Features
Times Union Center Cancels Grand Re-Opening Celebration, Blaming Promoter
– Times Union Center
The Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., will have to wait to commemorate its multimillion-dollar renovation because it has called off its Jan. 26 gala celebration concert featuring John Legend and James Taylor, claiming that promoter Metropolitan Entertainment Consulting failed to pay the deposit.
“This I something that was caused beyond our control. They failed to come up with the funding to meet obligations,” venue general manager Bob Belber of SMG told the local Times Union newspaper, adding that he was personally very disappointed.
Belber acknowledged that the venue was co-promoting the show in a small capacity, but noted that SMG couldn’t risk losing money on behalf of arena owner Albany Country by becoming the sole promoter.
That being said, he told the paper that the concert wasn’t canceled because of low ticket sales. Roughly 6,000 out of 16,000 seats had been sold for the event that was supposed to be hosted by Jim Belushi and feature singer/songwriter Moriah Formica, contestant on “The Voice.”
Belber wasn’t immediately available to speak when Pollstar reached out to the venue earlier today.
When Metropolitan Entertainment was asked for comment, the company released the following statement, attributed to company president John Scher:
“We’ve been successfully promoting shows throughout the Northeast for over 35 years including many in the Albany area. Unfortunately, performances often get cancelled for any number of reasons. In this case there were just untenable issues that could not be overcome. In fact, the venue was a full partner on this event and the show was canceled without our input. We wish the Times Union Center the best with their renovations and look forward to continuing to work together. It has certainly come a long way since we presented Frank Sinatra on the opening night of the Knickerbocker Arena 28 years ago.”
As Scher pointed out, Metropolitan Entertainment was the promoter behind the Times Union Center’s 1990 grand opening, when it was known as Knickerbocker Arena.
The long-running company promoted the Nov. 11 A Perfect Circle concert at Times Union Center, featuring support from The Beta Machine. The show sold 3,462 tickets (48 percent capacity) and grossed $216,962, according to a box office reported submitted to Pollstar.
The Times Union Center’s $19.8 million renovation, which was funded through bonds, included updates to the bathrooms and the addition of LED screens to the arena’s façade, according to the paper. An announcement from the venue notes that upgrades to the building’s atrium are complete and renovations are ongoing for the concessions, suites and sports bar.
The venue plans on rescheduling the gala celebration concert for another date this year. A portion of the proceeds were going to be donated to the Pediatric Emergency Center at Albany Medical Center.