spending hours on the phone to get tickets, time in line to get in the gate and time in line to rent a lawn chair is not easy to support.
I have already cut the number of concerts I plan now to attend. And, by the way, when the season's line-up was first announced, I called to find out about season tickets, because the paper said they would be available. I was told they were not available, but they would take my name for a list they were starting. Today, in the paper, they have announced the sale of season tickets. How is that supposed to work when I've already bought tickets to two concerts? This whole process does not sound very organized, and by the way, what happened to that list the amphitheater was starting? I've never received a call back.
The city says this new facility will be a boom for tourism. BULL! Tourists here will never be able to get a ticket unless they plan a trip well in advance around a particular concert. Please, people in charge of this amphitheater, pay attention to the comments and problems had by local residents, as it's us who will really end up supporting this facility.
Ewing F. Best
April 12
As I see things, the city of Virginia Beach could care less about the people who are paying money for the amphitheater. The city is collecting $30,000 for parking fees in April for a Jimmy Buffett concert that will be held in August. That should give the city a nice piece of interest, yet people are asked to car pool.
It is understandable that using the lottery system will prevent people from camping out at locations that sell tickets. The proper way to handle this situation would have been to inform the public before the sale of tickets. This could have solved the problem of people standing in line for hours and getting angry because some of them still did not get to purchase a ticket.
The most unfair situation was that all tickets went on sale nationally at the same time. That does not say much for what the city thinks about its residents, who for a long time will be paying taxes to have this property built. Most large cities give their residents an hour or two to purchase tickets before they go on sale nationally. It is about time that the Tidewater area got some place to attract large artists, however, Virginia Beach should take care of the people who take care of Virginia Beach.
Pat Taylor
March 26 by CNB