Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
SIMPSONVILLE — Competition among music venues is heating up in the Upstate. In Mauldin, Greenville Pro Soccer is set to complete construction next year on a new 6,300-seat soccer stadium, which will also host live concerts and events. Clemson University recently announced its Memorial Stadium will again start hosting national acts for the first time in decades. And in downtown Greenville, more music venues are popping up all the time as Bon Secours Wellness Arena plans a major renovation and creation of an entertainment campus. All that together means there will be more places to see a show across the area than ever before. Amid that changing landscape, the city of Simpsonville is looking to up its game at the CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park, a 15,000-seat, outdoor venue that has long been an economic engine and source of pride for the rapidly growing town. “The number one priority is making sure the amphitheater serves the Simpsonville community as best as possible,” city spokesperson Justin Campbell said. “What also goes into that are factors like competition, what other venues are doing, and looking at if the nature of this business is changing or evolving as other cities see the value of having an entertainment venue.” As part of that effort, Simpsonville is seeking a new company to manage the city-owned amenity. Its City Council voted unanimously Oct. 28 to end its contract with TRZ Management a year before it was set to expire. TRZ had operated the amphitheater for close to eight years. “We’ve had a long relationship with TRZ and they’ve done a lot of good things out there,” Mayor Paul Shewmaker said. “We just feel it’s time to go in a new direction.” Built in 2005, the Simpsonville venue has been virtually the only of its kind in the Upstate for two decades. It draws roughly 100,000 concertgoers — both locals and out-of-towners — every year, not including popular community events. As more options begin to spring up, Campbell said the city wants not only to keep up with growing competition but to stay ahead of it. It’s unclear exactly what the venue’s new direction will look like, but Campbell said the city hopes to explore ways to make it a year-round attraction, improve audience experience, and expand community events like the Simply Freedom Fest, which is the city’s most popular public event. Officials hope the management change-up will aid in those efforts. Shewmaker said he also hopes to find a company that will be aggressive and successful in attracting major shows to Simpsonville. “We’re looking at what we have to do to draw bigger acts,” he said. “Council and the city are very future focused on this and feel like there are good things to come.” Over the past eight years, TRZ has partnered closely with LiveNation — a multinational entertainment company — to attract performers to the amphitheater. Mayor Pro Tem Sherry Roche said Simpsonville plans to contract with a company that will continue that relationship while helping the city usher in a new era for the venue. Under its contract with TRZ, the city was obligated to give the management company 90 days’ notice before ending the business partnership. That means TRZ will continue to operate the venue until Jan. 30.
