NY Fair Hires New Promoter

The New York State Fair, which searched for a new promoter after receiving bad press because of a no-bid contract with Live Nation, has picked its next buyer.

The 2009 state fair will be handled by fair buyer David Snowden and his team at Triangle Talent in Louisville, Ky. The state will pay Triangle “significantly less” than it paid Live Nation Worldwide in 2008, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard, but officials declined to disclose the amount until the state comptroller and attorney general approved the contract.

All parties agreed Live Nation did a great job, bringing in acts like Jonas Brothers and Rascal Flatts in 2008 and selling more hard concert tickets at the fair than in any other season.

LN offered the same rate for next year – $6.50 per concert ticket sold – as it was paid in 2008, a Live Nation exec told the Post-Standard.

But the fair faced media scrutiny for awarding the original contract without competitive bidding. It ultimately was decided that LN would not be accepted as a potential promoter when the fair’s organizer, the State Department of Agriculture & Markets, issued Requests for Proposals for booking next year’s season.

New York-based Metropolitan Entertainment, helmed by John Scher, said it did not submit an RFP.