SMG poised to win Greek Theatre contract

Above: The Greek Theatre

Global facilities management company SMG is set to be awarded the prestigious contract to operate The Greek Theatre (cap. 5,800) in Los Angeles.

The company, which had been vying with Oak View Group (OVG) to secure the deal (see Audience issue 218), has seen its proposal receive the backing of the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department, which oversees the open-air venue for the city.

“Our board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners has approved the five years for SMG to operate and manage the Greek,” the department’s assistant general manager Vicki Israel tells Audience. “But our City Council [the venue owner] has not voted on the contract yet.”

After evaluating the submissions of SMG and OVG, owned by artiste manager and former Live Nation Entertainment chairman Irving Azoff and former AEG CEO Tim Leiweke, the department ranked SMG’s proposal 92.3 out of 100 compared to OVG’s 78.3.

Points were awarded on categories including management plan, capital improvement and premium seating and sponsorship.

SMG has been managing the venue since 2015, having taken over from Nederlander Concerts, which had managed The Greek for almost four decades.

The city council will give final approval for the contract, which has a five-year extension option, on 22 May.