The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fulton venue fight likely
Some leaders back private management at Wolf Creek. Patience needed, commissioner says.
A battle could be brewing over control of Wolf Creek Amphitheater, Fulton County’s taxpayer-funded outdoor concert venue, which cost almost $7 million and has been open more than a year. Its prospects of becoming selfsupporting are in question, and some county leaders have seen enough.
The county canceled a show last week because it sold only 215 tickets for the 5,400-capacity facility. It spent more than $18,000 on advertising and is trying to recoup what it spent on unaired radio ads.
Documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through an open records request show county employees discussed obscuring the reasons for nixing the show, to avoid bad press. The county’s news release didn’t say why the show wouldn’t go on, but a county spokeswoman confirmed poor ticket sales were the reason.
Some Fulton leaders say it’s time to change course. At least three commissioners say the county needs to pull out of the suburban stage business.
The amphitheater, off Camp Creek Parkway west of I285, is geared to south Fulton residents but paid for by taxpayers countywide. This year the commission allocated $300,000 for Wolf Creek to stage and market shows. Another $52,600 was allotted for a full-time coordinator to talk to promoters.
Documents show the amphitheater has already used
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up about $93,000 of that, including nearly half of its advertising budget.
“If we can’t do it ourselves,” north Fulton Commissioner Liz Hausmann said, “then we should be looking for a private company.”
They may not find one. Experts say it’s unlikely any private managers would take such a financial risk in a crowded, cutthroat market. Live Nation, the area’s biggest power player, wasn’t interested.
South Fulton Commissioner Bill Edwards, the amphitheater’s longtime champion, says its schedule will fill up, and he’s asking for patience.
Sandra Ward, Wolf Creek’s recently hired entertainment coordinator, said a jazz show is scheduled Aug. 4, headlined by singer Michael Franks and South African guitarist Jonathan Butler. A 1970s R&B/soul show has been set for Sept. 15, with the Whispers, the Stylistics, the Manhattans and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes.
More concerts are in the works, Ward said, including one Sept. 1 with “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino.
The amphitheater was built over the objections of Hausmann’s predecessor, state Rep. Lynne Riley, R-Johns Creek, who said a 2005 feasibility study predicting profits within three years needed to be updated in light of new economic realities.
A nearly sold-out New Edition concert last month — part of the promoter-driven, twoday Funk Fest, the only event this year — gave hope that Wolf Creek could be taking off. Edwards said it earned $68,000 for the county, $28,000 more than projected.
But paltry ticket sales led the county to pull the plug on what would have been the second offering, a concert scheduled Saturday headlined by R&B singer Angie Stone. A news release said the show will be rescheduled.
Documents obtained by the AJC show the county spent $21,000 on Stone and other acts. Spokeswoman Ericka Davis said that money won’t be lost, because they’ll perform later.
In the days leading up to the announcement, some didn’t want to disclose poor sales were the reason, citing the wishes of Stone’s booking agency, email exchanges show.
Her agency “may want to make a different statement other than low ticket sales,” Ward wrote to Lisa Rushin, an assistant to County Manager Zachary Williams, on Tuesday, “so I need to speak with her/them first. Commissioner does not want any bad press on this cancellation & would rather say the date had to be moved but allow refunds.”
“It’s obvious that the county can’t keep putting money into it if it’s not yielding results.” Tom Lowe Fulton County commissioner
Ward says that was a misstatement and she never spoke to Edwards about how to announce the decision. Edwards said, “My position has always been this: Make good business decisions.”
Industry experts and other venue operators say it’s past the time of year for booking the kind of talent that could fill a 5,400-capacity venue. None of the acts Ward named are considered top sellers.
“You’re competing against major players,” said Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of Pollstar Magazine. “Live Nation’s going to try and steer as much as they can to their venues, and they have a lot of buying power.”
Fulton Commission Chairman John Eaves said he’s not sure what the problem is with Wolf Creek, but he believes it can be turned around with help from a private operator.
“It’s becoming more and more apparent to me that we have to look at some kind of public-private partnership,” Eaves said.
Fulton Commissioner Tom Lowe, who has a shooting range named after him near the amphitheater on Merk Road, said Wolf Creek’s biggest drawback is its location.
“There’s people that can’t find Merk Road,” Lowe said. “It’s obvious that the county can’t keep putting money into it if it’s not yielding results. If it means private management, we need to take those steps.”
Outdoor venues in Fayetteville and Peachtree City languished in the red for years during the recession. Their managers expect to come into the black this year — not because business has improved, but through such measures as slashing ticket prices, cutting down on shows and scaling back on personnel. Cobb County converted its Mable House Barnes Amphitheater to a rental facility after losing $4 million.
To help boost its bottom line, Fayetteville’s 1,500-capacity amphitheater the Villages has been renamed the Southern Ground Amphitheater in a partnership with country rocker Zac Brown. Brown will perform an annual benefit concert for a children’s camp, with a portion of the profits going to Main Street, which runs the venue, according to director Brian Wismer.
Hausmann said she’ll ask the county manager to look into outsourcing Wolf Creek.
“It could be a real positive asset for the county,” she said. “I hate to see it go to waste.”