Submitted by HRJafael t3_10myg73 in WorcesterMA
7evenPoint128 t1_j66qijh wrote
So are they just not going to fix the stadium to allow for concerts and shows like they promised?
the16v t1_j66zbu1 wrote
fix how?
legendofsteve t1_j67ll4r wrote
Apparently there's a bottleneck at an important loading area and trucks can't get into the stadium proper to offload staging equipment making it super costly to put on a show there.
7evenPoint128 t1_j68tcvy wrote
They designed it to be an almost replica of Fenway, including some of its flaws. The loading zone ceiling is too low to allow large trucks to pull in and assemble a large concert stage/lighting/etc.
Itchy_Rock_726 t1_j695qme wrote
That situation is truly ridiculous but on the other hand I believe the city would struggle to book more than a handful of prominent concert acts there each year. The venue market is sort of saturated in Massachusetts across building size and type. Book a band into Polar Park and you may lose a date for the DCU which is already struggling.
Also, outdoor shows are already happening with great success at the Palladium in the summer. Saw Coheed and Cambria there and it had to be 8,000 in attendance. However the amenities there are poor. No seats obviously which sucks (I'm old).
And I feel like Xfinity Center, Leader Bank Pavilion have the market cornered on midsize (5,000) to large (15,000) outdoor shows.
Anyway, the solution is for Polar Park to buy a stage and PA/lighting rig that touring acts could plug into and augment as needed. Keep the gear stored somewhere inside and assemble it for shows.
I do hope the planners put some storage space into the blueprints for this $150 million park.
saintsandopossums t1_j69p9qa wrote
DCU shouldn't be struggling as much as it is though. I know the casinos and newer venues in the Boston area hurt them, but it's insane that they've gone from pulling the biggest bands in the world to not being able to even get like bottom-tier acts. Mismanaged honestly. It's not the best venue, but they should do better than THIS.
And Polar Park would be a nice little venue to see a show in, if they figured out the door thing. Quincy is having a nice little musical festival at essentially a high school football stadium this Summer. Polar Park could have at least pulled something like that off if they had planned the building better
SJ966 t1_j6cp056 wrote
Supposedly the Providence Bruins prevented the Railers from switching their ECHL affiliation to Boston out of pettiness. Having the bruins brand attached to the railers whould have been a boon to the business of the dcu.
Itchy_Rock_726 t1_j69q9qq wrote
Bottom tier??? Godsmack and Staind would like a word.
mtbmike t1_j69vwlv wrote
Leave it to Worcester. Whata mistake
albalfa t1_j6b49b3 wrote
Come on now. The people that own this place aren't stupid. If it is true that the ceiling is too low, I feel confidently certain it's not because they wanted to recreate Fenway so accurately that it would restrict them from major revenue opportunities.
Owners: Let's make our new ballpark so perfectly true to Fenway Park that even the loading docks can't take trucks.
Architects: You got it!
/s
7evenPoint128 t1_j6bmtid wrote
I'm sorry I have to ruin your faith in humanity. This is legitimately what they did.
albalfa t1_j6bvxjo wrote
Well... Ahem. With all due humility... Respect and apologies.
It's not clear that they did that purely in adherence to Fenway Park, but it is clear that this seems to be a pretty large mistake/oversight.
Rock on, friend. 👍
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