Venues Today-March 2013: California Venues Spotlight

MARCH 2013

VOLUME 12 NUMBER 3

WWW.VENUESTODAY.COM

THE NEWS BEHIND THE HEADLINES : SPORTS : MUSIC : FAMILY SHOWS : CONVENTIONS : FAIRS

Texas on Top Whether it's performing arts, sports or concerts, the Lone Star State continues to push forward as an economic powerhouse

California Venues PACNet '13 Arena Cuidad de Mexico

CONTENTS

MARCH 2013

VOLUME 12 NUMBER 3

WWW.VENUESTODAY.COM

THE NEWS BEHIND THE HEADLINES : SPORTS : MUSIC : FAMILY SHOWS : CONVENTIONS : FAIRS

Texas on Top Whether it's performing arts, sports or concerts, the Lone Star State continues to push forward as an economic powerhouse

California Venues PACNet '13 Arena Cuidad de Mexico

ON THE COVER The Plaza Theatre in El Paso is one of the venues listed in the 2013 Texas Top Stops chart.

26 The Black Keys will perform at the inaugural BottleRock.

S P O T L I G H T S + F E AT U R E S A R E N A C I U DA D DE MÉXICO 14

PAC N E T ’ 1 3

VIVA ARENA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO

32

DESTINATION: SIERRA NEVADA

Having officially opened Feb. 25, 2012, Arena

Four regions near the Sierra Nevada mountains

60

Ciudad de México in Azcapotzalco, Mexico City,

are seeing increased interest for specific types of

has had an exciting first year. It’s different from

events. Yosemite Valley is drawing more

BETTING BIG ON DATA

other venues in the city due to its accessibility to

meetings, while Mammoth Lakes is becoming a

One of the big products at

parking and number of restrooms, not to mention

hot bed for concerts with a festival feel. Other

this year’s Paciolan confer-

the 850 LED screens.

areas excel with performing arts and fairs.

ence, PACnet ’13, was the new

16

AN ACCOMMODATING VENUE

Ticketing Intelligence suite.

IN THE CAPITAL

62

More than one million visitors came to Arena

TEXAS 40

BIG AND BRIGHT

Ciudad de México during its first year. The first

Overall, business is strong at Texas venues. There

GOING DIGITAL DEEP IN

new venue for Mexico City in four decades

were some unique stories among Venues Today’s

DIXIE: Q&A WITH ROSS

brought one circus back to Mexico after more

Texas Top Stops. One arena said goodbye to its

BJORK

than a decade absence. Also, a different

longtime leader, while an amphitheater helped

As athletic director for the

timetable for family events led to longer runs at

University of Mississippi in

the facility.

welcome a baby into the world.

42

Oxford, Ross Bjork saw the

In the next three years, more than $1 billion will

CALIFORNIA

school’s Twitter feeds get an

be spent on venue construction and renovation in

CALIFORNIA IN RECOVERY?

Texas. Much of that construction will happen in

attention during this year’s

Though the economy in California remains tight,

San Antonio, which will welcome a new

National Signing Day.

the general managers at facilities in Venues

performing arts center and a rebuilt convention

64

Today’s California Top Stops had good news.

MEETING OF THE MINDS

concessions in-house to increasing multinight

PACnet ’13, Newport Beach,

engagements, California’s venues are showing

Calif., Feb. 10-13.

strong signs of life.

unprecedented amount of

68

22

SAN ANTONIO LEADS THE PACK

From Olympic teams hosting events to taking

center.

44

2013 TEXAS CONSTRUCTION UPDATE This year’s Blueprints feature four large projects that are, or practically are, out of the ground.

48

RESISTING CHANGE

24

2013 CALIFORNIA TOP STOPS

Being in a small town doesn’t stop big acts from

26

BOTTLEROCK PLUGS IN NAPA VALLEY

coming to Gruene Hall, in Gruene, Texas. The

A TIME FOR CHANGE

It’s more than wine. The five-day BottleRock

white, weathered building was built in the 1800s,

For three new Paciolan clients,

Festival lands in Napa Valley this May, bringing

but has operated as a music venue for almost 40

changing to the ticketing

music, comedy, wine, beer and food to the fore

years, welcoming artists such as Willie Nelson,

system has been particularly

front. While most festivals have diversified

George Strait and The Dixie Chicks.

exciting.

content, BottleRock will focus on one genre

52

2013 TEXAS TOP STOPS

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Linda Deckard linda@venuestoday.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Dave Brooks dave@venuestoday.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Samantha Le samantha@venuestoday.com ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Lisa Brink lisa@designsmorgasbord.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: RESOURCE GUIDES Rob Ocampo rob@venuestoday.com

75 Ovations Food Services chili cheese dog goes well with craft beer — a trend at baseball spring training parks.

STAFF REPORTER Jessica Boudevin jessica@venuestoday.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Becky Burson becky@venuestoday.com

IN EVERY ISSUE

HOT TICKETS MANAGER Josh Huckabee josh@venuestoday.com

NEWS 6

MANAGING RISK

72

IAVM Performing Arts Managers Conference,

ORLANDO STARS

RESOURCE GUIDES COORDINATOR Nazarene Kahn resourceguides@venuestoday.com

INTIX, Orlando, Jan. 29-31

RESOURCE GUIDES RESEARCH ASSOCIATE Jay Nguyen jay@venuestoday.com

MARKETING

COPY EDITOR Pauline Davis pauline@venuestoday.com

Las Vegas, Feb. 9-12

8

EUROPE’S RUGBY PALACE A look at Grand Stade FFR, a $660-million,

73

10

12

MAKING THE MOST OF MIAMI

Guest columnist Pat Coyle weighs in on Disney’s

Stadium Managers Assoc. Seminar, Miami, Feb. 3-7

presence and the future of apps for live sports.

75

CONCESSIONS

ADVERTISING

FARE GAME

TEXAS, SOUTHEASTERN AND MIDWEST U.S. Jim McNeil (207) 699-3343 jim@venuestoday.com

BROADWAY BUDDIES

Stadiums used for baseball's spring training are

Inside the Lexington (Ky.) Opera House’s launch

presenting new concessions options.

of the Broadway Buddies program.

D E PA R T M E N T S

36

MARCH 2013 HOT TICKETS

38

MARCH 2013 TOP STOPS

4

LETTER FROM LINDA

5

TALKING POINTS

OPS & TECH

77

MANAGEMENT

SITUATION SIMULATION

79

ON THE MENU

70

CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Coller Chad Swiatecki Pat Coyle Lisa White

TURNKEY VENUES POLL

BOOKINGS 34

WHAT WOULD DISNEY SAY ABOUT YOUR APP?

82,000-capacity rugby stadium north of Paris.

Products like SportEvac and RegalEvac allow venues to simulate emergency situations.

NORTHEAST AND WESTERN U.S., INTERNATIONAL Rich DiGiacomo (310) 429-3678 rich@venuestoday.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Samantha Le (714) 378-5400 samantha@venuestoday.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Josh Huckabee (714) 378-5400, Ext. 21 Annual Subscription Rate: $200 (U.S.)

EDITORIAL OFFICE

HAPPENING THIS MONTH >> South by Southwest Conferences and Festivals, Austin, Texas, March 8-17 >> Winter Music Conference 2013, Miami Beach (Fla.) Convention Center, March 15-24 >> Ticketing Technology Forum, London, March 19-20 >> International Facility Management Association’s Facility Fusion 2013, L.A. Live, April 2-4 >> IMG World Congress of Sports, Naples, Fla., April 3-4

W E B E XC L U S I V E Empire Polo Club’s Alexander Haagen IV talks about what it’s like being one of the most successful venues in the world, while in the desert of Indio, Calif. There are continuous improvements to the property.

www.venuestoday.com

VENUES TODAY P.O. Box 2540 Huntington Beach, CA 92647-2540 or 18350 Mt. Langley, #201 Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Phone (714) 378-5400 Fax (714) 378-0040 E-mail info@venuestoday.com Printed in the United States ©All materials copyrighted Venues Today 2012 ISSN 1547-4135

FROM THE EDITOR

T

LINDA DECKARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF linda@venuestoday.com

here are 10 Venues Today Generation Next Award winners out there and five more to be named in this third year of voting, which ends March 15. Every time we quote one of our Nexters, run their photos or report their promotions, I’m proud to think we helped affirm their contributions to the industry. All 10 of the previous winners are still in the industry and still taking leaps and bounds.

While it is the youngest of our awards, introduced in 2011, it has become an eye-opener for me. We are celebrating industryites age 35 or younger who have accomplished a lot and caught their peers’ attention in a very short period of time — at least to my Medicare-eligible mindset. At 35, I was working for Amusement Business as West Coast Editor, with no inkling I was going to become an entrepreneur.

Our 28 nominees this year include four general managers/CEOs, the youngest of whom is Brian Sipe who, at 29, manages the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Huntington, W.Va., for SMG. He not only builds relationships with promoters and producers to fill the building, he oversees 150 full and part time employees to run it.

At 29, I had just discovered this business, having accepted a job with Billboard/Amusement Business in their directories department. Honestly, though I had been a working journalist since graduating from college, I was just embarking on a whole new world of trade press and business reporting, albeit a very interesting business.

I encourage you, even if you already know whom you’re voting for, to read every one of the nominations thoroughly. And compare them to your own story, your peers, your upper management and your interns.

The youngest in our 2013 group of nominees are a mere 26. That was the Seventies in my journey. I’m not even going to tell you where I was…what I remember of it. Paul Hooper is already a superstar marketing coordinator at Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky., whom some of you saw helping our Managing Editor Dave Brooks at the awesome Generation Next party we threw last year, with sponsor Centerplate, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. This year, we’ll party down in Austin during the Event & Arena Marketing Conference.

The other 26-year-old is Becca Watters from Spokane, Wash. Becca markets all the venues in that city and, like Paul, excels in social media. She has all the earmarks of what makes for success in venue management – hostess instincts. Altogether four of our group are still in their 20s. These Nexters are focused very early in the game.

Ten of the nominees have taken the talent buyer/booker path. Five are in marketing. Three are in ticketing. Six in operations and events.

As per tradition, we will profile the five winners in our June issue of Venues Today. It’s a sought-after assignment, to tell their stories. I hope you take the time to enjoy learning about the people who are the future of our industry, whether it’s a trip down memory lane or inspiration for the path you are on. They prove youth is not wasted on the young.

God grant you many years to grow wiser with age.

Rod Pilbeam, AEG Ogden, catches up

Feld Entertainment’s Bill Powell, Jeff

Michael Enoch and Dale Adams, AEG

A day in the life for my brother, Carl

with Sally and Frank Roach, University of

Meyer and Brad Timberlake discuss the

Facilities, report on upcoming shows at

Deckard, Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum,

South Carolina, Columbia, during the

pending move of Feld’s headquarters

Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China.

included sitting in the dentist chair in the

Pollstar and AEG corporate meetings in

from Vienna, Va., to Florida. Meyer’s fam- Enoch said Adam Lambert is booked for

Los Angeles. Roach and USC are partnered ily will move this summer.

March 23; the Beach Boys, March 24 for

a.m., googling Bill Cosby’s comedy routine on dentists, going into presettlement for

with Venues Today in production of SEVT

the 1,000-seat nightclub there called the

the Bill Cosby show and happily visiting

(Sport, Entertainment & Venues Tomorrow),

Mixing Room. Venues Today will spot-

with Cosby backstage about his famous

which is coming up Nov. 20-22.

light Asia and China next month.

dentist-chair monologue. (VT Photos)

4 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

FRONT ROW

^

TALKING POINTS

JOHN WILBORN DIRECTOR

VICTOR HUGO SANCHEZ

CURTIS CULWELL CENTER, GARLAND, TEXAS

PARTNER

UNIVERSITY: Grambling (La.) State University

SHOWTIME DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.A.

FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: Sales manager for

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE BUSINESS:

Dallas at Ticketmaster.

Before concerts, I got my start in nightclubs in

MENTORS:

Mexico City. I didn’t expect to get into live music,

Ticketmaster for more than 15 years; Brad Mayne,

but was asked to co-promote a concert for Vicente

formerly with American Airlines Center in Dallas,

TALENT BUYER

Fernandez in Puerto Morelos. It was a success and

now with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.;

THE GLASS HOUSE, POMONA, CALIF.

Don

Orris,

who

worked

with

JON HALPERIN

soon I was getting calls to do more shows.

and Michael Jenkins of Dallas Summer Musicals.

HOMETOWN: I was raised in Irvine, Calif., and

FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB: I like working with

WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO WHEN YOU GREW UP:

South Orange County. I grew up loving music, and

an artist on an entire tour. Right now we’ve got the

I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I even

even went to school with Zack de la Rocha from

exclusive for all of Luis Miguel’s dates in Mexico,

attended Grambling State University on a baseball

Rage Against the Machine. He was a much different

and I’m trying to be bold with some of the dates. We

scholarship.

person then — very popular. All the girls loved him.

booked the Olympic Stadium in Juarez in

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS: I root for all of Dallas’

FIRST JOB IN THE INDUSTRY: I started writing for

September and there was a lot of trepidation about

professional teams.

Scratch Magazine and doing music supervision for

the security situation, but Miguel really wanted to

WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF YOU WEREN’T IN

Fox Motocross. I started a label called Vegas Records.

return to Juarez. He hadn’t performed in 19 years,

THE BUSINESS: I’d be coaching.

I went on to work at Chain Reaction in Anaheim

and that was really tearing at him since he consid-

HOBBIES: I like to watch my kids’ sporting events.

before heading to The Glass House.

ers it the place where he launched his career.

My son, LJ, who’s 18, is attending Claflin University

HOW HAS YOUR JOB CHANGED: When I first start-

HOBBIES: I work on and restore classic American

in Orangeburg, S.C., on a baseball scholarship.

ed booking shows, it was much more about local

cars — I just bought a 1950 Mercury Monterey. It

Bailey, my daughter, is 14 years old. She’s a fresh-

acts and $5 shows. Now I book touring packages —

was the same car Sylvester Stallone drove in the

man in high school and plays volleyball, basketball

very different animal.

movie Cobra. Mine needs some work.

and softball. She actually made the varsity softball

ADVICE: I tell people they should intern and be

BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED: My father was an

team as a freshman.

willing to work for free. You have to kick ass and do

optometrist and he rarely made an important deci-

PET PEEVE: People not being prepared.

such a good job that whoever you’re interning for

sion without consulting his family. He taught me to

SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO

has to be worse off without you.

take big decisions seriously, but not to get hung up

LEARN ABOUT YOU: They might be surprised to

ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO

by trivial choices.

hear that I play the piano.

LEARN ABOUT YOU: That I’m 43. I feel old.

ONE THING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED: It’s not how much

DREAM SHOW: I’d love to book The Pogues or a

LEARN ABOUT YOU: I’ve never had a drink in my

you make, but how many bills you have.

reunion by The Jam. And each year I work on

life, which is funny since I work in the nightclub

BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE: Top-shelf margari-

Coachella, which is kind of a dream come true. I

business. I guess I just don’t have time for alcohol.

tas.

manage their boutique merchandise items.

+52 (8) 6631 3392

(972) 487-4702

(909) 865-3802

MARCH 2013 VENUES TODAY 5

VT SPOTLIGHT

Scene from OMFG — a New Years Eve Party at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego.

CALIFORNIA IN RECOVERY? Top Stop Managers from across the Golden State see signs of recovery in concert business b y DAV E B R O O K S

Is California finally showing signs of an economic turn around? While unemployment, gas prices and anxiety over the housing market remain high in the Golden State, a number of GMs from this year’s class of Venues Today California Top Stops are pointing to signs that things are starting to turn around out West. Below we examine nine reasons the concert business in the state appears to be on the mend.

22 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

VT SPOTLIGHT

9. BEGIN THE JOURNEY TO THE OLYMPICS :: HP PAVILION, SAN JOSE Executive VP and GM Jim Goddard said two signature events this year helped the arena offset losing part of its season to the lockout.

Besides hosting the USA Figure Skating Championships, HP Pavilion was also host to the U.S.A. Gymnastics Olympic Trials.

“It’s a very relationship-driven booking with a multiyear lead time,” said Goddard of the events which, combined, brought over 150,000 visitors to the building. “It took a partnership with the community to support. Our city staff and the San Jose Sports Authority submitted both bids, and then I think the strength of the bids and our long track record helped secure the dates.”

Contact: (408) 287-7070

8. NO SIGNS OF EDM SLOWDOWN IN 2013 :: VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER, SAN DIEGO GM Ernie Hahn is planning a record 12 days of Electronic Dance Music events at his classic arena, up from seven just the year before, thanks to the help of promoter and former minor league hockey player Johnny Shockey with LED Presents. Together, the pair will host five two-day events including bashes for New Year’s Eve and Halloween that go until 4 a.m. and include all the accoutrements of a festival, from VIP bottle service to standby ambulances. The move to two days is an attempt to amortize the growing production costs of EDM events and Hahn said he’s being approached by other venues to advise on electronica.

“We’ve let everyone know within our network that if they would like help, we’re happy to lend a hand,” he said.

Contact: (619) 308-4345

7. BULLISH MARKET ON CONCESSIONS SALES :: HONDA CENTER, ANAHEIM This Orange County arena will make history this summer as the only major arena in the state to take its concessions sales in-house. The move away from Aramark caps off an ambitious $20-

million capital initiative that includes the opening of the Grand Terrace restaurant, a 15,000-sq.ft., members-only dining club built atop a new street-level bar and grill alongside an expanded team store. The arena is currently looking to hire a new Director of Food and Beverage to manage concessions on the concourses, suites and Grand Terrace restaurant, which opens this summer.

Contact: (714) 704-2400

6. MEGA EVENTS ON THE RISE :: EMPIRE POLO CLUB, INDIO After successfully coordinating two identical weekends of the 80,000-person Coachella music festival, Polo Fields owner Alexander Haagen said he’s continuing to make improvements to the site to bring in more events. His team has added new viewing areas, additional fountains, increased lighting and more trees to the property to make the site more attractive to event producers.

“We’re limited only by someone’s imagination and budget,” Haagen said. “We have one of the largest dog shows in the country. We have a lacrosse tournament that came in last year where more than 13,000 people showed up. We’ve done huge national field hockey events. We haven’t done rugby yet, but there’s a lot of different things that we can do.”

Contact: (760) 342-2762

5. A NEW ERA OF SHOWTIME :: STAPLES CENTER AND NOKIA THEATRE, L.A. LIVE In February, longtime Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss passed away after a long battle with illness. The team at Staples Center and AEG is continuing Dr. Buss’ “Showtime” legacy with a new television awards package that activates the entire L.A. Live campus. In June, network BET will join the Grammys, ESPN and MTV when it holds its annual televised awards show in downtown L.A. “We’re going to be presenting the first BET Experience, which will include multiple concerts, VIP areas and a fan festival on our plaza,” said GM Lee Zeidman. The weekend experience includes three concerts by Beyonce inside CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 >

MARCH 2013 VENUES TODAY 23

VT SPOTLIGHT

CALIFORNIA IN RECOVERY? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

Staples Center, as well as arena shows by Snoop Dogg and R&B legend R. Kelly, who will be performing with New Edition and the Jacksons.

Contact: (213) 742-7326

4. MULTINIGHT ENGAGEMENTS ON THE RISE :: GREEK THEATRE, LOS ANGELES After a successful, record-breaking five-show run by Neil Diamond, CEO Alex Hodges said his team is on the lookout for more multinight engagements. Already on the books is a threenight stint by Barry Manilow, Grateful Dead legacy band Furthur and a two-show play by Grammy-winning artists fun.

“2013 is the year to do multiples,” said

Hodges. “There are plenty of artists out there who carry large productions and should look at a way to save some costs” by doing a two-night run.

For those who can’t book back-to-back shows, Hodges said he’s hoping acts get more creative with their packaging. One upcoming performance Hodges likes — a concert with War, Tower of Power and comedians Cheech and Chong.

3. COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR ONE OF ITS OWN :: CHAIN REACTION, ANAHEIM In June, legendary sound mixer Christian DaSilva was killed in a motorcycle accident in Huntington Beach, Calif., leaving behind his new bride Emma who was just two months pregnant with the couple’s first child. The

TOPSTOPS

CALIFORNIA•2012

Based on concert and event grosses from 1/1/12 – 12/31/12, as reported to Venues Today.

VENUE, LOCATION

NO. OF SEATS

TOTAL GROSS

ATTENDANCE SHOWS

> 15,000 AND MORE CAPACITY 1. Empire Polo Club, Indio

180,000

$60,356,918

214,159

9

2. Staples Center, Los Angeles

20,000

$54,958,030

792,076

86

3. HP Pavilion at San Jose

20,000

$47,510,688

910,298

139

4. Honda Center, Anaheim

19,400

$23,301,741

570,413

77

5. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

65,000

$15,495,025

195,000

3

> 10,001-15,000 CAPACITY 1. Valley View Casino Center, San Diego

14,000

$14,035,330

326,897

74

2. Save Mart Center, Fresno

14,883

$8,460,336

203,886

47

3. Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario

11,000

$8,313,590

263,504

69

4. Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa

10,500

$5,059,259

160,735

23

5. Long Beach Arena

13,500

$3,818,647

100,309

26

> 5,001-10,000 CAPACITY 1. Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, Los Angeles

7,100

$25,610,405

440,179

93

2. Greek Theatre, Los Angeles

5,900

$13,270,307

239,149

52

3. Event Center at San Jose State Univ.

7,000

$3,105,706

58,918

14

4. Selland Arena, Fresno

9,341

$1,560,381

75,221

21

5. Shrine Aud. & Expo Center, Los Angeles

6,300

$768,469

12,290

3

> 5,000 OR FEWER CAPACITY 1. Santa Barbara Bowl

4,937

$6,920,327

117,760

32

2. Club Nokia, Los Angeles

2,300

$4,560,895

133,003

96

3. Warfield Theatre, San Francisco

2,250

$3,420,292

82,246

46

4. Long Beach Terrace Theater

3,051

$3,037,147

66,140

48

5. City National Grove of Anaheim

1,700

$2,861,593

85,826

83

Compiled by Josh Huckabee, HotTickets@venuestoday.com

24 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

tragic story galvanized the Orange County indie music community, who flocked to Huntington Beach for a massive memorial service. Local talent buyer John Halperin helped organize two benefit concerts for DaSilva’s daughter including a concert with famed OC band Hellogoodbye at the Glass House in Pomona. In February, Emma gave birth to DaSilva’s daughter, a healthy 7-pound, 10-ounce infant named Poppy.

Contact: (909) 865-3802

2. MUSIC AS A DESTINATION :: SANTA BARBARA BOWL With its iconic coastline and rich wine history, Santa Barbara is often thought of as a place for romantics — but not necessarily music lovers.

That’s the challenge for GM Moss Jacobs, who has to reach far beyond his own local market to draw acts to the iconic Central Coast venue, recognized for its intimate performances by artists like the Black Keys and Radiohead.

“If you look at the population, you have to draw from a wide geographic net,” said Jacobs.

Besides impeccable concessions and customer service, Moss said he’s not afraid to take big bets on the area’s musical tastes. For 2013, he’s already booked Atoms for Peace, a package with brothers Damian Marley & Ziggy Marley, Jason Mraz, Avett Brothers, Jimmy Buffet and Steve Miller Band.

Contact: (805) 962-7411

1. PARTY IN A BOX :: LONG BEACH ARENA It’s hard to imagine calling a 45,000-square-foot venue intimate, but the 40-year-old arena on the footprint of the Long Beach Convention Center will be getting some minor interior additions that will make it one of the most versatile complexes of its kind. GM Charlie Beirne said upgrades are part of a push for “additional repurposing,” and the $1-million renovation includes equipping the arena with a suspended steel tension grid that will hang over the arena floor and support a high tech lighting system and electronically-operated curtains that can be raised or lowered to create a variety of intimate spaces.

Contact: (562) 436-3636

VT SPOTLIGHT

BOTTLEROCK PLUGS IN NAPA VALLEY New festival at expo grounds in California wine country kicks off in May

by GIL KAUFMAN

P

eople have been coming to Napa Valley to taste some of the finest wine the country has to offer for decades in a lush, string quartet-worthy setting. But this May they will have a decidedly more rocking soundtrack during the inaugural five-day BottleRock Festivals, which will mix music, wine, food, comedy and beer to the heart of downtown

Napa Valley.

“This is the first festival of its kind in the Valley and we think this is a game-changer for Napa,” said festival co-founder Bob Vogt. “My partner Gabe [Meyers] and I think Napa is very well-suited for this kind of event and the time has come.”

With headliners ranging from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis to Kings of Leon, the Black Keys, Zac Brown Band, Jackson Browne, Jane’s Addiction as well as the Shins, Avett Brothers, Alabama Shakes, Flaming Lips, and the Black Crowes, the lineup mixes a variety of classic rock icons with jam bands, folk and indie rock with nearly 60 acts in total.

Vogt, who restored and opened the art deco Uptown Theatre as an 850-seat music venue in the heart of downtown Napa in 2010, said that over the past decade the wine country has seen huge growth in hotels, restaurants and shopping and downtown Napa is now “uniquely” suited to easy pedestrian navigation for his event. He and Meyers booked BottleRock themselves with a philosophy of making it a high-quality festival focused on rock without the EDM, hip-hop and R&B that typically fills out other West Coast events like Coachella or Sasquatch.

He credited the artist-friendly reputation of the Uptown with helping to secure some of the talent. “A lot of what we’re doing [though] is selling Napa,” he said. “Who doesn’t want to come to Napa in May? We have the best food, wine and weather and our intention is to make sure we spoil the CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 > Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are headling this year's Bottlerock Festival in Napa, Calif.

26 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

THANKS TO ALL THE ARTISTS, AGENTS AND PROMOTERS THAT HELPED US BECOME THE #1 “TOP STOP” IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

According to Venues Today, we’re the #1 “Top Stop” in Northern California and #3 “Stop” in the state.

And that’s got us feeling a bit bubbly. A special thanks to everyone who made 2012 such a vintage year.

HP Pavilion at San Jose. Northern California’s Premiere Sports and Entertainment Venue.

For availability call 408.999.5809, fax 408.999.5797 or visit hppavilion.com

VT SPOTLIGHT BOTTLEROCK PLUGS... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

artists a bit.” And while there are no hotel rooms left in the Valley during the fest, he and Meyers have made sure to set some aside for the performers, their families and industry professionals to make sure they are comfortable during their visit.

GIVING BACK The festival gets off to a soft start on May 8 with a special benefit show by “Thrift Shop” stars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who will play the Napa Valley Expo in a $29 gig whose proceeds will benefit Autism ARC and the City of Napa Parks and Recreation Foundation.

The charity angle for BottleRock — which Vogt pegged as having production costs in excess of $5 million — is a huge component for the cofounder, whose autistic son, Will, is a beloved local musician. He and Meyers are in the midst of launching The ARC autism nonprofit, which he hopes will benefit from the $1-$2 million the pair plan to raise for that organization and 20 other charities that they’ve handpicked for the on-site BottleRock charity pavilion.

There will be a significant number of events for high rollers, who can purchase a VIP pass ($599) that includes admission to all the

shows, in addition to premium VIP viewing areas at all the stages, special wine and beer bars, an exclusive T-shirt, VIP parking, meet & greet opportunities, concierge services and entrance to late night events.

BottleRock will take place along two walkable square miles along the Napa River on multiple stages at the 26-acre Napa Valley Expo center, which used to be the local fairgrounds. The state-owned property will house a 2,000-capacity indoor stage for VIPs that will be used for comedy performances and Friday and Saturday VIP night dance parties. The three outdoor stages range in capacity from 3,000 to 15,000 and 35,000. All production will be handled by the San Francisco office of Camarillo, Calif.’s, Delicate Productions, whose George Edwards has handpicked a crew to handle all lights, sound and staging.

Other ticket deals include a $399 option with entrance to all the shows, and the Wednesday night benefit gig. The $299 passes (with admission to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows) are already sold out. Vogt said he is expecting to draw at least 35,000 attendees over the course of the event.

While Napa is used to its share of one-off shows, private events for contest winners and

VIPs and festivals that take place all over the area over several days like the long-running Live in the Vineyard, BottleRock is the first large-scale event of its kind in the wine country.

“We’ve had concert series in the past and events where music supervisors from movie studios came in for a show, but this is the first full-on festival we’ve had that’s open to the public,” said Ian White, Napa businessman and founder of the Butter Communications wine and food marketing group. “Napa has never seen anything like this.”

When news first emerged about the event, White, whose wife’s family runs the Peju winery in mid-Valley Rutherford, Calif., said part of the concern was over the structure of Napa itself, which he described as a ladder than runs north to south. “There are only two inlets and both will be blocked by the festival,” he said. “People looking to get to the northern wineries … and effectively the entire Napa Valley … will be blocked by this. The big artists don’t start until 3 p.m. and to think that 40,000 people could descend on the southernmost part of the Valley without having some impact on the north is naïve.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 >

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For bookings at these venues and others throughout the West Coast contact Nederlander Concerts:

323-468-1710

VT SPOTLIGHT BOTTLEROCK PLUGS... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

MANAGING TRAFFIC Vogt said because Napa is now the hub of the region and because more than 60 area wineries will be taking part in the event, he’s not concerned about traffic issues or static from the locals. “The hotels will be running shuttles to town and the Napa population is clever and they know how to get to the Expo,” he said, noting that he expects one-third of attendees to be from the region. And, with all 5,000 Napa hotel rooms already booked for BottleRock, Vogt said many attendees will already be in town. With plenty of parking available just below Napa and to the West as well as on the Expo grounds and in town, and several points of entry to the area, Vogt said traffic should not be a major headache.

White, who helps run Napa Valley Life, develops marketing programs for Napa wineries and works closely with 7x7 Magazine’s Wine Country website, said his initial fears about the potential traffic snarls were also allayed when he heard about plans to keep things moving.

“What’s great is that hotels, which usually are 65 percent sold on Mother’s Day weekend, said they are 100 percent sold for BottleRock,” he said. “At first there was disbelief about

30 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

whether they could pull it off … but they’re definitely taking the correct steps to alleviate what could be a significant problem by scheduling things all over the valley so there are reasons to go to other places and VIP events all day. The truth is that even if you’re not buying wine, you will be exposed to the hospitality of the wineries and if they do a good job it could turn into long term relationships if not immediate sales. It could be very good for the Valley.”

Among the special events associated with the show are “Live Lunches,” which will feature BottleRock artists playing acoustic sets at select Premiere Partner wineries for wine club members and a few lucky fans in venues ranging from cellars and caves to barrel rooms. The music will stop at 10 p.m., but Vogt said he expects VIPs to hang around for as many as 30-50 exclusive parties all over town on any given night.

“The wineries are all in,” said Vogt, who has lived in Napa for 32 years (Meyers is a native). “We have good will from what we’ve done to date. When you come to this event, you will be in the middle of this vintner community, you’ll make friends, try different wines and eat food from good restaurants …One of the things we’re seeking to do is bring music and musicians together with people at the high end

of wine and culinary scene.”

The latter will be achieved in an area on the grounds where the wineries will have an opportunity to sell their wares by the case or bottle in 20 x 20 tents that cost $15,000-$20,000.

BottleRock has committed to buying a “significant” amount of wine from each in order to sell at bars around the festival, as well as offering some passes to the festival in kind to the wineries. Many of the VIP experiences will take place in that area, including specials where artists will be performing or doing signings for attendees who join the vintner’s wine clubs. White said he’s planning to rent space in one of the tents to promote Peju.

Though official numbers were not available at press time, using published figures from such area festivals as San Francisco’s Outside Lands, Vogt said the economic impact could be around $1,000 per attendee.

“We’re from here. We’re not carpetbaggers coming in to do something in a town we don’t know,” he said. “We’re as conscientious as anyone about making sure it’s safe and our friends and neighbors have a good time.”

Interviewed for this story: Bob Vogt, (707) 253-0868; Ian White, (707) 227-5226

VT SPOTLIGHT

DESTINATION

SIERRA NEVADA The state’s gorgeous mountain range provides event planners a backdrop of natural beauty b y DAV E B R O O K S

The Wuksachi Resort in Sequoia National Park is one of two venues managed by Delaware North in the Eastern Sierras.

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ocated on the edge of California’s border with Nevada lies the Sierra Nevada mountain range — a naturally beautiful collection of forests and small towns dotted with venues, resorts and National Parks that draw millions of visitors each year. Below we look at four regions in the area that are seeing an uptick in interest from event planners.

MEETINGS — YOSEMITE VALLEY For 15 years, Delaware North Companies has maintained the exclusive contract for food, lodging and other services inside the Yosemite National Park. The company operates five hotels in and around the park, including its newest resort Tenaya.

Tenaya’s conference center boasts 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space including a 10,000-sq.ft ballroom that can seat 850. It also has an outdoor function space, including a 3,000-sq.-ft. pavilion and a new 3,000-sq.-ft. Grand Terrace. The hotel has 297 rooms and suites, along with a spa and group activities for corporate events.

“We offer a green meetings package for meeting planners who are interested in disposal-free services and recycling,” said Linda Woods, the building’s director of Conference

32 VENUES TODAY MARCH 2013

Services. “We even have an Eco-Service option where delegates are given environmentally friendly in-room welcome amenities and information on local trails.”

Contact: (559) 683-6555

CONCERTS — MAMMOTH LAKES Known for its world-class skiing and high-end real estate, Mammoth Lakes is also home to a thriving concert scene. For New Year’s Eve, clothing provider Vestal hosted a concert by indie upstarts Imagine Dragon, with tickets selling at $100 in advance and $150 day of show.

“We hosted the concert inside Mammoth Lake’s Canyon Lodge and that allowed us to activate a large outdoor area, giving the event a festival like feel,” said Bobby Calabo, a Los Angeles-based nightclub promoter who helped organize the concert’s VIP sales. “And the resort will sell tickets to the event at any of their lift ticket windows, which really broadens your sales opportunities.”

Contact: (760) 934-2571

PERFORMING ARTS — AUBURN First opened in 1930, the 1,300-seat Auburn Place Performing Arts Center has changed hands several times until being purchased by the Auburn Place Performing Arts Center

Commission in 2006 with the goal of restoring the theater as a medium-sized performing arts center. In 2008, under the supervision of architect Richard Wyatt, the building facade was restored to its 1937 likeness, including a neonlit marquee and vertical blade sign. Also refurbished was an adjacent movie house, converted into a 130-seat multiuse theatre. Today, APPAC operates the small venue, which offers live music and theatre and film.

Contact: (530) 885-0156

FAIRS — MARIPOSA The Mariposa County Fairgrounds are home to the annual Mariposa County Fair, a fourday event over Labor Day weekend each summer. The annual event drew 30,000 attendees in 2011 and includes a small independent midway and carnival.

The fairgrounds are available for rental — with seven bookable exhibit buildings, ranging in size from 5,000 sq. ft. to 1,100 sq. ft.

The largest building has a permanent stage and commercial kitchen, while the smaller facilities have portable stage access. Also available is the Gold Bowl Arena and Grandstand surrounded by a one-fourth mile dirt track.

The grandstand seats 3,000 and can be increased with portable bleachers.

Contact: (209) 966-2432

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