Q&A talks summer entertainment in Connecticut with Mitchell Etess, chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority and Mohegan Sun.
Q: What’s the new entertainment trend this summer in CT? Or are there no new trends?
A: The trend is now and will always be whoever is hot on the charts sells the most tickets. Many of today’s artists though are using television awards shows to time their new releases even in the face of today’s digital age. When they perform on these shows, tens of thousands of downloads result instantly. It’s reported that when Taylor Swift performed on the ACM [American Country Music] Awards, her album sales jumped 80 percent. That’s the new marketing of today’s artists.
Q: Does entertainment tend to peak in the summer and early fall for a reason? Are people in CT just more interested in going out when the weather is better, or are they driven more by the entertainment than the timing?
A: Summer concert tours can grab a bigger audience than the off season, with fairs, festivals, sheds all offering their venues for dates. There are some 17 venues in just our market alone during the summer. Our summer line-up is slightly ahead of last year’s record and we are on a historic pace to pass the 10 million attendance mark since the Mohegan Sun Arena opened.
Q: What are some of the hottest acts this summer in CT? Why? What is fueling their appeal?
A: In general, the younger they are, the better they sell. Pop culture will always rule the day because they dominate all media, especially the impact of social media worldwide. When One Direction performed here, Mohegan Sun was the No. 1 tweeted social media message around the world. It was historic. We try to book the A-list names — Bruno Mars, Beyonce, The Eagles, Kesha, New Kids Tour called The Package, Big Time Rush, etc. I’ve always felt that whoever markets pop culture the best will win the day — always. It’s a built-in marketing plan.
Q: How has the state’s economy affected summer entertainment offerings?
A: When you create demand, people will pay a top price. Many of our shows sell out now in minutes, not weeks, with 18 sellouts so far this year alone. Our entertainment economy is very strong here because we balance it out with A-list names and the value story of the Wolf Den where we program free shows every night. Many are young up and comers, already on the charts that are a hard ticket everywhere else. Gin Blossoms are a $60 ticket at other venues but you can see them free at The Wolf Den. It’s now known to break the next big thing as we have done with Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown, Keith Urban and so many others.
Q: Does CT’s proximity to New York and Boston hurt or help us when it comes to entertainment offerings? Are the larger acts stopping here this summer or are they skipping us?
A: The truth is we are now often the starting point for national tours, like Bon Jovi, One Direction, New Kids, Rascal Flatts, Michael Buble, Keith Urban to name a few. The Arena, now ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and worldwide, is considered a top stop on the national tour schedule. A big reason — our reputation for having the finest running crew of technical experts and the busiest box office operation in the nation selling on average 500,000 tickets to 60 events at one time.
Q: How much is casino entertainment affected by the drop in slots revenue? Does reduced gaming dollars curtail the shows being offered or do they increase as a marketing tool to get gamblers through the door?
A: The latest research by the American Gaming Association shows that 57 percent of people visiting a casino go to shows, and non-gaming is now exploding where gaming in general may have leveled off due to expanded gaming capacity. Not too long ago, Connecticut enjoyed a duopoly, and now there are 25 more casinos with some 70,000 more slot machines in our market. Yet, we are on a record pace for arena events and results. The marketing of the arena into an elite worldwide venue is not only a key product differentiator, but no other casino competitor can match our entertainment firepower.
