WASHINGTON D.C. (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Maryland-based promoter Seth Hurwitz has responded to a motion filed by promoter Live Nation to dismiss Hurwitz 11-count lawsuit wherein he alleges that Live Nation "has deliberately and unlawfully acquired monopoly power."
Live Nation's motion, originally filed in April, requested that the court dismiss the suit, stating that they do not own or operate any venues in Washington D.C. and pointing to their small share of shows promoted in the market.
"We compete heavily with Seth in the D.C. market," Garner said. "And the fact is, he is the dominant promoter in the Washington, D.C., area. We do 5 percent of the shows in the market." Live Nation's chief executive of global music told the Washington Post "If we had the supposed power that Seth alleges, we wouldn't have 5 percent market share."
Lawyers for Hurwitz responded in court last week, reiterating their claims, contending that Live Nation's practices are "clearly actionable under the antitrust laws."
Hurwitz and Live Nation are no strangers to contention. Last year, they sparred over a venue location in Silver Spring (soon to be a Fillmore-branded Theatre operated by Live Nation) and Hurwitz testified against the Live Nation/Ticketmaster Merger in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this year.
Hurwitz claims that the lawsuit is independent of the proposed merger and he told the Washington Post that the lawsuit was entirely about the amphitheater business. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
