Colorado dealers help Ford acquire naming rights to new concert venue
A new outdoor music venue under construction in Colorado Springs, Colo., will carry the Ford name, thanks to Colorado Ford dealers.
The Ford Amphitheater, previously known as known as The Sunset, is set to hold its grand opening Aug. 9-11. It is owned by live entertainment and hospitality company Venu Holding Corporation and will be operated by Venu and concert promoter AEG Presents.
The $90 million facility will seat 8,000, including 92 VIP luxury fire pit suites.
“A world-class amphitheater deserves a world-class name, and no name is more iconic than Ford,” Venu chairman and CEO JW Roth said during a news conference with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. “They’re built ‘Ford Proud,’ as the slogan goes, and we are proud to showcase one of the great American brands right at the base of America’s mountain, Pikes Peak.”
In a news release, Venu said the 10-year naming rights agreement “underscores Ford’s long-term commitment to Venu and its association with the most luxurious venue ever built.”
The agreement, powered by local Colorado Ford dealerships, includes official venue naming rights, premium venue signage and other brand activations. Venu said those on-site exposures combined with the amphitheater’s location on Interstate 25 will provide Ford with more than 100 million organic and non-organic impressions annually.
“Your local Ford stores are proud to be an integral part of the community we serve,” said Kevin Shaughnessy, president and CEO of Phil Long Dealerships, which operates more than 20 dealerships in Colorado and New Mexico, including Ford and Lincoln stores in Colorado Springs, Denver and Trinidad, Colo.
“From college athletics to professional sports and all the activities and associations that matter most, your local Ford stores are honored to be woven into the fabric that brings us all together. We are excited to support the all-new Ford Amphitheater and look forward to many unforgettable moments under the Colorado sky.”
Venu said Ford Amphitheater’s opening weekend, featuring three-time Grammy Award winner Ryan Tedder and his band, OneRepublic, is sold out. Other acts coming to the venue include the Beach Boys, Lauren Daigle, Dierks Bentley, Pentatonix, John Fogerty and Robert Plant with Alison Krauss.