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Oak View Group (OVG) has added another arena project to its portfolio, having signed a 22-year contract to operate and manage a new venue in the City of Mobile in Alabama.
As the demolition of the outdated Mobile Civic Center enters its final phases, the city is teaming up with OVG to build and operate a 10,000-capacity replacement on the same property.
Based on current designs, the demolition of the current Civic Center site and construction of a new arena is projected to cost around $300 million.
It will be financed through cash contributions from the City, project partners, sponsorship opportunities, strategic borrowing through the bond market and other funding sources. As part of the agreement, OVG will contribute $15m to the construction of the new arena and establish a dedicated capital improvement fund for ongoing maintenance at the facility.
The city has previously engaged OVG to manage two other downtown venues: the Arthur Outlaw Convention Center and the historic Saenger Theater.
“Together, we’re building something that will serve Mobile for decades to come”
“We’re thrilled to take the next step in our partnership with the City of Mobile as we move forward with plans for the new Mobile Arena,” said Peter Luukko, co-chairman, OVG360. “Together, we’re setting the stage for unforgettable live experiences including music, sports and family shows. The possibilities are endless for this deserving community.”
In addition to concerts and live performances, the new civic arena will be built to host professional ice hockey, with a minor league team being targeted, along with ice skating performances and youth, collegiate and professional sporting events. It will also be ‘uniquely designed’ to accommodate Mardi Gras balls and other longstanding local events.
“This arena will be a generational investment in our city that will enhance the quality of life for Mobilians and attract visitors from across the region,” Mobile mayor Sandy Stimpson said in a statement. “Oak View Group is an industry leader with the experience and partnerships to turn this new venue into a hub for entertainment, culture, and community on the Gulf Coast. Together, we’re building something that will serve Mobile for decades to come, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
Peter Luukko, co-chairman of OVG360, adds: “Together, we’re setting the stage for unforgettable live experiences including music, sports and family shows. The possibilities are endless for this deserving community.”
Construction of the new arena is planned to begin in March, with the venue scheduled to be completed in early 2027.
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C3 Presents plans to launch a new two-day festival in Huntsville, Alabama, this September.
South Star festival will debut between 28–29 September at John Hunt Park, also known as the ‘Central Park’ of Huntsville.
Huntsville hasn’t hosted a large-scale music festival since the Big Spring Jam in 2011, which brought artists including Destiny’s Child, Taylor Swift and Wilco to the city.
“This a win-win for Huntsville as well as the region,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “This is a great opportunity to work with a world-class festival producer to bring a world-class event to a world-class park. We can’t wait to see the lineup.”
Huntsville hasn’t hosted a large-scale music festival since the Big Spring Jam in 2011
While the lineup is yet to be announced, social media posts promise punters “nostalgic pop & rock anthems” and C3 Presents’ Ted Heinig told local press that South Star could be compared to the promoter’s Shakey Knees festival, which this year features the Foo Fighters, Bill Idol, Queens of the Stone Age and Arcade Fire.
“Festivals that are really successful right now are focused top-to-bottom and they’re super-serving their fans with all of the artists they like,” Heinig told AL.com.
The C3 Presents festival director has also addressed South Star’s clash with two highly anticipated college football games, adding “We have a strategy to blend football with the music”.
“SEC country takes football season seriously and so do we. Post up with a beer, good eats and friends to watch the big games at our giant sports bar,” reads a section of the website.
C3 Presents’ festival portfolio also includes Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, as well as newer offerings Minnesota Yacht Club, Sick New World and Two Step Inn.
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An Alabama venue has cancelled a concert by guitarist Ted Nugent following an outcry over the American singer’s political views.
The self-styled “political firebrand” was slated to perform at the Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham on 18 July as part of his farewell tour, Adios Mofo.
However, the 2,000-cap venue and promoter Red Mountain Entertainment have pulled the show just days after it was announced after receiving a torrent of criticism for the booking.
“We have heard the concerns of the Avondale community”
AL.com describes Nugent, who performed at a Trump rally in Waco, Texas, earlier this year, as “an outspoken advocate for hunting and gun ownership rights and an equally ardent opponent of animal rights”. He has also faced accusations of homophobia, transphobia and misogyny.
“We have heard the concerns of the Avondale community, which is so important to us, and in conjunction with our partners, have taken the necessary steps to cancel the Ted Nugent concert scheduled for July 18,” writes the venue on Instagram Stories.
In response to the cancellation, the Michigan-born 74-year-old posted a link to the AL.com article on his Facebook page, adding: “Liars & haters drunk on stupid incapable to debate me.”
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Live Nation has acquired a majority stake in Red Mountain Entertainment, a regional concert and festival promoter headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
Red Nation’s core concert business books shows into venues of all sizes across the south-eastern United States, including the Wharf Amphitheater (10,000-cap.), Tuscaloosa Amphitheater (7,470-cap.) and Iron City (1,300-cap.) in Alabama, and the Brandon Amphitheater (8,300-cap.) in Mississippi, exclusively. Past shows include the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Kings of Leon, Rod Stewart, Fall Out Boy, Twenty One Pilots, John Mayor and G-Eazy.
It is also involved in the production of several music festivals, including Sloss Music & Arts Festival in Birmingham, which it co-owns with AC Entertainment (also a Live Nation company) and VMI, and exclusively books Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee, and Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival in Richardson, Texas.
“From day one, our goal at Red Mountain has always been to bring fans’ favourite artists to town,” says company president Gary Weinberger.
“They are just terrific people who have built a tremendous concert business”
“As we took on bigger venues, talent and events across the south-east, we always stayed true to that mission, which is why we were excited about the opportunity to work with Live Nation.
“As part of Live Nation, with my partners Jay Wilson, John Ruffino and our team, we look forward to bringing countless more shows and festivals to fans across the south-east.”
The deal is the concert giant’s ninth acquisition or equivalent this year, with its majority takeover of Texas’s ScoreMore Shows in May the most recent.
“I have had the great privilege to have known Gary, Jay and John for many years now, and they are just terrific people who have built a tremendous concert business,” says Bob Roux, president of US Concerts at Live Nation. “Given their entrepreneurial approach to business, their personal relationships and their tireless work ethic, they will continue to grow and accomplish even more as we work alongside one another at Live Nation.”
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