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How gambling could ruin theaters, concert venues in Massachusetts
By adamg on Wed, 03/31/2010 - 10:26pm
Joel Brown discusses another gambling report that came out this week, which rather than bewailing how much money we spend in Connecticut, looks at the effect of gambling facilities on cultural venues:
... If Foxwoods can pay, say, Alicia Keys 50 percent more than the Hanover Theater in Worcester can pay her, she's going to sing at Foxwoods. And often contractual clauses will prevent her from playing the Hanover next, even if she wanted to. This is very bad for the Hanover's bottom line, says a good WBUR report on the topic.
Now build yourself an imaginary Foxwoods at, say, the Suffolk Downs site, and imagine what effect it would have on venues like the Opera House, the Wang and even the House of Blues. All together now: Eeeek! ...
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Comments
So....competition is bad? How
So....competition is bad?
How dare they let the House of Blues be built, it will bankrupt the Wang, Orpheum, Middle East, the Palladium and the Opera House.
How dare they let agganis arena host concerts, it competes with the garden, the DCU arena, great woods and many other places.
competition is good if it's a level playing field
I think the crux of the argument (that was actually put forward a couple weeks ago in The Phoenix for those keeping score at home http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/97963-cultural-c...) is not just that casinos can pay performers more (and charge less for tickets), it's how they're able to pay performers more for cheaper tickets. Casinos can afford to take a loss on putting on a show because it gets asses in front of the slot machines for a night or two. Other performance venues (including the new ones you mentioned) all still have to make a profit on the show, so they're all competing on the same level with the older venues.
So more shows + cheaper
So more shows + cheaper tickets = bad?
I'd love to see more venues not controlled by live nation. Especially if it means cheaper tickets.
Oh, please.
There are plenty of music venues to go around in and near Boston. PLENTY.
Non-competes?
How about we just outlaw them? Tell MGM or whatever tribe who wants to build "you can have a casino, but you can't have contracts that tell performers where they can't perform. If you don't like it, we'll let somebody else build one who will do what we say."
As evidenced by our car insurance system, our lawmakers clearly have no problem with giving free enterprise the middle finger.
That's a good idea. If there
That's a good idea. If there was a rule that you could not stop a performer from performing elsewhere in town it could actually be helpful for the other music venues.
This is good.
I would rather see a concert in a place that has nice comfortable seating, fresh cool air, easy parking, cheap tickets and deals, and good sound (like Aggannis Arena, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun) than I would at some old crapbox like the Wang Theater or one of these other places built in 1910.
Funny you mention non-compete clauses
They're currently legal in Massachusetts, unlike in California, despite efforts over the past few years to repeal them (on the theory that they hurt the high-tech industry here).
If the public supports a
If the public supports a casino by going to there, spending money, seeing shows, and gambling, then I fail to see how it's the casino's fault that it is successful.
Or is this a case in which we feel the government should forbid it because the government really knows what's best for our leisure activities not people themselves?
Quick! Look over there, the
Quick! Look over there, the Teabaggers' convention is looking for ya!
If you love casinos, gambling, strip clubs and that whole tacky culture so much, why don't you move to Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vegas or Reno? There's nothing sadder than watching desperate and anxious elderly people hacking and coughing at slot machines throwing their social security money down the drain instead of on medicine and food! They NEVER look like they're having a good time. It's sad. This is what you want to bring to this state?
Lets get rid of alcohol too!
And there are a few strip clubs in MA.
whaahh whaaah.. we dont want
whaahh whaaah.. we dont want competition in Massachusetts..
The way I see it, the more the merrier. I can't count how many bands/acts i wanted to see but skipped the boston/worcester area completely and stayed in NY. More venues, more competition.
And as far as the gambling goes.. People are going to gamble whether you despise it or not. Same goes with strip clubs, bars, etc.. They all exist, whether you like it or not..
The fact that mass is losing out on millons a year in revenue is its own fault. Everyone needs to wake up.
ugh
No band that I would ever want to see would play a casino.
indeed.
indeed.
You don't like the Almond
You don't like the Almond Brothers?
gosh, you've really shown me the light!
By 'wake up,' you mean: take your top off and piss your paycheck away at the poker table? That sure is competition!