(CelebrityAccess News Service) — After two years, the struggling weekly summer concert series at the MGM Grand Detroit Casino has been pink-slipped. Concerts were held under an outdoor tent with a 1,200-person capacity.
"If the traffic that you drive and the cost that it takes to do it make no sense, then you look at a different program," said John Redmond, chief executive officer of MGM Grand Resorts in Las Vegas, in The Detroit News.
Unpredictable weather, inability to recoup artist booking fees and bidding wars were all factors in the decision to pull the concert series. Other nearby venues included DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Freedom Hill Amphitheater in Sterling Heights and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant.
According to the paper, artist guarantees ranged from $40,000 to $100,000, with equipment rentals running as much as $20,000.
Artists performing during the two years included Cheap Trick, Men at Work, Loverboy, Pat Benatar, Smokey Robinson and other '80s acts.–edited by Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
