Koka Numbers

The City of Cary, N.C., has renewed a contract with SMG to manage the Koka Booth Amphitheatre and, in the process, made public the financial details of the shed.

For instance, the town granted a $222,437 subsidy to cover a revenue gap last year, according to the Cary News, with about $140,225 unused, representing “a banner year for the facility” according to a town staff report.

SMG was credited with putting the tourniquet on some of the spending, asking the city to discontinue the money-losing TinselTown event.

Concerts generated $90,000 more than expected, the paper said. It was the first year Cary worked with Outback Concerts, following a contract with Live Nation. Programs like the city’s Summerfest and Movies by Moonlight also fared better than expected.