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The fingernail biting has subsided a bit now that fair managers are completing their talent rosters with rock and pop acts that traditionally wait until the last minute to confirm [...]

The shopping list for carnival people attending the International Assn. of Amusement Parks & Attractions Convention in Orlando is probably shorter than it has ever been, but that doesn't mean [...]

While amphitheaters may book the bulk of warm-weather shows, it will be just as hot indoors in the coming weeks, say managers of several Midwest buildings ranked in AB's list [...]

Nine of the 14 American League baseball franchises reported increases in season ticket sales this year compared with 1995 figures, according to statistics compiled through AB research. The Baltimore Orioles, [...]

Contrary to popular belief, there is competition in today's computerized ticket service industry. Ticketmaster is on the tips of everybody's tongues due to the Department of Justice's ongoing investigation into [...]

The 123rd Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto 'took a page out of the PNE's book' and came up with a live production that proved so successful the CNE plans to [...]

* Clear Channel Entertainment hired Karen Veitch of ICM as talent buyer for NBDL/Arena [...]

Pfizer Inc.'s Viagra is sponsoring Earth, Wind & Fire's 30th anniversary tour, starting Sept. 1 at National Car Rental Center, Sunrise, Fla. Free health checks are part of the [...]

PEORIA, Ill. -- As the shakeout continues in minor league hockey with teams folding and leagues merging, the East Coast Hockey League's Peoria Rivermen continue as a strong draw at [...]

* Pending contract negotiations, the former Micronpc.com Bowl game will relocate from Pro Player Stadium, Miami, to the Citrus Bowl, [...]

The East Coast Hockey League approved two relocations at its annual meeting. Hampton Roads, a dormant franchise last season after playing previously at Hampton (Va.) Coliseum, are now the Columbus [...]

Belkin Productions of Cleveland, at 36 years old one of the most established concert promoters in North America and among the last of the ever dwindling regional independents, was sold [...]

Amphitheaters Rule The Summer Tours, But Some Artists And Audiences Prefer A Roof Over Their Heads Arenas are doing their best to compete with amphitheaters for concert business during the [...]

SFX Entertainment reached agreement with Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Des Moines, Iowa, on a three-year booking exclusive that will hopefully carry over to the proposed $201 million, 16,000-seat arena that would [...]

The Beatles have yet to formulate their long-awaited reunion tour, but Front Row Productions, Wyckoff, N.J., is doing its best to satiate fans of the Fab Four. Front Row principle [...]

* Front Row Productions' new tour 'Walk Down Abbey Road - A Tribute to the Beatles' with Alan Parsons, John Entwhistle, Todd Rundgren and Ann Wilson starts June 15 at [...]

IF YOU NEED A PERFECT EXAMPLE of what's been going on lately in the live entertainment industry a microcosm of consolidation and the resulting fallout, look no further than Chicago. [...]

The fact SFX Entertainment did not have an Atlanta venue available for title sponsorship spelled good news for House of Blues Concerts, regarding the seven-year naming rights deal for the [...]

Dave Smalley, owner/operator of Spectrum Concessions, was pleasantly surprised at the food/drink numbers posted at the first three stops of the traveling NFL Experience -- St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis. [...]

$425,000 In Free Talent Helps Iowa State Fair Iowa State Fair Manager Marion Lucas strongly believes in the value of free entertainment. That's why he increased the talent budget for [...]

SBC Communications' 20 year, $41 million title sponsorship of the San Antonio Spurs' new arena coincides with another 20-year marketing deal worth $5 million for the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. [...]

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. -- The weather was cooperative and help was good for the first three dates of the 2000 season for Skinners' Amusements. This is the 90th year for the [...]

Boasting Great Tours, Great Sports And The Buildings To Put Them In Record-setting crowds and new facilities have become a familiar sight in the Great Lakes region as a strong [...]

'IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT?' responded special event maven Gary Jacob, when told SFX had entered yet another segment of live entertainment. Now, it's the festival field, with Rib America. Jacob [...]

SFX Entertainment has knocked down yet another door in the industry, entering the rib festival business. The branded Rib America tour starts this summer with four-day events in metro Detroit [...]

Jim Tucker, general counsel for the past 18 years for the International Assn. of Fairs & Expositions in Springfield, Mo., will succeed Lewis Miller as executive vice president and general [...]

The new Cook County Fair, originally planned for late June at Chicago Motor Speedway in Cicero, Ill., has been postponed until summer 2001, when officials hope to receive state funding [...]

ST. CHARLES, III. -- Windy City Amusements' first unit began the outdoor season at Charlestowne Mall here, setting up 22 rides for the April 20-30 'Spring Fling.' This was the [...]

AFTER TORNADO WRECKS SHOW The carnival industry displayed its true colors in rallying to the aid of Toby's Carnival of Arma, Kan. The medium-sized show had 14 rides destroyed or [...]

There are still questions to be answered after the recent consolidation in venue and foodservice management, with Aramark buying Ogden Entertainment and SMG purchasing Leisure Management International (AB, April 3). [...]

What is described as 'America's first indoor snowboard event' will hit metro Chicago Aug. 26 at Allstate Arena or United Center, said Producer Dan Hirsch of On Board Entertainment, Sausalito, [...]

Philadelphia's First Union Center and concessionaire Aramark 'couldn't have asked for better match-ups' during the NCAA Women's Final Four in basketball, according to John Page, the venue's senior VP/GM. As [...]

Dennis DeYoung is back in the spotlight, but not with Styx. The lead singer for one of the top rock bands of the 1970s and '80s performed a Feb. 12 [...]

Aramark purchased Ogden Entertainment's venue and foodservice management divisions for $236 million, consisting of cash and the assumption of about $11 million in debt. The deal had been in the [...]

GIBSONTON, Fla. -- Thirteen is now a lucky number for Smith's Amusements of Stratford, Iowa. That's how long the carnival has been in existence. Owner/operators are Steve and Vicki Smith. [...]

GIBSONTON, Fla. -- Kenny and Anna Hayward's Wabash Valley Shows of Plainfield, Ind., begins its 42nd season in 2000. The mid-size carnival starts in April and ends in September. 'Last [...]

Volume Services America, already with a commanding presence in the Twin Cities market, finalized a three-year food concession contract (AB, Nov. 15, 1999) with St. Paul (Minn.) Arena, opening in [...]

The retro rock package of Styx, featuring new lead singer Lawrence Gowan, and REO Speedwagon, plans to play 85 dates this year at arenas, amphitheaters, fairs and festivals. A third [...]

With a state-wide population of just more than 600,000 spread out over a similar number of square miles, one might expect a dearth of entertainment options. But the geographically largest [...]

A poll of facility managers and promoters reveals the general consensus that Clear Channel Communications' acquisition of SFX Entertainment last week for $3.3 billion in stock and $1.1 billion in [...]

The 2000 Arena Football League season was saved after team owners agreed to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with a union representing the majority of players. AFL officials earlier announced [...]

HAS SEVEN UNITS OF FOOD AND GAMES GIBSONTON, Fla. -- Solem Amusements Inc. already has seven units of food and games, employing 200 people throughout the season at several of [...]

TAMPA -- For the second straight year, the Florida State Fair compiled record attendance since officials began tabulating realistic numbers. The 2000 tally was 545,202, an increase of 6% over [...]

Walt Disney Co. is no longer involved with managing the 80-year-old Chicago Theatre now that the Chicago Assn. for the Performing Arts became the primary leaseholder effective Feb. 1. CAPA, [...]

The Red Hot Chili Peppers/Foo Fighters spring 2000 tour of 27 arenas is red-hot indeed, with several buildings reporting near capacity after the initial on-sale the last weekend of January. [...]

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Skinner's Amusements of Crystal Lake, Ill., is about as old as the past century. The carnival enters its 90th season, as noted on their new show dress [...]

For the ninth consecutive year, Conklin Shows is No. 1 among carnivals playing the top 50 fairs in North America. Conklin entertained 7.2 million at eight of those events. For [...]

The State Fair of Texas, Dallas, is overwhelmingly the fair of the decade by virtue of compiling 34 million in attendance from 1990-99. In 1989, Texas extended its fair to [...]

The Arena Football League received a huge shot in the arm marketing-wise with the announcement of a three-year TV contract signed with TNN, ESPN, espn2 and ABC Sports. Effective with [...]

Everything came together for Western Fair, London, Ont., this year in posting attendance of 288,597. That represented a 14% increase above the 1998 figure. Dates were Sept. 10-19. The theme [...]