Port St. Lucie expects to earn a $25,000 profit on the Styx concert on Feb. 2 on the Civic Center grounds in the first of a four-show series.
“We feel like it’s going to sell out,” Civic Center Director Linda McCarthy said. “Styx is selling out around the country. Right now, they’re a pretty hot band. This is a good way to kick off the concert series.” A sellout would generate $25,000 in profit, McCarthy told the City Council on Nov. 25. Food and beverage sales would increase the city’s profits on the show, but are difficult to predict.
The Civic Center’s concert tickets are less expensive than nearby venues, such as the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce and the Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach.
Ocean and Field Global, of Vero Beach, is coproducing the concerts with the city and splitting the profits 50-50.
After the meeting, McCarthy said the next Civic Center concert will be on March 20 with “Fire on the Mountain,” featuring the Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker bands.
The concert series will go on hiatus for the off-season and return on Nov. 14 with the Little River Band, McCarthy said. Another show will be scheduled for September or October.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the contract with Styx. The council also voted unanimously to direct staff to formulate a promotion plan that would include giving away as many as 200 tickets to city residents. “That will definitely promote this series among the residents,” said City Councilman John Carvelli.
Councilwoman Stephanie Morgan said she expects the Styx concert to attract fans from beyond the Treasure Coast.
“This is not going to be just for Port St. Lucie,” Morgan said. “There’s going to be people from Vero, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Miami, Tampa. There are going to be people coming from a lot of places to see Styx. This is a great band to start it off with.”