Greek Decision Delayed - Pollstar News

A decision whether to have the City of Los Angeles operate the iconic Greek Theatre without the help of an outside management company was delayed March 3 when an L.A. Recreation and Parks Commission meeting that was to consider the question failed to reach quorum.

The vote was rescheduled to the commission’s March 19 meeting.

Los Angeles City Council voted Feb. 11 “not to concur” with the commission’s recommendation that Live Nation be awarded a concessions contract to operate the Greek, which has been run for the better of some 30 years by Nederlander Concerts.

So far, the commission is being asked to cancel the bidding process – in which Live Nation and a partnership of Nederlander and AEG were contenders – and return proposal deposits to the bidders, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

The decision kicked the issue back to Recreation and Parks, which could either restart the bidding process or make another proposal – which commission officials have.

Officials now propose the city operate the Greek, pointing the example of Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the City of Denver.

Parks department officials suggest the city could run the Greek as an “open” venue, allowing the city to control the concert calendar and “eliminate the middleman” for providing food and beverage concessions and parking, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Concert promoters would still produce concerts and bear the risk, according to a report obtained by the Times.

Red Rocks spokesman Brian Kitts told the Times that the venue generated some $18 million in gross revenue in 2014 with a “small portion” of the money going to maintain a surrounding park.

Critics of the idea say the models are an apples-and-oranges comparison, however. And there are concerns afoot that Live Nation may already be lawyering up to challenge any decision that doesn’t include it as the Greek’s operator.

Nederlander Concerts CEO Alex Hodges issued a statement, reiterating that Nederlander/AEG were pleased the previous decision to award the contract to Live Nation appeared to be “set aside,” according to the Times.

“While we are confident that we are the best possible operator for the Greek, we also look forward to cooperatively working with the city as it considers the next options available for the venue,” Hodges said.

Nederlander’s current contract to operate the Greek Theatre ends in September. Some City Council members reportedly have urged the contract be extended an additional year while the city reopens the search process.

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