http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....NT01/702140430
Wednesday, 02/14/07
Starwood closure is loss for music fans
2007 concerts canceled as venue targeted for sale
By RYAN UNDERWOOD
Staff Writer
Much to the chagrin of Jimmy Buffett's Parrotheads and other outdoor music groupies across the Midstate, concert venue Starwood Amphitheatre in Antioch has been shuttered and its 2007 season scrapped by parent company Live Nation.
The Los Angeles-based concert promoter and venue operator confirmed Tuesday that it had closed the 22-year-old, 65-acre concert grounds in anticipation of a likely sale of the property, prompting the elimination of "several" staff positions. Live Nation's Nashville office, which handles concert promotion in the area, was not affected.
Terms of the deal — which has not been finalized— were not disclosed. However, Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin confirmed Tuesday that the sale agreement was not with another entertainment company, suggesting that the land probably will go to a real estate developer.
The company also did not disclose an agreed-upon sale price for the property. City records indicated that the land is appraised at $5.75 million, though Wood Caldwell, a principal at Southeast Venture in Nashville, said a buyer probably paid more than that.
And contrary to a previous statement by Live Nation that Starwood's 2007 concert season would remain intact regardless of a potential sale, the company said that is no longer the case.
So far this season, Starwood had scheduled Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam on May 19 and Brad Paisley had announced a tour stop with Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift on Aug. 11. There has been no word yet on whether these concerts will be booked elsewhere.
Starwood, which grossed $4.6 million in ticket sales in 2006 according to Billboard, was one of four under-performing venues Live Nation listed for sale in January. The others were amphi theaters near Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; and Sacramento, Calif.
Opportunities on river?
Rod Essig, who heads the Nashville office of talent and booking agency Creative Artists Agency, said the city is likely to get bypassed in the short term by some concerts that schedule tours exclusively around amphitheaters.
"I think an awful lot of artists got started on that stage," Essig said. "And I think it's real sad for the music community that it's closing. But with the closing, I think maybe there are some new opportunities as well."
Essig pointed to a planned downtown minor-league baseball facility that could double as a suitable outdoor concert venue.
He also said the lack of competition from Starwood could prompt further investment on behalf of the city or a private company to beef up the concert facilities at Riverfront Park.
Ross Schilling, an artist manager at Nashville-based Vector Management who works with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr., said that with the demise of such summer events as Summer Lights and Dancin' in the District, coupled with Starwood's closure, it's time to bring concerts back downtown.
"I think there are some opportunities and ideas out there that might come more into play," Schilling said.
Venue had pros, cons
Whatever the future potential for other outdoor concert venues around Nashville, local music fans agree on at least two points about Starwood: It's a big loss for Nashville, and nobody will miss the facility's infamous traffic and parking situation.
Antioch resident Phyllis Reid Howard said that she had never missed a James Taylor or Rod Stewart appearance and that two concerts she saw there — the Eagles and Vince Gill — were the two best performances she'd ever seen.
"Bonnaroo is just too big and the (Gaylord Entertainment Center) is emotionless," Howard said after hearing Tuesday's news.
Kathy Armistead, who served as Starwood's director of marketing and sponsorship sales from 1991-96 and now works at William Morris Agency in Nashville, said she was "heartbroken."
Starwood "was such a summer tradition," Armistead said. "I'm sure many happy relationships were started there."
Linear Mode
