Florida Spotlight: Room to Commune
Theatergoers entering the Parker Playhouse have faced a fundamental question, one that played a big part in the venue’s renovation. Continue Reading Florida Spotlight: Room to Commune
Read Moreby Rob Knapp | Jun 1, 2021 | Theaters & Clubs | 0
Theatergoers entering the Parker Playhouse have faced a fundamental question, one that played a big part in the venue’s renovation. Continue Reading Florida Spotlight: Room to Commune
Read Moreby Rob Knapp | Jun 1, 2021 | Theaters & Clubs | 0
When John Robertson faced the question of how to reopen Club LA in Destin, Florida, when no acts were touring, he turned to tribute acts.
Continue Reading Florida Spotlight: Tribute to Perseverance
Read MoreThe box-office success of concerts at Tampa venues shows the city’s standing as a center of live entertainment.
Continue Reading Tampa Venues Shine With Box Office Bounty
Read MoreThe same pandemic that is driving Republicans to evaluate 2020 sites other than their chosen city of Charlotte, N.C., may also make such a move easier, said one arena manager with convention experience.
Continue Reading Why Splitting the GOP Convention Is Doable
Read Moreby Eric Renner Brown | May 29, 2020 | Regional Reports, Spotlights | 0
GRAND CENTRAL FLORIDA Rapper Wiz Khalifa performs at Rare Festival, an electronic dance and hip-hop music festival, on Oct. 6, 2018, at the Orlando Amphitheater at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. (Getty Images) Amphitheaters and Pavilions Could Lead Post-Coronavirus Reopening When concerts and other live events return, look for gates, not doors, to reopen. While tiny clubs seem poised to return first, amphitheaters, pavilions and other outdoors spaces will likely follow close behind — and well ahead of their roofed indoor brethren. Though they share risky spots, like concessions, restrooms, and ingress and egress points, outdoor spaces more easily lend themselves to the social distancing guidelines that public health officials recommend to curb the spread of coronavirus, and without ventilation systems or low ceilings, probably pose less risk of circulating airborne pathogens. Top Stops For All Capacity Categories: Florida From a business perspective, amphitheaters make sense for artists, promoters and venues… Continue Reading Floridians Flock To Fresh Air
Continue Reading Floridians Flock To Fresh Air
Read Moreby Don Muret | May 14, 2020 | General, Ops & Security, Pulse | 0
Playing host to UFC 249 in an empty arena proved to be “surreal all the way around” for Bill McConnell, but it went a long way toward regaining the trust and confidence of all stakeholders involved in live entertainment, he said.
Continue Reading Arena Manager: UFC Arrived With a Plan
Read Moreby VenuesNow Staff | Apr 6, 2020 | General, People, Pulse, Theaters & Clubs | 0
Zev Buffman was a Broadway producer before taking the lead at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla. (Pedro Castellano) Zev Buffman announced retirement as president/CEO in 2018 Former Ruth Eckerd Hall President and CEO Zev Buffman has died, the Clearwater, Fla., theater and nonprofit announced Friday. Buffman was 89 and died of natural causes Wednesday in Seattle. He joined Ruth Eckerd Hall in 2011, overseeing a $10 million renovation of the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater and the initial planning and fundraising for the $11 renovation of Ruth Eckerd Hall. Buffman also advocated for increasing arts education outreach in the community and the professional development of young artists. Buffman first made his name as a producer on Broadway, where he was nominated for multiple Tony Awards. He was responsible for the theatrical debut of Elizabeth Taylor in “The Little Foxes” and the first Broadway run of “Joseph and… Continue Reading Former Ruth Eckerd Hall Leader Dies
Continue Reading Former Ruth Eckerd Hall Leader Dies
Read Moreby Don Muret | Jan 29, 2020 | General, Ops & Security, Pulse | 0
ROOM TO MANEUVER: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, sits on a 275-acre site. (Getty Images) Hard Rock Stadium site provides ample space with a few twists The Super Bowl returns to South Florida for the first time since 2010, and recent developments to the expansive property surrounding Hard Rock Stadium have led to some creative planning for Sunday’s 54th edition of the game. The 275-acre site gives the NFL and Populous, the league’s logistical consultant, ample space to work with for the most part, but the relocation of the Miami Open tennis tournament in 2019 to Hard Rock Stadium resulted in adjustments for pro football’s crown jewel event. In addition, the Miami Dolphins, whose owner, Stephen Ross, owns the stadium and land surrounding the building in Miami Gardens, Fla., are constructing a $135 million practice facility west of the venue that will… Continue Reading NFL, Populous Get Creative With Logistics
Continue Reading NFL, Populous Get Creative With Logistics
Read Moreby Brad Weissberg | Oct 30, 2019 | Faces & Places, General, Pulse | 0
Lori Glover. (Courtesy Ruth Eckerd Hall) Lori Glover will leave her position as chief financial officer and vice president of finance for Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla., at the end of the year. Glover joined the venue in October 2012 as CFO. In 2014, she added VP of finance to her title. During her tenure, Glover oversaw the finances during the multiphase $19 million renovation project that included a new grand lobby with a six-lane grand entry, a new ticketing area and new live music locations. Before joining Ruth Eckerd Hall, Glover was CFO for the South County Family YMCA.
Continue Reading Glover leaving Ruth Eckerd Hall
Read Moreby Don Muret | Aug 15, 2019 | Arenas & Stadiums, General, Pulse | 0
Camping World Stadium, which received $208 million of work completed in 2014, will get $60 million more. (Courtesy Orlando Venues) Firm returns to Camping World Stadium for second set of renovations HNTB sports designers will get a second opportunity to reshape the fan experience at Camping World Stadium after Orlando officials selected the firm to design $60 million in renovations to the municipal venue. The project, to be funded by countywide tourism taxes, was approved earlier this month. It covers building potentially 5,000 new seats in the north end zone, including a variety of premium options; enclosing outdoor clubs along the sidelines; and upgrading concessions and restrooms on the terrace level, said Allen Johnson, chief venues officer in Orlando. HNTB designed $208 million in renovations to the 83-year-old stadium that were completed in 2014 to bring it up to par with newer facilities hosting college football and postseason bowl games. … Continue Reading HNTB Will Be Back on the Job in Orlando
Continue Reading HNTB Will Be Back on the Job in Orlando
Read Moreby Brad Weissberg | Jun 3, 2019 | Arenas & Stadiums, Regional Reports | 0
The heat was palpable for the 2018 Electric Daisy Carnival at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. (Calder Wilson / Insomniac Events) Sweet spots in the Sunshine State during a big year at the gate Amalie Arena, Tampa Kevin Preast, senior vice president of entertainment marketing How did you do last year? Great. It was one of our best years ever since opening the venue. We had a really diverse mix of events that were well attended. We were slightly down from 2018 — but that was our best year on record. Big shows Smashing Pumpkins, Panic at the Disco!, Def Leppard, Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, Barry Manilow, Winter Jam, Fleetwood Mac and Cirque du Soleil’s “Crystal.” Changes We installed a new taco stand, we added to our Corona Cantina and we’re getting ready to revamp our concessions (with concessionaire Delaware North) and open up the concourse to incorporate… Continue Reading Florida: The Circuit
Continue Reading Florida: The Circuit
Read Moreby Brad Weissberg | Jun 3, 2019 | Regional Reports | 0
Jaime Kelsall of the talent agency APA has been working in the Florida market for the last 18 years. APA clients include Judas Priest, Blondie, Mary J. Blige and Million Dollar Quartet. Tell me about the Florida market. It’s an extremely healthy market. It’s an extremely crowded market. It’s stable as far as attendance goes. It supports a number of different genres across the state. Does the market shift as you travel across the state? Absolutely. Certain genres will do better in different parts of the state. In Jacksonville, rock bands will do well; they won’t do as well in South Florida or Tampa, mostly because Jacksonville has active rock stations dominating the marketplace. Hip-hop will not do as well in Jacksonville as they will in Orlando. (Electronic dance music) is huge in South Florida and Miami but not in Pensacola, Tampa or Jacksonville. Florida is a huge state. Between… Continue Reading Q&A: Jaime Kelsall, Vice President of Concerts, APA
Continue Reading Q&A: Jaime Kelsall, Vice President of Concerts, APA
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