Paciolan has acquired the assets of TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment from Red Lion Hotels Corporation, according to a release issued by the company on Wednesday.
Both businesses, based in the Pacific Northwest, will continue to operate under their current names and logos, under the umbrella of Paciolan – the second largest primary ticketing provider in America behind Ticketmaster.
“We are thrilled to add TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment as members of the Paciolan family,” said Paciolan President and COO Kim Damron in the release. “As a longtime partner with TicketsWest, we have great respect for their fantastic leadership team and staff who have earned an incredible reputation for delivering excellence in ticketing and marketing services to their clients.”
Paciolan was itself acquired just two months ago, with Learfield buying the ticketing and marketing wing of Spectacor and reviving the Paciolan brand in mid-June. Prior to its purchase by Spectacor, Paciolan had operated independently for decades, including a longtime business relationship with TicketsWest.
TicketsWest is a full service ticketing and marketing operation, partnered with hundreds of venues through multiple genres of music, athletic events, and other performing arts. It brings with it a network of over 300 retail outlets. WestCoast Entertainment is a production and promotions company with a primary focus on Broadway shows and concerts, which also produces smaller scale private events.
Dusty Kurtz will continue to lead TicketsWest as its president, retaining his current leadership team and regional staff.
“We are incredibly excited to join the Paciolan family,” said Kurtz. “Paciolan has been a trusted partner of TicketsWest for over ten years and both companies have gained tremendous insight and respect for one another. We have a shared vision of being a client-focused organization that places a tremendous value on relationships and delivering exceptional services for our customers.”
Jack Lucas will also remain President of WestCoast Entertainment.
The acquisitions allow Paciolan to grow outside of its (and Learfield’s) traditional power base in collegiate athletics, but leadership demurred when asked if it was the beginning of a broader push.
“There is a lot going on in the ticketing industry,” Damron told Venues Today. “But this just made so much sense because we have been such longterm partners.”