News & Events

News Date: 3/13/2009
Author: Karl Puckett
Source: Great Falls Tribune
URL: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090313/NEWS01/903130320

The cost of online tickets for events at Montana ExpoPark will drop an average of $5 each, while box office prices will rise slightly, when new ticket vendor VisionOne takes over operations from Ticketmaster.

Cascade County Commission Chairman Joe Briggs and Commissioner Bill Salina approved a two-year contract with VisionOne on Thursday, with the company taking over March 31. Commissioner Peggy Beltrone was absent.

The drop in the price of tickets purchased online, which the county is promoting, should increase attendance at events and appease major promoters such as Montana Pro Rodeo, county officials said.

Both fans and promoters have complained about the price of Ticketmaster's online "convenience fees."

"I think they will be pleased with this," Briggs said.

Under Ticketmaster, some residents living outside of Great Falls would drive to town and buy tickets at the box office just to avoid the convenience fees, said Tom Meech, who is overseeing a management transition at ExpoPark for the county.

Cascade County owns ExpoPark and SMG, a private company that manages it, uses Ticketmaster to sell tickets. But the county, in a move to lower expenses, is assuming management beginning March 31, and the change in ticket vendors is one of its first moves.

Briggs is hoping the change is the last piece of the puzzle in negotiating a successful contract with Montana Pro Rodeo to keep the popular January circuit finals here.

"We can now tell them what our pricing model is," he said.

Pro Rodeo's contract with SMG expired after this year's finals, prompting concern that the event would move to another Montana city. The price of tickets purchased online has been a big concern for the group in its talks with the county, Briggs said.

Kiosks also could be set up around the state to sell tickets under the new system, Briggs added.

VisionOne, which is based in Fresno, Calif., already operates ticket systems for the Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts, which is owned by the city of Great Falls, and the University of Montana.

The city of Helena, as well as Lewis and Clark and Fergus counties, also use the company's services.

"Everybody gives them an excellent reference, which is very important," Meech said.

Under VisionOne, a $27 online ticket to the Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals, one of ExpoPark's marquee events, would cost $30.50, including ordering and mailing fees, according to the county.

That same ticket would cost $35.62 — or $5.12 more — through Ticketmaster, a difference Briggs described as "quite significant."

Event tickets purchased at the box office, however, will rise 50 cents a ticket under the new contract.

The county's goal is to increase online ticket sales, which is why the contract with VisionOne was attractive, Meech said.

Last year, 65,000 tickets were sold for ExpoPark events such as concerts and high school sports tournaments. Of that number, 12,466 tickets were purchased online.

Revenue from ticket sales goes to event promoters. The extra fees added on to the price of the tickets purchased online are charged by the ticket vendor for providing that service. The county makes revenue by renting ExpoPark's facilities to the promoters.

As part of the new contract with Cascade County, VisionOne waived a $15,000 software set-up fee.