Corpus Christi Concert Debate

The American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, will begin hosting outdoor concerts this spring to keep the income flowing but one area businessman sees the move as unfair competition.

The newly christened Shoreline Amphitheatre, on the south side of the SMG-managed facility, will host Pat Green & Friends March 13 as its first concert.

The area can reportedly accommodate up to 12,000 concertgoers but will be limited to 6,000 for the inaugural show.
Venue GM Marc Solis said in a statement the city-owned shed gives touring acts another option in case the 9,000-capacity arena is booked with other events.

“Our purpose in creating the Shoreline Amphitheatre is to cater to every artist that knocks on our door,” Solis told Pollstar. “If the arena is booked or their production / tour is designed to play outdoors … we want to make sure we come through and deliver with our first-class service.”

Solis said the plan is to host about four concerts a year at the most, and only when necessary.

However, the outdoor concert plan puts Shoreline Amphitheater in direct competition with the city’s 10,000-capacity Concrete Street Amphitheatre, which is to host a spring break concert with Randy Rogers Band, Aaron Watson and Eli Young Band March 20.

Concrete Street owner Bill Durrill told Pollstar he doesn’t think American Bank Center should be competing for business with the private sector.

“They have taken it upon themselves, without any mandate from city management that I’m aware of, to start having outdoor concerts that competes directly with my business,” Durrill said. “That’s fine with competitors in the private sector but when my own property taxes and sales taxes are being used to hurt me, I have a very big problem with that.”

Solis said Durrill’s concerns are unwarranted.

“We are certainly not trying to break into the outdoor concert business in our community,” he said. “We simply want to do our best to keep from missing out on any revenue-generating opportunities.”