CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - VenuWorks, the company that operates the U.S. Cellular Center, is trying to bring back live events to Cedar Rapids, following months of canceled or postponed concerts due to the pandemic.
Filling the U.S. Cellular Center with thousands of people for a concert is still a distant goal, but in the meantime, local bands will bring their music to the space.
“We don’t want to just sit back and wait for things to get better. We are really focused on adapting and pivoting our business model to meet the new conditions,” Michael Silva, executive director of VenuWorks, said.
VenuWorks put together a plan to meet those new conditions. They are easing into reopening with “Live at the 5,” a weekly concert series that will feature local bands inside the U.S Cellular Center.
“Let’s give those local bands a place to play again and get back out and give our residents something to do,” Silva said.
Silva said there are some new realities when heading to a concert, like no more mosh pits, designated socially-distant seating, and masks. Those will be required in line, at concession stands and anywhere else, besides while seated.
“We know that it’s going to be hard to drink a beer or sing along with the band wearing a mask, so we have made allowances for that,” Silva said.
In 2019, VenuWorks event spaces brought in nearly $50 million dollars in total visitor spending to Cedar Rapids. That economic boost is something that organizers hope is kick-started again with “Live at the 5.”
“We know that, in past years, if there was an event at the U.S. Cellular Center, you could not get into the downtown restaurants,” Silva said. “We want to get back to those days to continue to bring people downtown, into the restaurants into the garages and just out.”
The space can hold up to 2,000 people, but Silva said they’ll cap this series at 400.
“There are other little things that we are still trying to figure out as far as, if you reserve a table, where are they going to sit?” Silva said. “So, we’re excited to start it off on a smaller scale and this will really refine and define our operations going into the amphitheater season that’ll really start up in earnest in August.”
Tickets for “Live at the 5” are $5. More information can be found here.
Copyright 2020 KCRG. All rights reserved.
"local" - Google News
July 22, 2020 at 06:59AM
https://ift.tt/32IHVOP
VenuWorks, US Cellular Center easing into reopening with local concert series - KCRG
"local" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2WoMCc3
https://ift.tt/2KVQLik
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "VenuWorks, US Cellular Center easing into reopening with local concert series - KCRG"
Post a Comment