Live Nation Entertainment has entered into a partnership with Montana-based Logjam Presents, which announced the multi-year deal this week. The new partnership will pair the global promoter and the formerly independent local operation, bringing new resources to the area.
“Out of state national and regional promoters are already actively promoting in venues around the state. This new partnership will allow Logjam to remain competitive as a Montana-based promoter and will retain our event booking, marketing, management and, most importantly, 100 percent of our staff locally,” says President of Logjam Nick Checota. “Our new partnership will also provide Logjam access to an incredible artist network and will provide additional capital to improve existing venues and explore opportunities in other Montana regions. Logjam gains the expertise and resources of a global promoter, while day-to-day decision making will remain unchanged. The current Logjam team will continue to manage all major operating decisions such as entertainment buying, staffing, staff wages, ticket pricing and concession pricing.”
Logjam is associated with multiple venues in Missoula and one in Bozeman, with food and cannabis ventures as well. Live Nation will bring its promotional and entertainment operations to the table, while Logjam Presents – formed a decade ago by Nick and Robin Checota – will continue to retain full ownership control the Wilma Theater and the Top Hat, while retaining long-term leases with the KettleHouse Amphitheater and ELM.
According to Ryan Torres, vice president of marketing for Logjam, “We now have access to world-renowned entertainment resources, while maintaining our current management team and all of our more than 300 local staff. The structure of this partnership allows Logjam to retain its culture and continue to operate with the same ethos and spirit that we always have.”
Alanya Wissink, entertainment buyer for Logjam added, “As the Montana entertainment industry becomes increasingly competitive with national companies entering the market, this partnership allows us to remain Logjam while having the support and resources of a global promoter. Working with our new partners, we will be able to attract more entertainment to Montana, particularly in genres we are eager to expand such as country, rock and comedy. ”
Live Nation Entertainment, the largest promoter in the globe by a wide margin, got to its position atop the music and entertainment space largely through acquisitions of smaller regional promoters. While much of its growth of late has been through the acquisition or partnership with overseas operations, the Logjam deal shows that the California corporation is still willing to gobble up United States promoters when opportunity arises.
