Is the MGM National Harbor bad for DC concert goers?

Here we go: another concert venue opens in the area and this one has deep pockets, which is great for bands. But is this bad for concert goers? As has been discussed here, the more venues in competition for acts, the more they have to pay to attract bands and the higher ticket prices will be.

Who is going to be hurt most by MGM opening up? Verizon Center? How bad will this affect IMP since acts that IMP books at Lincoln, MPP, DAR will also be candidates for playing at MGM?

Of course what pisses me off the most is the pitiful mass transit options for National Harbor. I know WMATA started a bus route from King St to the Gaylord, but I'm not sure if this bus route is going to run up by MGM, which is more than a hike away from the hotel. Plus, concerts often run as late as 11pm, making it a rush to get to the bus to get to the Yellow Line.

What do you guys think?

I can tell you that I have been priced out of concerts at this venue.  I saw the Cher announcement and it would be great if there were some residency acts, but I still don't think that I can afford them. 

Thousand wrote:
Here we go: another concert venue opens in the area and this one has deep pockets, which is great for bands. But is this bad for concert goers? As has been discussed here, the more venues in competition for acts, the more they have to pay to attract bands and the higher ticket prices will be.

. . .

What do you guys think?

I think if you keep this up, Seth will probably give you VIP tickets to an event for being a good shill.

I haven't look  hard, but where can I find details on this new venue?

Other than the Cher residency, I don't expect there to be many shows at this venue that I'll want to attend.

Is Frank Turner playing at this venue too?

Julian, wrote:
I think if you keep this up, Seth will probably give you VIP tickets to an event for being a good shill.

Mark me down as a Seth shill. He brings acts to DC that I want to see and he brings them to convenient (except for MPP) locations at competitive prices.

Thousand wrote:
competitive prices.

When did we change the definition of competitive to "higher on average than virtually every other similarly-sized media market"?

EDIT: This is much more pronounced for 9:30 shows than MPP shows.

I find that hard to believe. Show me the data.

As Bagley would say: "No worries." If MGM takes Cher, P!ATD, and the like, we will all be okay.

MGM is 3,000 capacity. Seth's "Wharf" venue is coming (5,000 capacity?), and between that, Echo, 930, DAR, and Lincoln, you (and Seth) will be fine.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Theater-at-MGM-National-Harbor-tickets-Oxon-Hill/venue/172613

I agree with Julian but of course ticket prices are higher in DC than say, Pittsburgh or St Louis. Everything costs more here. We also make more money here.

I wrote:
I find that hard to believe. Show me the data.

I don't have "data" in the sense that I do not chart concert prices throughout the years and statistically model them in case someone asks me because (a) its not my job, and (b) I do not have a degree is statistically modeling.

I will say this, purely anecdotally: I live in Richmond and probably 50% of the shows I want to see do not hit my city. I have to travel to see shows ~15 times a year and I have to factor in what day of the week they fall on and also prices. So, I probably look at what a certain tour costs throughout the Mid-Atlantic more than the average boardie. And invariably, if a tour is hitting 9:30 Club and also any one or more of Philly, VA Beach/Norfolk, Charlottesville, Raleigh, or Charlotte, the 9:30 Club show will be the either the most expensive tour date or tied for the most expensive tour date. This is a phenomenon that in pre-dates the opening of FSS. This is also a phenomenon that does not exist for shows at any other DC venue (including MPP).

That is not to say 9:30 Club isn't a great venue or that I don't go there. I do whenever the only feasible (or in many cases the only) Mid-Atlantic tour stop hits there. But its never "competitively priced."

I think it would be more fair to compare DC with Philly, Boston and Atlanta than Richmond, Charlotte or Virginia Beach.

I wrote:
I think it would be more fair to compare DC with Philly, Boston and Atlanta than Richmond, Charlotte or Virginia Beach.

Probably. (I do look at Philly, as I said.) Again, I was not a statistics major, I just play one on the internet.

Do you think a band charges more to play a 1200 person venue in DC than a 1200 person venue in Norfolk? To what would you attribute the fact that I virtually never see a price difference between Black Cat and a similarly sized Richmond or Charlottesville venue? If its purely cost of living-driven, shouldn't I see this with all DC venues?

Julian, wrote:

I wrote:
I think it would be more fair to compare DC with Philly, Boston and Atlanta than Richmond, Charlotte or Virginia Beach.

Probably. (I do look at Philly, as I said.) Again, I was not a statistics major, I just play one on the internet.

Do you think a band charges more to play a 1200 person venue in DC than a 1200 person venue in Norfolk? To what would you attribute the fact that I virtually never see a price difference between Black Cat and a similarly sized Richmond or Charlottesville venue? If its purely cost of living-driven, shouldn't I see this with all DC venues?

Expenses are more in DC than Richmond/Norfolk/etc., Sherlock.

edit: Bands that are playing the Black Cat aren't going to command a price difference of $15 to $20 a ticket IMO where bands that are playing the 930 club most likely will/would.

Yada wrote:
Expenses are more in DC than Richmond/Norfolk/etc., Sherlock.

Then I ask you again: to what would you attribute the fact that I virtually never see a price difference between Black Cat and a similarly sized Richmond or Charlottesville venue?

Julian, wrote:

Yada wrote:
Expenses are more in DC than Richmond/Norfolk/etc., Sherlock.

Then I ask you again: to what would you attribute the fact that I virtually never see a price difference between Black Cat and a similarly sized Richmond or Charlottesville venue?

Example: Jean Jacket Joe and the Bombers play Black Cat or some dump in Norfolk. No matter where you live, guys like az and killsally aren't going to pay more than $8 to $12 to see Jean Jacket Joe and the Bombers.

Example: Wilco plays 930 Club and some dump in Norfolk. Guys like Space will dig deep into their thrifty pockets to maybe pay $60 give or take to see Wilco rock their dad asses off at the 930 Club. While that dump down in Norfolk can most likely only get people to splurge $35 for that show.

Make sense?

Yada wrote:
Make sense?

You just made an argument that Space is throwing cash around willy-nilly and you're asking me if it makes sense?

I would point out that by conceding as part of your version of events that 9:30 Club shows are pricier than anywhere else in a 6-hour driving radius around DC that you've de facto agreed with my central point that Seth isn't giving us super cheap, competitively-priced concerts because he loves us or whatever OP was on about.

Julian, wrote:

Yada wrote:
Make sense?

You just made an argument that Space is throwing cash around willy-nilly and you're asking me if it makes sense?

I would point out that by conceding as part of your version of events that 9:30 Club shows are pricier than anywhere else in a 6-hour driving radius around DC that you've de facto agreed with my central point that Seth isn't giving us super cheap, competitively-priced concerts because he loves us or whatever OP was on about.

Wait.. what are we talking about? Bottom line, you can charge more in DC and the savvy business man Seth is doing just that (Hai Seth!!).

Maybe "competitively priced" wasn't the best adjective to use as I only attend shows in the District. Basically all I care about is that that the indie bands I like don't end up playing MGM…which is what I am afraid of.

How "indie" is a band if they're playing the same venue as Cher?