The Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts had a remarkably successful first fiscal year despite the fact that the year was only 10 months long.
The fiscal year ended on June 30, but because of COVID restrictions The Tanger didn’t have its inaugural performance until Sept. 2, 2021.
Despite the first year being short by two months, The Tanger held 203 events and hosted 415,421 patrons. Those 203 events included 88 sold-out performances and a record-setting inaugural Broadway season. The Tanger also set a record for the number of Broadway season ticket holders at a new venue with 17,414.
Along with touring Broadway shows during the past year, the 3,023 seat Tanger Center also hosted concerts, comedy shows, the Guilford College Bryan Series, the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, the Greensboro Opera and all types of family entertainment.
Even though The Tanger was open for only 10 months of the fiscal year, the first year resulted in an overall positive financial position including funding the annual $2.2 million debt payment. The debt payment for The Tanger is made largely with ticket and parking fees and not general fund revenue from the City of Greensboro.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan, an early supporter of building a performing arts center in downtown Greensboro, said in a press release, “It has been wonderful to see the huge crowds in downtown Greensboro before and after Tanger Center events. The energy and excitement of having this beautiful new venue in our City has been amazing.”
Steven Tanger said, “The number of events and the diverse entertainment offerings has been nothing short of remarkable. The venue has not only improved the quality of life for the Greensboro community but it has proven to be an economic catalyst for the entire region.”
The Tanger is managed through the Greensboro Coliseum, and Coliseum Complex Managing Director Matt Brown said, “The tremendous success of our inaugural Broadway season shows and HAMILTON has been the foundation of our first year success. Our Broadway partners delivered an outstanding lineup and the public’s record-setting response was nothing short of phenomenal.”
I was skeptical at first and thought it was a boondongle but ended up being very impressed. Loved ever show we attended from the Symphony to Hamilton. Quality was top notch and the venue is beautiful. I’m very glad they added Les Miz for March because the Broadway lineup for next year is fairly weak.
War Memorial hosted similar shows and was already existing. 2.2 million debt payment getting paid is no cause for celebration . It is a reminder that in few years the taxpayers that could never afford a ticket to see hack comedians, baby boomer bands, or retread traveling Broadway drivel, will be on the hook for the balance and maintenence and staffing for this monument to the donor class . Mandate Mayor’s equivalent to the “let them eat cake” out of touch elite knowitallness.
Somebody ate too many fruit loops for breakfast. The theater has had some of the nations top comedians and many of the top Broadway shows during its first year. If you have different tastes, take your entertainment dollar somewhere else. I am sure that no one will miss you.
The War Memorial no longer met the strict Broadway traveling show requirements with its dated infrastructure. Plus it was a far greater economic benefit to making the new theater a part of the impressive downtown revitalization that is the envy of many other mid-sized cities across the US.
Ref the GSO, I asked if the orchestra would be acoustic or amplified. Never got an answer.
After the LOUD Lion King attack, I’ll never buy a ticket.
Mr. Tanger, when you see empty seats, you can think of me.
I am betting they won’t miss you one bit. But should you want to join a future show, it is suggested that attendees with sensitive hearing bring their own hearing protection as appropriate. Are you expecting a Nanny State to dumb things down to your individual personal preferences?
Considering the price of tickets, they will feel every empty seat, not just mine. Can you express an opinion without a personal attack?
You made an obviously selfish opinion as a means to attack an organization that is doing a good deal of economic good for downtown Greensboro. So defending it was my honor.
Question for Nancy Vaughn and Matt Brown;
Why do the people who work backstage doing 13-15 hrs a day putting on the shows at Tanger make less hourly than an entry level employee in retail?
Guess the “woke” city government got something right bravo
Like the “woke” painting blm graffiti on our downtown street with taxpayer paid for paint
Glad people are going here but I will never attend anything at this venue due to the politics and outrageously over-priced events there. I just saw Travis Tritt in Charleston at $44 ticket (awesome seats too) so my family of 4 got to attend for $176. Tickets to his concert here will be $300 each so my family of 4 will be $1200.
This is why i built a home in SC to escape these crooks in Guilford County.
Bye
I can’t think of anything touring now where I would pay $600 for two seats, even up front.
I understand these things cost a lot of money to produce, and that most musical artists can’t make a living selling their music via the media available. But they’ve just priced a lot of people out. You can also price people out with salmon @$13/lb., or a dinner for a family of four at a lot of places.
Thank you, Joe.
This Too will end up being a Money Pit like the one on Highpoint Rd!
Inflation can kill Tanger, too.