Turning a barn into a venue

A family of torning bluegrass musicians decided to lease a barn (which already had seating from its previous life as a melodrama theater) in Kansas and turn it into a music venue.

Born in a barn | lawrence.com, 6/24/07: "He lists the things the Bluegrass Barn Theater has going for it:

• There are 1,000 campsites at Perry Lake, with no other entertainment options.

• Topeka and Lawrence are only a half-hour away, with other smaller towns even closer.

• Bluegrass fans traditionally travel a long way for festivals. With gasoline prices increasing, they might look for options closer to home."

A long-time successful mid-sized venue in Kansas

A good article on a 2000-capacity venue in Wichita and how it has managed to survive. Check out the rest of the article to read have they have handled some of the unexpected problems that have come up.

Wichita Eagle, 1/28/07 - Big nights at the Cotillion: "The late Dick Leslie was one of the original investors in the Cotillion when it opened in 1960 and eventually bought out the other partners in the business. With his son, he shepherded the ballroom on West Kellogg in its transition from a Las Vegas-style showroom to a multiuse hall that accommodates dances, weddings and corporate events -- enough stable bookings to offset the risky concert business.

As venues go, the Cotillion still feels like a throwback. Even when it's filled with young rock fans with their piercings and tattoos, it's easy to imagine well-dressed couples twirling under a silver chandelier while a big band plays love songs on the half-moon stage....

'It's trial and error,' [Richard Leslie] jokes. 'We discover everything out here the hard way.'

Ask others, though, and they'll say his method is far from accidental. He studies music industry magazines and radio airplay charts, looks at how certain artists are selling in markets similar to Wichita, and builds relationships with national talent agencies.

'The natural tendency is to book shows that you like personally, but that's a terrible business model,' says Barney Byard, a local promoter who this year booked Margaret Cho and several other acts at the Cotillion. '(Richard's) willingness to try new things serves him well.'

Like others who've done business with the Cotillion, Byard describes its owner as a fair businessman who scrupulously watches his expenses. 'He's of the mind that you can turn pennies into dollars if you take that kind of approach.' Two other factors work to the Cotillion's advantage, says Greg 'The Hitman' Williams, program director at KDGS Power 93.9 FM.

First, it's the only 2,000-seat venue in the area, and that size has increased in popularity recently, as the demand for arena-size venues has decreased.

Second, as the building owner, Richard has the freedom to broker deals on his own terms."

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Kansas benefits from country festival

A summertime festival, the Country Stampede , helps Kansas attract a number of visitors the state would otherwise not receive. The event brings in about 150,000 attendees. Started in 1995, the festival has been a major to local tourism. "Some advice I received from a friend was you're going to lose money the first three years - and he was right," according to founder Wayne Rouse. "The first year we lost over a quarter of a million. But I was told if I lost less than half a million, it would be successful. And each year it gets a little better."

The festival contributes about $13 million to the Manhattan, Kansas economy. All 847 local hotel rooms have been sold out for months. There are also 2400 slots in the campground next to the stages.

Headliners this year are: Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, and Sara Evans.

Here's an article: Major music festival boon to state tourism