By Barry Courter
Associate Features Editor
Near-perfect weather and a crowd-pleasing lineup helped make Riverbend 2006 a record year, according to Friends of the Festival Executive Director Chip Baker.
Total numbers, including pin sales, for the week won’t be available for several days, but Mr. Baker said that opening night with Hank Williams Jr. set a concessions record with $526,000 in gross revenue.
It topped the Lynyrd Skynyrd numbers by 3 percent, he said. The third highest concessions night was opening night last year with Kid Rock. This year’s opening night numbers topped that by 13 percent, Mr. Baker said.
Saturday and Sunday concession sales also were slightly above last year’s total, while Tuesday’s numbers were on par with last year, Mr. Baker said. Wednesday’s sales were below last year.
That’s comparing Los Lonely Boys with Big & Rich, so we expected that, Mr. Baker said.
Sales of Star Seating, the 520 seats in front of the Coca-Cola Stage that sell for $20 each, were stronger this year than last, he said.
Normally, we sell out one or two nights, Mr. Baker said. This year we sold out five — Hank Williams Jr., Kenny Rogers, Sugarland, Trisha Yearwood and the Allman Brothers.
This year’s sponsorships totaled a record $875,000, an increase of $140,000 over last year, according to Mr. Baker.
Before festival organizers can call the 2006 event a success, however, expenses have to be tallied, he said.
My labor costs are over, and electric supplies are way over, Mr. Baker said. I don’t get all excited because we are up in sponsorships because we might be down somewhere else. Hank Jr.’s numbers were up, but we also went way over budget getting him.
Riverbend budgeted an average of $70,000 per mainstage act this year, double what the budget was in 2002 for headliners. Mr. Baker declined to say who was paid what, although he noted acts ranged in price from between $40,000 and $160,000.
The budget for side stage acts was increased as well, he said.
Mike Craft, a TVA employee, had high praise for this year’s talent.
Every act I’ve seen has been solid, he said. Suzy Bogguss was incredible. What a great musician.
Art Johnson attended several nights and said moving around opening night was nearly impossible, but called the week a success.
It has been a good time this year, said Mr. Johnson.
While the larger crowds have meant higher concessions sales, they also have meant problems with longer lines at the portable bathrooms, token tents and food and drink areas.
It’s a good-bad problem, Mr. Baker said. We’re getting better acts and drawing more people onto a site that isn’t getting any bigger.
Riverbend staffers look for ways to improve the site, he said. After opening night’s huge crowd, for example, it was determined a large video screen between the Covista and Coca-Cola stages needed to be moved to allow better sight lines. Workers also moved concessions at the Covista Stage to improve traffic flow.
We are constantly making adjustments, Mr. Baker said.
One thing that would be hard to improve upon is the weather.
The weather has been perfect from setup to now, Mr. Baker said. We’ve had a very good week.
E-mail Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com
Associate Features Editor
Near-perfect weather and a crowd-pleasing lineup helped make Riverbend 2006 a record year, according to Friends of the Festival Executive Director Chip Baker.
Total numbers, including pin sales, for the week won’t be available for several days, but Mr. Baker said that opening night with Hank Williams Jr. set a concessions record with $526,000 in gross revenue.
It topped the Lynyrd Skynyrd numbers by 3 percent, he said. The third highest concessions night was opening night last year with Kid Rock. This year’s opening night numbers topped that by 13 percent, Mr. Baker said.
Saturday and Sunday concession sales also were slightly above last year’s total, while Tuesday’s numbers were on par with last year, Mr. Baker said. Wednesday’s sales were below last year.
That’s comparing Los Lonely Boys with Big & Rich, so we expected that, Mr. Baker said.
Sales of Star Seating, the 520 seats in front of the Coca-Cola Stage that sell for $20 each, were stronger this year than last, he said.
Normally, we sell out one or two nights, Mr. Baker said. This year we sold out five — Hank Williams Jr., Kenny Rogers, Sugarland, Trisha Yearwood and the Allman Brothers.
This year’s sponsorships totaled a record $875,000, an increase of $140,000 over last year, according to Mr. Baker.
Before festival organizers can call the 2006 event a success, however, expenses have to be tallied, he said.
My labor costs are over, and electric supplies are way over, Mr. Baker said. I don’t get all excited because we are up in sponsorships because we might be down somewhere else. Hank Jr.’s numbers were up, but we also went way over budget getting him.
Riverbend budgeted an average of $70,000 per mainstage act this year, double what the budget was in 2002 for headliners. Mr. Baker declined to say who was paid what, although he noted acts ranged in price from between $40,000 and $160,000.
The budget for side stage acts was increased as well, he said.
Mike Craft, a TVA employee, had high praise for this year’s talent.
Every act I’ve seen has been solid, he said. Suzy Bogguss was incredible. What a great musician.
Art Johnson attended several nights and said moving around opening night was nearly impossible, but called the week a success.
It has been a good time this year, said Mr. Johnson.
While the larger crowds have meant higher concessions sales, they also have meant problems with longer lines at the portable bathrooms, token tents and food and drink areas.
It’s a good-bad problem, Mr. Baker said. We’re getting better acts and drawing more people onto a site that isn’t getting any bigger.
Riverbend staffers look for ways to improve the site, he said. After opening night’s huge crowd, for example, it was determined a large video screen between the Covista and Coca-Cola stages needed to be moved to allow better sight lines. Workers also moved concessions at the Covista Stage to improve traffic flow.
We are constantly making adjustments, Mr. Baker said.
One thing that would be hard to improve upon is the weather.
The weather has been perfect from setup to now, Mr. Baker said. We’ve had a very good week.
E-mail Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com
