Volume 3, No. 14. July 25, 2003
Venue
vidi vici
This may be the most astonishing stunt the theater at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
in Louisville, Kentucky, has ever witnessed. After three years of entertaining
guests with the Batman Stunt Spectacular, this year the park canceled the stunt
show and transformed the 2,400 theater into a 5,400-seat special events and
concert venue.
Named the Paramarx
Arena, the theater—minus the pyrotechnic bunkers and the fence keeping
audience from Batman and his foes, but plus a stage and floor seating—has
hosted concerts from Kirk Franklin to Willie Nelson. Every Friday night, the
World Wrestling Entertainment holds matches there. The wrestling and the concerts
are all free with admission to the park.
“Tens of thousands
loved the stunt show,” the park’s Public Relations Manager Carolyn
McLean said. “Three years later, guests were ready for something new. (Park
General Manager) Lee Graham wanted to shift focus and add more special events
and a venue where we could hold them.” Of course, one could argue that
WWE matches are a continuation of the venue’s stunt show tradition. And
the Friday night matches have formed their own cult following among families
visiting the park.
Paramarx’s
greatest value, though, is in giving Kentucky Kingdom a concert stage. That
value will be proven again this weekend with the second annual Mom’s Music
Festival. Launched last year as a tribute to Marvin Maxwell, founder of the
Mom’s Music store in Louisville and the patron saint of local musicians
struggling to make a living at their avocations, the festival drew 123 bands
from around the nation. They played on 10 stages set up throughout Six Flags
Kentucky Kingdom, and the two-day event drew big.
“We had pouring
rains, and still had a great crowd,” McLean said. “Because of the
success, we decided immediately to do it this year and pray for good weather.
We called up (the organizers) and said we want to do it again, and we want it
to be bigger and better, and we don’t want to pay for it.”
Enter Marvin’s
son and successor, Mark Maxwell, and Mark Craycraft, former director of entertainment
for Dick Clark Productions. The two old friends are partners in a promotions
company called, fittingly, Paramarx. Taking up the mantle of Mom’s Music
Festival sponsor, Paramarx was given naming rights to Kentucky Kingdom’s
new concert venue for two years. This weekend, Paramarx Arena will be one of
the 10 stages hosting 216 bands over two days.
One thing Paramarx Arena won’t be is active during the annual Kentucky State Fair. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, located on the fairgrounds, serves as the fair’s midway, becoming a pay-per-ride venue. With the fair having its own arena and big-name acts coming in, the park doesn’t plan to book anything at Paramarx for that time, though it will serve as the venue for the state cheerleading competition. “They have tons of concerts and events at their arena. We let them take the spotlight,” McLean said of the fair. The rest of the summer, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom is getting plenty of its own spotlight, thanks to Paramarx Arena.
THE LOOP is written and produced by Eric Minton, Minton Enterprises, LLC. To see more examples of Eric Minton's work and Minton Enterprises services, visit www.ericminton.com.
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