Thornton Joins Live Nation’s New Division

Creston Thornton has sold CTTouring, the company he started five years ago in Boise, Idaho, to Live Nation and becomes president of its new Mountain Region booking Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and eastern Washington.

With the sale, exclusive contracts and agreements with venues including Eagle River Amphitheatre and CenturyLink Arena are inherited by Live Nation.

Thornton retains ownership of the 2,200-capacity Revolution Concert House & Event Center in Garden City, Idaho.

Pollstar – Creston Thornton

Thornton started CTTouring in 2012 to fill a void in the Northwest after the sale of his previous company, Bravo Entertainment, to Knitting Factory. He started Bravo more than 23 years ago with then-partner Bill Silva, whom Thornton rejoins at Live Nation given Silva’s role with the Hollywood Bowl.

“It’s a good thing,” Thornton said of the sale and his new job. “It’s developing the Northwest. I’d been back into it with the Revolution for five years, and we started CTTouring at the same time. It grew really quickly and we became really competitive.

“I’ve been working with [Live Nation Northwest President] Jeff Trisler for years and he brought it up. He wanted to concentrate on Seattle and Portland, Ore., and asked if I’d be interested in heading up a new division and really concentrate on the stuff I’ve done now for 24 years. It kind of rolled from there,” Thornton told Pollstar.

“It’s a change for me. But the access Live Nation provides and working with [co-President of North American Touring] Bob Roux and [President/CEO] Michael Rapino and everybody – there’s so much stuff they are doing and it’s growing so fast. I’m bringing my employees with me, so it’s cool,” he said.

Thornton said he will be working with the Live Nation’s national touring department to bring artists to the area that may have skipped it before.

“Creston fills a gap that will help Live Nation expand in the region,” Roux said. “The northwest is one of the fastest growing live entertainment markets in the country and Creston’s expertise will be valuable in maximizing our opportunity there.”

Thornton’s new email address is [email protected] and he can be reached by phone at (208) 938-2933.