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Washington Amphitheatre Ends Concerts To Focus On Wine Business
Courtesy BottleRock Napa Valley – Ben Harper
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals perform at BottleRock Napa Valley at Napa Valley Exposition in California May 27.
Representatives of Maryhill Winery Amphitheater in Goldendale, Wash., announced the 5,000-capacity venue will no longer host summer concerts after 2018.
The announcement came July 2, with owner Craig Leuthold explaining the winery’s new tasting room at Kendall Yards in Spokane has been highly successful and he and his wife wish to focus on the wine business.
“The dynamics of the concert business have changed significantly since we started this series 15 years ago,” Leuthold said in a statement. “There are a lot more outdoor venues and casinos all competing for great musical talent. Our wine business continues to grow aggressively, and we need to concentrate our efforts on our core business of producing and selling high-quality wines.”
Maryhill is continuing its Terrace Music series at Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash., and Leuthold said the winery is contemplating future use of the amphitheater space.
The last show scheduled at Maryhill is Aug. 25 with Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite. The venue recently hosted Michael Franti June 17, Chris Isaak June 16, and Dylan Hathaway May 26.