Jaguars amphitheater, flex field construction to begin next month

[RattlerGator]

Pleased to see the fears about priority ticket access proved to be unfounded.

[KenFSU]

Shows by Diana Ross, Lady Antebellum, Counting Crows, and Matchbox 20 recently announced.

[KenFSU]

Also, I'm calling it now, based solely on the eyeball test:

I don't think this thing opens on time.

[johnnyliar]

Also, I'm calling it now, based solely on the eyeball test:

I don't think this thing opens on time.

Moving all the shows would be a disaster!

[pierre]

Also, I'm calling it now, based solely on the eyeball test:

I don't think this thing opens on time.

I doubt it. I think Khan will pay whatever he needs to pay to ensure this thing opens on time.

[Dapperdan]

Have you driven by Universal Studios recently? They are opening a waterpark right by I-4 called Volcano Bay. It opens in May too just before Memorial Day and it has looked no where near ready for a while now but in the last month or so has really come together. I think it can be done.

[acme54321]

You know, this thing appears to already be a success even before it's open.  I grew up in Melbourne and I have seen numerous Facebook posts by people that still live there planning to come up here for some of these shows.  A friend just texted me this morning that they are coming up and asked if we wanted to go.

[JaxJersey-licious]

Also, I'm calling it now, based solely on the eyeball test:

I don't think this thing opens on time.

I doubt it. I think Khan will pay whatever he needs to pay to ensure this thing opens on time.

True. Barring a weather catastrophe, the fact that none of the opening weeks have showed any concern is a good sign that things are currently on schedule and that Bold Events will do what it can to make it happen. Dave Matthews Band has been a total sellout for months now and the other acts that week are getting close to that.

Another observation is that the St. Augustine Amphitheater seems to be taking it in the gut with Daily's Place coming on line. They are top-heavy loaded for events in April and May but there's a big drop-off of acts starting June. They still have a decent amount of shows lined up this summer but there is no comparison to what they booked last summer compared to this summer's slate of shows so far. It's a little early to call Daily's Place the victor of the amphitheater war (we'll see how football season effects future fall bookings) but Daily's Place is certainly making it's mark.

[ProjectMaximus]

Khan mentioned the construction timeline during an interview at the owner's meetings and he seems to indicate that the construction would be "complete" before the opening dates, so I'm guessing they will be able to host the shows while they wrap up construction. 

Re: St Aug Ampitheater, I saw a piece on one of the local news stations the other day with the GM, Ryan Murphy, and he suggested the competition would be a great thing to broaden the base of shows (of course he would say that). He also showed the constant upgrades they are making to their space to keep a top notch audience experience. And he argued that the venues are different in what they offer...one is an urban venue, the other is more about beaches and nature.

The one concern he had was over bidding wars...if the two venues start to increase artist fees in attempts to win over the same artists, then those additional costs would be passed on to the customers.

[johnnyliar]

St. Aug Amp is a dead man walking. No way will the be able to survive a bidding war, so threatening one doesn't really matter.

[Tacachale]

^The "experience" thing is a wash, too. While the St. Augustine Amphitheater is near the "beach and nature", it's also on a busy road surrounded by houses. Hence why the shows end by 10 p.m.

On the other hand, there's no reason both shouldn't continue to make money. There are more than enough people in the metro area for that. They'd just need to focus on different artists and trying to get others to come here who might otherwise pass us by. It remains to be seen if they'll actually do that.

[remc86007]

Bidding wars are inevitable it seems, and the combination of a newer, presumably nicer facility with more seats and easier parking which is closer to the bulk of the area's population seems deadly.

I've been to the St. Augustine amphitheater once and I wasn't particularly impressed. Selling obstructed view seats is an odd choice and--at the concert I was at--led to people standing up and blocking other people's view.

[I-10east]

It's a little early to call Daily's Place the victor of the amphitheater war (we'll see how football season effects future fall bookings) but Daily's Place is certainly making it's mark.

The football season is only gonna rev up the atmosphere even more. On the Jags State of the Franchise, Mark Lamping talked about 'making a weekend' of the multiple events "football and music" all tied in together. It's gonna be something else. 

[KenFSU]

Honestly, I'm not sure if the St. Augustine Amphitheater could compete with Daily's Place in a bidding war. At least not regularly. An aging 4,100 seat venue vs. a brand new, amenity-loaded 5,500 seat urban venue. I think we'll see Daily's Place hold fewer shows with bigger, more mainstream names (Diana Ross, Lady Antebellum, etc.), and St. Augustine continue to hold more frequent mid-sized and niche shows. Personally, I think there's plenty of room for everybody.

[acme54321]

Will Dailys place be completely under roof too?