Walton Arts Center committee recommends purchase of Arkansas Music Pavilion
The expansion site for the new Walton Arts Center hasn’t been determined yet, but it appears as though the center might be acquiring a new Fayetteville venue in the meantime.
The WAC facilities committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to recommend to its board of directors that the organization purchase the Arkansas Music Pavilion.
Walton Arts Center CFO Tim Vogt said that discussions with current AMP co-owner Brian Crowne about the possibility of acquiring the 3,500-seat venue have been ongoing.
According to Vogt, the acquisition would allow the WAC to expand entertainment offerings, test the market on a larger venue, and increase ticket revenues.
“We need to begin to develop an audience base that might not be buying tickets now, but could become Walton Arts Center ticket buyers as we begin to move into a new hall and try to fill it,” Vogt said.
“We raise 45% of our budget through gifts and grants. We know if we are going to grow, we’ve got to expand our programming and presence, and we need to increase our earned income potential.”
Vogt said that WAC staff feels one of the keys to success is to make sure Crowne is under contract to continue to book and manage the venue.
“For this to work, we’d need a 3-5 year agreement with Brian,” he said. “He has basically taken a tent in a parking lot and made it more than that.”
Other keys to the purchase would be to secure a long term lease with the ownership of the Northwest Arkansas Mall, to identify cost-saving opportunities to integrate AMP operations with Walton Arts Center operations (ticketing, marketing, and administrative), and to continue to make both short term and long term improvements to the venue.
Vogt said the physical assets that would come with the purchase would be the tent, the chairs, the stage, and infrustrictural items like lighting and cabling.
Terri Trotter, chief operating officer for the arts center, reminded the committee that they would also get the AMP brand with the purchase.
Walton Arts Center CEO Peter Lane did not disclose the sale price of the venue to the facilities committee, but he did tell the group that if the sale were to go through, he hoped to make about $1 million in improvements to the facility, including adding more permanent structures for restrooms, concessions and dressing rooms.
Board chairman Jerry Vest moved to recommend the purchase to the full board of directors pending a review of the economic viability of the purchase by the finance committee.
If all goes smoothly, the AMP could be under Walton Arts Center ownership before next season.
Update: The WAC board approved the purchase of the AMP on Tuesday, Sept. 14. The final decision is contingent upon some research and negotiations.
[...] by what transpired during yesterday’s Walton Arts Center facilities committee meeting, these to-do posts could be getting a little more [...]
Hopefully the $1 million in improvements to the facility will include improved landscaping in regards to drainage issues. I was there for STS9 and the amount of water flooding through the tent was excessive, to say the least. Granted it rained a great deal in a short amount of time, but we were all standing in ankle deep water that was flowing through pretty quickly, so it was all headed somewhere.
That being said, I always have a good time at The AMP, even when there’s a river rushing through it.
I am one of the few who does not HATE the AMP. Granted, it is not ideal but once your in the gates, you have no idea your in the mall parking lot. The sound is solid. They should remove the chairs when the type of concert dictates it (STS9)
I assume after the AMP is purchased they will need to paint numbers on every parking space and install pay stations so revenue can be obtained and funneled back to building a parking deck for WAC on Dickson. Even tho the new one will be in Bentonville.
Somebody with some sense of management should buy this place; it’s about time. It has potential, but it is run so poorly. I swore I’d not go back until someone bought it and restored order. Thank you WAC, don’t screw this up.
@You Agreed. The rows and rows of chairs for STS9 were ridiculous. Even more so that they were latched together with plastic ties so moving them wasn’t even an option.
This is just another way for the WAC to control what happens in Fayetteville if/when they decide to build their new facilty away from the city. What better to way to stifle competition for ticketbuyers and financial support than to buy up the competition?
Another Fayetteville music venue has bit the dust. What will be the improvements besides charging for parking, rising ticket prices, and bringing more lame acts like Kenny Loggins and Amy Grant. Thanks for selling out Crowne. Next summer the AMP will be lame for us rednecks.
You guys are idiots in the first degree. Did you even read the article or did you start to foam at the mouth as soon as you read “Walton Arts Center” in the headline?
If the sale is made, Crowne is still responsible for directing the lineup and booking the bands. It’s right up there ^ in the article you didn’t read.
This is just ridiculous. The AMP is a terrible facility. Why Walton Arts would want to keep a guy around who hasn’t been successful in booking acts there is beyond me.
In the past years, it was much easier to see how poorly tickets were selling. You could easily go to their website and see how many tickets were available in each section. Unless they sold a ton of seats on the day of–most of the shows were lucky to have sold 500 or so.
Why doesn’t Walton Arts Center take advantage of ARVEST BALLPARK? It would make far more sense for them to book 8-10 shows a year in that un-used venue (except for games) instead of paying for a tent in a parking lot. Better concessions/ better parking/ better seating etc.
If they are going to buy the AMP, why don’t they move it to the PINNACLE HILLS MALL. The new Walton Arts Center will most likely be in Bentonville (unless they get someone else to pay for it). They should move it closer to the new Arts Center.
I rarely chime in on this stuff, but feel I should now. I have been passionate about live music for 20 years. 15 of which I spent as a full time musician. George’s Majestic Lounge and The Arkansas Music Pavilion are what they are because of the passion I have as well as the team of great folks around me. If this deal happens it will be exciting folks. I will continue to book the diverse line ups that hopefully has something for everyone in a season. Classic, edgy, country, red dirt, rock, electronic, jam,pop and more. Northwest Arkansas music fans have diverse taste and we will continue to cater to them at George’s and The AMP. This partnership will allow us to sustain and expand what we do if it happens. Stay tuned music lovers…you will be happy.
Best,
Brian Crowne
Owner / Operator
George’s Majestic
The Arkansas Music Pavilion
Brian, I respect you for your background and for what you have done with George’s and the AMP but I also believe you may be too trusting in making a deal with the WAC. They may indeed honor a 3-5 year deal but when the newness has worn off a Bentonville WAC facility it will be bad business for the WAC to continue to support a venue that will compete with it for ticket sales and financial support.
As Mr. Vogt himself said, they are looking to try and fill seats in the new hall. After a couple of years when the public has visited the new hall to see the building and make a society appearance, ticket sales will drop off and pressure to fill those seats will require a revisiting of your contract at some point. Filling a 2,3000 seat hall in Bentonville will mean no attractive events in Fayetteville in WAC controlled venues.
I realize that my comments may offend those who find them impolite or discourteous but the new WAC facility location decision is far too important to not speak plainly. The City of Fayetteville location proposal is by far the best offered but it still seems least likely to be chosen.
Daniel Maner– Even if the new WAC hall has been built in three to five years, I doubt that the newness will have worn off.
If the WAC really intends to improve the AMP facilities, and Mr. Crowne is in charge of programming, then it will be difficult for the WAC to eventually steal business from the AMP to fill a new hall at, I’ll bet, much higher ticket prices. If the AMP becomes more successful as a result of WAC ownership, then it wouldn’t make a lot of sense for the WAC to sabotage a revenue source that engages, according to the posts in various AMP-related threads, a large audience that would otherwise be unreachable to them.
[...] Walton Arts Center committee recommends purchase of Arkansas Music Pavilion – Fayetteville Flyer &…. [...]
Brian – you have a done a great job building the music scene back up in Fayetteville. I’ve noticed a huge difference in the amazing bands you’ve booked and am proud to live in a city with such diverse bands available in smaller venues (meaning a better experience). I’m from a larger city and when I tell people who still live there what bands are coming here they are a) blown away and b) jealous about the more intimate venues we have. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best.
Brian – Thank you for what you have done for our city. I was skeptical at first because I didn’t like some of the modernization of Georges, but you are clearly the best in town at getting good (and diverse) acts to come to our little corner of the world. I still haven’t made it out to the AMP, but I am regularly impressed with the caliber of musicians coming to Georges and the AMP and it is just a matter of time before there is a show there I can’t resist.
@David Franks- my point is that any improvements that the WAC would promise to make to the present AMP facility would be a small expense to them in order to buy and gain control of the venue. Any contract giving Mr. Crowne programming rights will be for naught if the AMP is closed down and we all know that can done easily. When the need arises and they can manipulate the situation to say that the Fayetteville AMP doesn’t fit into their plans they can close it down. If the WAC chooses to locate the new facility away from Fayetteville it will be clear that they do not have the NWA community’s best interests at heart, much less Fayetteville’s.
@Daniel, you are wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. Here are the stages they have/will have:
* 100 seat black box – McBride studio
* 300 seat – studio theatre at Nadine Baum
* 132 seat – Starr theatre
* 1201 seat – Baum Walker hall
plus coming with the expansion
* another 100 seat black box theatre
* a 600 seat dinner theatre
* a 2200 seat performance hall
if they choose Fayetteville’s proposal
* Bud Walton Arena 19,000 seats
* football stadium 70,000 seats
* 3500 seats if they buy the AMP
Now, the AMP isn’t able to be used as a theatre hall. You can really only do music or speakers there. So please explain to everyone how your comments aren’t idiotic and over-the-top. Explain to everyone what other venues in NWA are in competition with the AMP, or would be after the WAC expansion.
Daniel, I don’t know who at the WAC offended you in the past, but it seems obvious that it happened at some point. You insist on assuming that their management is, at best, making unsupportable promises, or at worst, lying. What’s the history there?
Back to topic: There is no reason why the AMP can’t become a venue that is managed by Brian Crowne and operated by the Walton Arts Center, bringing in the same kinds of diverse acts it has become popular for to date. And it’s ignorant to state that the acts that will eventually be presented in a new larger facility would be even slightly “threatened” by shows like Cross Canadian Ragweed or Brett Michaels playing at an outdoor venue. I mean, seriously?
Seems to me that your insistance that WAC keep everything they manage in Fayetteville exposes YOU as the one who doesn’t have NWA’s best interests at heart, not the WAC.
And, Daniel… your comment that filling a 2300 seat venue in B’ville would mean there would be nothing to put in the Fayetteville facility is just ignorant. The new facility would allow them to present shows they are currently UNABLE to present in NWA due to space restrictions. Shows that require larger stages, higher flies above the stage, bigger sound and light capability, or even just larger ticket revenue (i.e. more butts in seats) – those would be able to be contracted to NWA instead of having to pass. There are only so many days in a year, and there are shows at WAC almost year-round as it is. New space would mean more shows, not less.
Even with public and private subsidies the WAC has had a hard time making a go of it. And now the WAC board wants to take ownership of a losing venture (the AMP) and try to turn it around. Good luck. Given the WAC board’s track record they’re going to need it.
Fayetteville should keep its focus on the WAC on Dickson St and let the AMP take care of itself.
No more bailouts for rich people and special interests.
Ayn Randy–
Whaaaat? I had no idea that Brian Crowne is a rich person or a special interest. Not that your post makes any sense: even if this were a bailout, it would be the rich, special-interested WAC elites who would be doing the bailing.
Laurie- I support the WAC and have shown that support by buying tickets, making a cash contribution and making positive statements about it’s importance to the Fayetteville commmunity and it’s range of programming. What I do not support is the probable removal of the premier performing arts center of NWA from it’s longtime and only home in Fayetteville. That act and the insistence by the Walton Family Foundation that they want the new facilty to be built in Bentonville indicates to me that the WAC organization does not have Fayetteville’s best interests and so NWA’s best interests at heart. Removing the area’s major PAC from Fayettevile will have a negative economic impact and will reduce the entertainment options in the city.
What you see as ignorance on my part is what I see as naivety on your part. To think that an organization that has removed the premier performing arts center of the area from Fayetteville will show the same type of support for the second rate venue left is naive. The new facility will be the major focus of the WAC organzation and the pressure to fill those seats will come at the expense of any Fayetteville WAC controlled venue.
Daniel Maner–
At this time, only the Walton Family Foundation has shown that it doesn’t have the best interests of Fayetteville at heart. Although there is one person named Walton on the nineteen-member WAC Board of Directors (is he even one of the Waltons?), the WAC board and the WFF are two different organizations. And if enough donors step up to equal the possible contribution of the WFF, then the loss of WFF funding won’t really matter. (I seriously doubt that, despite their statement, the WFF will cease to fund an organization with their name on it, especially if it puts the naming of the premier venue at risk.) Further, even if the WAC expands elsewhere, the AMP and an expensive venue with high operating costs will not compete with each other. What if the improvements and the aegis of the WAC made the AMP so successful that the new facilities couldn’t accommodate AMP events? The AMP has already been shown to draw a significantly different audience form the concert hall, and it would be foolish of the WAC to kill a revenue source.
You write as if the decision to expand elsewhere has been made and the new concert hall has been built. Of course that might be true, if you’re talking about Bud Walton Arena.
David Franks,
It is true that I wil be very happily shocked if the City of Fayetteville proposal is chosen over the Bentonville proposal. The facts that the WAC and WFF are very closely associated, big money talks very loudly and the location criteria put out by the WAC seem slanted against a Fayetteville looation all lead to to believe that the location was chosen long ago and the process has been simply to gather support in Fayeteville for it.
I think the AMP will be a minor player in the WAC’s future plans and will be closed or moved to Benton County after the new facilty is built. A tent set up in the mall parking lot is not a venue that I can see the WAC wanting to represent their brand.
Never been to the amp, never a big fan of the mall parking lot.