Walton Arts Center

[Mith242]

Sounds like the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotions Commission has approved the money. And so far I haven't heard as much complaining as I thought I would from this. I agree with the rest of you, I think you pretty much have to give the money or risk losing the AMP. Over all I don't have a problem with this. But I think the WAC has done a rather poor job communicating their info. I don't think this would have sounded as bad if they had mentioned they were going to ask for the money a week later after announcing the initial news. So I've got to agree with zman, they really need to work on their public relations. The way they make announcements or release info just seems more likely to get people riled up.

[Trough]

Here's some additional pics of the future AMP at a pretty cool site: http://www.ozarkecho.com/?p=2081 They are definitely packing the AMP into the available space.

I think the biggest issue with the AMP now and in the future is the folks who are doing the booking. I'm afraid they are out of touch with current music culture.

[Mith242]

Here's some additional pics of the future AMP at a pretty cool site: http://www.ozarkecho.com/?p=2081 They are definitely packing the AMP into the available space. I think the biggest issue with the AMP now and in the future is the folks who are doing the booking. I'm afraid they are out of touch with current music culture.

One interesting thing I found out listening to Ozarks at Large talking about the AMP. Apparently 80% of the people who attend the AMP come outside of Washington County. So then you could theorize does this mean Washington County residents don't care for the type of music at AMP events, or does this mean the AMP is simply booking events to their primary audience, basically people outside the county?

[zman9810]

One interesting thing I found out listening to Ozarks at Large talking about the AMP. Apparently 80% of the people who attend the AMP come outside of Washington County. So then you could theorize does this mean Washington County residents don't care for the type of music at AMP events, or does this mean the AMP is simply booking events to their primary audience, basically people outside the county?

The AMP has a good variety of acts although many of them appeal to niche audiences. I think that has a lot to do with where the attendees come from. I read where the booking of Rick Springfield was being slammed but the fact is he appeals strongly to a certain audience and that audience is willing to travel to see him. That is good for the AMP and Fayetteville- we want people to come from outside the area to spend their money here. With the new and improved facilities a greater range of acts can be booked and some will appeal to locals more.

[Mith242]

The AMP has a good variety of acts although many of them appeal to niche audiences. I think that has a lot to do with where the attendees come from. I read where the booking of Rick Springfield was being slammed but the fact is he appeals strongly to a certain audience and that audience is willing to travel to see him. That is good for the AMP and Fayetteville- we want people to come from outside the area to spend their money here. With the new and improved facilities a greater range of acts can be booked and some will appeal to locals more.

Yeah I think the fact they that they were trying to point out on Ozarks at Large is that even if the AMP doesn't bring in acts everybody here is interested in. It does pull in people from other areas. While it may not be the case with all of them, you have to figure a number of them are spending money on other things while they're in Fayetteville, eating out and so on.

[countrylivin']

One interesting thing I found out listening to Ozarks at Large talking about the AMP. Apparently 80% of the people who attend the AMP come outside of Washington County. So then you could theorize does this mean Washington County residents don't care for the type of music at AMP events, or does this mean the AMP is simply booking events to their primary audience, basically people outside the county?

I had not heard this fiqure before. If 80% is correct it really justifies A&P's allocation. I'd like to see a breakdown of which areas these people are coming from. It would help direct advertising dollars.

[Trough]

The AMP has a good variety of acts although many of them appeal to niche audiences. I think that has a lot to do with where the attendees come from. I read where the booking of Rick Springfield was being slammed but the fact is he appeals strongly to a certain audience and that audience is willing to travel to see him. That is good for the AMP and Fayetteville- we want people to come from outside the area to spend their money here. With the new and improved facilities a greater range of acts can be booked and some will appeal to locals more.

They had to move the Rick Springfield concert to the WAC because they did not sell enough tickets. While it is great people are traveling to Fayetteville to see acts, very few people travel to see Rick Springfield. Booking decent acts is the primary obstacle for the AMP and the Fayetteville music scene as a whole.

One interesting thing I found out listening to Ozarks at Large talking about the AMP. Apparently 80% of the people who attend the AMP come outside of Washington County. So then you could theorize does this mean Washington County residents don't care for the type of music at AMP events, or does this mean the AMP is simply booking events to their primary audience, basically people outside the county?

I'm guessing that a large percentage comes from Benton County as well. But even if 20% were from Benton County, that is still a large number from outside NWA.

The WAC conservatively estimated, based on a 2005 Americans for the Arts study, that if only 25% of AMP attendees are non-local, "the economic impact would grow to nearly $1,250,000 annually" (with attendance at only 35% of the AMP's capacity). The 2005 study claims that non-profit arts and cultural organizations in NWA generate over $16 million in economic activity yearly.

[zman9810]

Fron the WAC "Due to the historic and sustained heat wave, we are moving the Rick Springfield concert from The AMP to Baum Walker Hall this Sunday August 7th". I didn't go so I don't know how many tickets were sold but I do know that .there were people who drove from south of Fort Smith to see the show. What is a decent act to one is bad to another- we all like different things.

[eightysix]

According to the Business Journal, Walmart has purchased 15 plus acres of undeveloped land between Washington Jr high and Central ave in Bentonville and it will be used for the 2,200 seat venue the WAC plans to build up there.

[Mith242]

According to the Business Journal, Walmart has purchased 15 plus acres of undeveloped land between Washington Jr high and Central ave in Bentonville and it will be used for the 2,200 seat venue the WAC plans to build up there.