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AEG Announces New Agreement With Detroit’s Masonic Temple Association
Masonic Temple Theatre – Masonic Temple Theatre
AEG Presents announced a new agreement Thursday with The Masonic Temple Association of Detroit that gave the concert promoter exclusive operating and booking rights for The Masonic Temple Theatre and Cathedral Theatre.
Both theaters are located within the Detroit Masonic Temple, which opened in 1926 and is the largest Masonic Temple in the world. The Masonic Temple Theatre holds 4,400, while the Cathedral Theatre holds 1,586.
The new agreement builds on a pre-existing relationship between AEG and the Masonic Temple established in 2013. In recent years, AEG has booked and promoted performances by artists including Jack White, Lana Del Rey, The Killers and Bassnectar at the venue.
In addition to operating and booking rights, AEG Presents has committed $2 million to “restoration and renovations to be spent in the first two years of the partnership that will enhance the venue experience for both artist and fan,” according to a press release.
“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with the Masonic Temple and their incredible theatres which continue to play an important role in Detroit’s live music scene,” said Rick Mueller, President, AEG Presents North America, in a statement.
“Our financial investment will enable us to restore some of the Temple’s most historic features and allow us to upgrade elements such as the sound and lighting systems to further improve the experience for our guests.”
Added Masonic Temple Association President Roger Sobran: “We are honored and excited to be a part of the AEG Presents family. While we have worked with them for years, we are happy to broaden that relationship and work with AEG Presents more exclusively to make these two venues even more special.”
Recent box office highlights at the Masonic Temple Theatre include Odesza, who sold 4,868 tickets and grossed $270,712 on Nov. 14, 2017, and The Killers, who sold 4,949 tickets and grossed $358,930 on Jan. 15, 2018.
The Cathedral Theatre, christened the Jack White Theater on the Masonic’s website, after native son and rock luminary Jack White, hosted artists including Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds and Thom Yorke in 2018.
In Detroit, AEG also has an exclusive booking agreement with Detroit’s 1,100-capacity Majestic Theatre – which embarked on a $1 million renovation last year — and stages the Mo Pop Festival, which will take place this year on July 27-28 with headliners Tame Impala and Vampire Weekend. AEG also operates the Royal Oak Music Theatre, a 2,000-capacity venue in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, Mich.