Opry Entertainment Group is set to take over management of Nashville’s downtown Ascend Amphitheater after a dramatic bidding process. Opry — a subsidiary of the publicly traded Ryman Hospitality Properties, based in Nashville — also operates the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry, two crown jewels among the city’s many live venues. Live Nation will hand over control of Ascend this year after running the venue since it opened in 2015.
Live Nation holds advantage over competitors in Ascend bid process
Live Nation enjoyed many advantages in the bidding process, which underwent several hiccups after opening in August with a Sept. 9 bid deadline. The city, which owns Ascend and awarded the contract, extended that deadline twice and delayed awarding a bid for several months.
Live Nation and AEG dominate the American live-venue market and have endured criticism for monopolistic behavior, including booking contracts that restrict where artists can perform. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Live Nation last year for exclusionary business practices via Live Nation’s wholly owned subsidiary Ticketmaster. The city cited ongoing litigation as a weak point in Live Nation’s bid.
Metro procurement officer Scott Ferguson finally released the city’s Ascend decision on April 2. Opry won overall top marks against AEG and Live Nation thanks largely to a perfect overall financing proposal that included the largest operating bid at $41.2 million dollars over 10 years.
Suit filed by DOJ, 30 states and District of Columbia calls for the giant firm to separate from Ticketmaster
The win also makes Opry and Ryman (the latter led by executive chairman Colin Reed) substantial stakeholders in the city’s East Bank development, which sits just across the river from Ascend. The corporation did not immediately respond to the Scene's request for comment.
The decision drew praise from Music Venue Alliance Nashville, a local advocacy group founded to promote local venues, promoters and festivals.
“Pretty dang cool to see Ryman publicly double down on their investment in the local community when it comes to the future of Ascend Amphitheater,” reads a statement posted by MVAN on Instagram. “This is a great thing for Nashville’s local music ecosystem, and a great thing for Nashville.”
The group emphasized Ryman’s commitment to “open room” booking, allowing artists to play the venue instead of restricting access with exclusivity contracts.
