The St. Johns County Commission voted Tuesday to transition management of the St. Augustine Amphitheatre from the local government to a local nonprofit - seeing that it was the best way to maximize profit and keep up its successful operation. This change also applies to the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
Dylan Rumrell, vice chair of the Amp and PV Concert Hall Advisory Committee told News4JAX, "They are beating out places like Red Rocks, the Hollywood Bowl, things like that. So it’s not what was wrong, it’s what can make better best."
How can you make the number one ranked amphitheatre in the US and number two in the world better? The committee believes it wasn't living up to its full potential - government regulations actually slowed operations down! Rumrell explains, "So, when a legal contract needs to be reviewed quickly in order to secure Willie Nelson or another band to come in, and it takes eight to 10 to 15 days to respond. We lose that act."
Having worked with booking agents myself, and being in the music industry itself, I can tell you that it is a fast-paced business. For many in the industry, "working hours" are 24/7!
More information about this changed, including what that means for current workers and music fans, can be found on News4JAX.