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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JULY 26, 2020
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Pop Up Events become lifeline for promoter BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer
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s an events and entertainment company, Steve LeVine Entertainment & Public Relations was hit by the coronavirus pandemic — and hit hard. Following the postponement of Scottsdale Fashion Week, a four-day event SLE hosts in the spring that attracts thousands of guests, hundreds of other events disappeared from their calendar. “And we knew that in order to survive as a company, we had to pivot,” said CEO Steve LeVine. SLE began hosting virtual entertainment, including live music, comedy sets and movies. They then worked with city of�icials in Scottsdale and Glendale to create safe, socially distanced drive-in events. And that led to the creation of their uber-successful "Pop Up Events." SLE has hosted 3,700 cars with more than 11,000 attendees at their morethan 70 Pop Up Events in Scottsdale and Glendale. At their newest venue, WestWorld, which can host more than 500 vehicles, SLE has hosted eight events, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship 251 streaming event and the showings of “Jurassic Park” and “Despicable Me” drawing their biggest crowds. SLE has also hosted events at Sonora Village in Scottsdale and Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale. “We have had sold-out movies, including ‘Star Wars,’ ‘The Call of the Wild,’ ‘The Sandlot’ and ‘The Greatest Showman,’” LeVine said. UFC was the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s �irst drive-in event and drew more than 350 fans. “It was a great experience,” LeVine said.
through the fall, while continuing to work with the City of Scottsdale and the governor’s of�ice to ensure all events are safe. SLE is also considering expanding into different cities and states, too. “Besides the drive-ins we have been doing locally in AZ, we have been consulting for new drive-ins in San Francisco, Washington D.C., Miami, and a few in Texas,” LeVine said. While LeVine does believe driveins and social distance events will be around “for quite some time,” he does admit that he isn’t sure how the pandemic will impact the traditional movie theater experiSince the start of the pandemic, SLE has worked with the cities of Scottsdale and Glendale ence moving forward. “I think with the streaming to host more than 70 Pop Up Events, including movie screenings. Most of their upcoming Pop Up Events take place at WestWorld of Scottsdale. (SLE) available to everyone’s house with Net�lix, Disney+, and all the others “Not only were guests treated to amaz- said. “You just can’t help to dance in your that are available along with the ing �ights, we also had a ‘social distant’ seat singing along to every song he plays.” new services popping up like HBO Max Tickets are $20 per car. live interview with UFC �ighter Frankie and [NBC’s] Peacock, people have the In addition to hosting private events ability to create the movie viewing expeSaenz, which gave attendees an inside look and how he is prepping for his up- and other smaller-scale events, SLE riences they prefer,” LeVine said. coming �ight and how he is staying busy brainstormed other unique events, like “I noticed that movie theaters are also pop-up gaming events. during these times. starting to stream to homes as well; and “We’ve learned so much to make these because of the pandemic, we saw new “It was awesome to hear everyone live events event better,” LeVine said. honking and �lashing their lights and movie releases stream directly from the Hosted by SLE and presented by Game studios to homes as well,” he added. cheering from their cars.” And the Pop Up Events keep on coming. On Entertainment and Showboss AV, In the meantime, SLE will continue to Next weekend’s lineup includes a spe- Game On Mega Drive In takes place Aug. update their website with new movie cial showing of “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Ad- 7-8 at WestWorld. nights and other drive-in events. The two-day event will feature movventure” on July 31. “We are working hard to continually “With the closing of Metro Center Mall, ies, Super Smash Ultimate tournaments, improve the experience at our drive-ins,” we thought it would be a great tribute, a virtual cosplay contest, live music and LeVine said. plus celebrating the 30th anniversary of more. Tickets are $40 per car. “We are constantly looking at everything “August is playing host to a lot of pri- and are always adding new ideas and mak‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,’ which vate events, but we will continue to host ing things we have been doing event betwas partially �ilmed there,” LeVine said. As guests arrive, DJ Soulman will be movie nights and movie-style events ter, from trivia on the screens, customized like UFC, concerts, comedy and more,” announcements and commercials, special live video-mixing throwback ‘80s tunes. “He really does such a great job format- LeVine said. effects and concessions.” LeVine added that SLE will plan events ting music that everyone loves,” LeVine Information: popupevents.us
