In
a letter to President
Biden today
AEG, Bandit Lites, Broadway League, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees (IATSE), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Live
Nation, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), the National
Independent Talent Organization (NITO), the National Independent Venue
Association (NIVA), Oak View Group (OVG), and We Make Events formally offered
their venues, staff, and expertise to the COVID-19 vaccination effort. The live
event industry is in a unique position to help – the pandemic has fully
shuttered operations, leaving venues empty and the furloughed crowd-management
oriented staff who operate them eager to help out and get back to work.
“Since
the pandemic shuttered our industry almost a year ago, our buildings and our
co-workers have been paused, unutilized, and struggling” said Dayna Frank,
owner & CEO, First Avenue Productions and Board President of NIVA. “These
vaccines are our best chance at putting COVID-19 behind us, and our experiences
organizing events and managing crowds now put us in the unique position of
being the best prepared and most qualified industry to support the vaccination
effort and get this country on the road to recovery.”
“It’s
human nature to come together in good times and bad, and our industry is
committed to doing everything in our power to bring people together again – not
just for events, but for every aspect of community that we have been missing,”
said Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment. “Live
Nation has venues across the country that are capable of managing critical
onsite elements of the vaccine rollout and we are eager to pitch in and be part
of the solution.”
Today’s
letter to President Biden says:
“Dear
Mr. President,
Congratulations to you and Vice
President Harris on an inauguration signifying the unity and hope necessary to
move America forward. As you set about achieving the ambitious goal of
vaccinating 100 million Americans in 100 days, we wish to offer the full
support and resources of the live event industry. We share your vision of
expedient, equitable, and widespread vaccine distribution. It is our duty, as
businesses rooted in communities across the nation, to do our part to set
America on a positive path during this time of crisis. We stand ready to work
with Federal and State governments to save lives and get America back to work
and school.
We represent businesses, workers and
entertainers that make up the majority of the live event industry. While we have been effectively shuttered by
the pandemic, we have vast resources that, if fully utilized, could provide
invaluable mechanisms in our country’s vaccine distribution. In fact because we are shuttered, we are able to
offer the full weight of our industry to support vaccine distribution beginning
immediately.
We are here to help. In fact, many
venues are already working on the State and Local level to implement vaccine
programs. Our industry has thousands of venues throughout America that are
under mandated closures and sitting empty. Event venues make ideal community
vaccination sites: they are located in most urban, suburban and rural
communities, often near transit lines and with easy access to parking. Our interiors are clear span with bright work
lights and empty standard refrigeration systems. Due to the nature of our
business, our buildings and workforce are accustomed to patron queuing and
crowd management.
Live events is one of the best
prepared, best equipped, most experienced industries in America to manage and
control large crowds in a rapid, organized fashion. Moving people in, out, and
around a public gathering space swiftly and safely is the foundation of our
industry. Additionally, our familiarity using ticketing systems for advanced
notification, timed entry and crowd management can greatly improve patient
experience before and during vaccination as well as on-site management. There
are several thousand companies in the live event industry which own the
equipment and infrastructure required to build vaccination sites. An estimated 95%
of live events industry businesses and workers have lost nearly 100% of their
revenue, and are ready and willing to get to work immediately. These organizations can design, deliver, and
manage the infrastructure as well as the people needed to staff them.
We have been closed for nearly one
full year to protect public health.
Please let us now go to work to protect public health. We share your
goal to get America back to work, school and in gathering places of all kinds
quickly and safely. We are ready to meet to discuss how we can help as soon as
you and your staff are able.”
Venues
are specifically designed for queuing and crowd control, and are located in
most urban, suburban, and rural communities – often near transit lines or with
easy access to parking. The interiors are wide and clear, with bright work
lights and empty standard refrigeration systems. Additionally, the inherent use
of ticketing systems for advanced notification, timed entry, and crowd
management in live events lends itself directly to managing this type of
process.
“The
entire live event industry has stood still since March, 2020.” says Bandit
Lites Chair Michael T. Strickland. “We all stand united now, ready to assist in
the safe, rapid delivery of the vaccine from a people moving perspective.”
“We
are here to help. In fact, many venues are already working on the State and
Local level to implement vaccine programs.” said Wayne Forte, NITO executive committee member
and president of Entourage Talent Associates. “Our industry owns, leases and/or
has access to thousands of venues throughout America, most that are under
mandated closures and sitting empty.
Event venues make ideal community vaccination sites.”
Live Nation Media
Contact: Kaitlyn Henrich, KaitlynHenrich@livenation.com
The post U.S. Live Event Industry Comes Together To Offer Collective COVID-19 Vaccination Infrastructure And Staff In Letter To President Biden appeared first on Live Nation Entertainment.