Clear Channel falls short on Columbus entertainment events

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Posted 3:19PM on Tuesday, October 1, 2002

COLUMBUS - Clear Channel Entertainment brought only four of 20 shows it had promised to host in Columbus as part of a deal that gave the city a minor-league basketball team. Clear Channel's partnership with the National Basketball Development League helped persuade city officials to allow the Riverdragons to use their civic center. But the 20 events, including some concerts, never happened. Clear Channel brought a World Wrestling Entertainment production, a visit by the Harlem Globetrotters and two days of monster truck shows. Clear Channel owes the city of Columbus $99,000 in penalties for the shows it did not arrange, but city officials say they wanted the events more than the cash. "I can't say I'm happy," said Isaiah Hugley, deputy city manager. "We are going to invoice them for the money they owe us for this year." Clear Channel, based in Houston, also failed to schedule its contracted number of shows in six other NBDL towns - Fayetteville, N.C.; Greenville, S.C.; North Charleston, S.C.; Huntsville, Ala.; Mobile, Ala.; and Roanoke, Va. Frank Roach, a Clear Channel vice president in charge of venue relations, visited Columbus on Thursday to see "where we've failed to perform and why." Clear Channel loses money when it stages unsuccessful shows, Roach said. A concert featuring Rod Stewart in Fayetteville, N.C., had a poor showing and the company lost more than $100,000, Roach said. Columbus is considered a risky venue because of a history of not selling enough tickets. Top performers have canceled Columbus shows over the past three years, including Bill Cosby, Prince, Jo Dee Messina and Gregg Allman. Instead, lower-cost family-type events like the Harlem Globetrotters and monster truck shows have been scheduled. "It's been damaged goods for a long time. Events have canceled," said Charlie Schilling, the civic center's director. "We need music concert events. I've expressed that in the strongest possible language."