Indie Concert & Event Promoters Offer New Business Models in Atlantic City, Ventnor & Wildwood

wildwood beach concert
2016 Wildwood Beach Concert

Summer 2017 is around the corner and Atlantic City has yet to announce any beach concerts. Not a good sign for a town that bills itself as the ‘entertainment capital of east coast’.

Why no concert announcements? Most likely, no money in the CRDA budget for Live Nation, the concert promoter that requires a massive, upfront payment of $330,000 to put on a show.

Does Atlantic City (and Ventnor, Wildwood, etc) really need to bankroll a majority of local summer events? No. Not really.

It’s a new, yet old way, of financing summertime entertainment at the Jersey shore. Time to go back…. old school. No longer should a city blow a million dollar budget for shows and events. Screw that. Get the promoter & sponsors to pay the freight. Smart.

Amanda Thomas of Boardwalk Entertainment
Amanda Thomas

Amanda Thomas is one such promoter that doesn’t put a price tag on her events. That’s not the way this 24 yr old from Ocean City rolls.

In 2016, Amanda Thomas & Boardwalk Entertainment created the Celebrate America Weekend in Wildwood which included a July 4th concert with Tim McGraw.

Amanda says shore towns like Atlantic City, Ventnor & Wildwood don’t need big budgets for summer entertainment & events. The promoter should take care of all that stuff.

Amanda smartly gets investors, sponsors, vendors and consumers to pony up for everything….bands, advertising, clean-up, insurance, security, everything. The city just kicks back and gets a check, a free show, and tons of marketing for their seashore destination. Sweet.

On the other hand, mega-promoters like Live Nation probably don’t like hearing that. They prefer hefty upfront payments from the CRDA to put on a show on the beaches of Atlantic City. Can ya blame them?

Listen to ACprimetime Interview with Amanda Thomas of Boardwalk Entertainment

Some don’t like concert competition in Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore.

Why does Atlantic City and the CRDA, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority pay big bucks to promoters? Maybe the CRDA isn’t very savvy in negotiations? Got fed a load of you-know-what from those slicksters in control of Maroon 5, Toby Keith, Florida Georgia Line & others? Maybe it was something more sinister? Who knows.

We think the promoter (Live Nation) should assume both the limited risk & massive reward of putting on a show.

Live Nation, the 800lb gorilla in concert promotions can make life difficult for competing promoters in Atlantic City.

It’s not just competing concert promoters that can thwart anyone trying to entertain Atlantic City. Even local radio pundits are committing competitive sabotage. On April  24, Press of Atlantic City writer & WOND radio host, Scott Cronick, continued his taunting and trashing of The Garden State Country Music & Food Truck Festival; self-funded entrepreneurs taking a risk, trying to grow an event business in Atlantic City.

LISTEN to on-air harassment of company producing Country Music & Food Truck Festival in Atlantic City. (Jersey Boyz) >

Amanda Thomas is taking a break from doing another monster beach concert for Summer 2017. This year, she’s placing more focus on mid-size events & festivals. Always busy in Wildwood….and even busier with new events in Ventnor and Atlantic City too. Three food truck festivals, movies on the beach & musical entertainment on the AC Boardwalk.

Independent promoters like Amanda are ‘self-funding’. They put up their own money for a big win…. or a big loss. No longer does a city have to take that kind of risk.

MORE INFO:

Jersey Boyz Productions presents the Garden State Country Music Food Truck Festival Sept. 30 & Oct. 1 at Bader Field. Rob Erickson of Jersey Boyz says there will be 10 acts each day, performing throughout the event on two different stages.

Amanda Thomas. In 2014, Amanda was the Marketing Director for OC Waterpark and Boardwalk Bounce in Ocean City. She was also the recipient of the Greater Atlantic City Jaycees Top 40 Under 40 Award at just 22 years old.

Watch video of Michael Salvanto from Songbird Entertainment…in front of City Council of Atlantic City:

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