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KRISTIN TAYLOR/Ledger & Times
A Calloway County native and 2003 Murray State graduate, Jason Pittman started working at MSU’s Regional Special Events Center in 1998 — before the building was even completed. Now he manages the facility and is working toward attracting more entertainment acts to the arena. |
Working in the Public Arena
By KRISTIN TAYLOR
Staff Writer
Jason Pittman started working at Murray State's Regional Special Events Center in 1998 - before the building was even completed. Now he manages the facility and its staff.
Much can happen in eight years.
“I had no intention of ever doing this,” Pittman said of the RSEC manager job to which he was promoted in November.
Starting has a 17-year-old student worker, Pittman eventually took over the responsibilities for hiring student workers. Then his mentality started changing when he went to an International Association of Assembly Managers conference.
After graduating in May 2003, Pittman stayed on the university payroll as assistant facility manager at the RSEC and also ended up taking care of Lovett Auditorium, which had been managed by the fine arts departments.
Much of it was trial by error, but Pittman found success - and he attributes learning everything he knows about the business to his predecessor Shelley Todd, who left MSU to be the general manager for Outback Concerts in Nashville, Tenn.
Now with Todd working in Nashville, Pittman is hoping to hire an assistant manager who can help brand the facility so RSEC become synonymous with entertainment. This new staff member also would be charged with growing and promoting programming.
“There are things to do in western Kentucky,” said Pittman, who also is beginning his second two-year term on the Murray City Council. “We just want to make it more accessible.”
Then he speaks more to his philosophy.
“We will create the event. We will make the arena feel like it should,” Pittman said. “Š The RSEC and Lovett are contained on campus. We are out living in the community. What goes on directly effects our successes.”
Not long after assuming their new jobs, Pittman and Todd traveled to Las Vegas for an International Entertainment Buyers Association planning committee meeting, looking toward the annual conference in October 2007.
“If you can get involved with them,” Pittman said, “that's what's going to help put Murray on the map.”
And big acts have been to Murray. Country star Tim McGraw played the first concert in RSEC. In 1999, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds brought their acoustic set to a sold-out Lovett, which seats about 2,200. Then in 2002 Nelly sold out the RSEC, which holds about 8,500 concert-goers.
Although ticket sales were less, Jason Mraz played Lovett in 2003 and the following year Kanye West came to RSEC.
In October, Kentucky-born Montgomery Gentry headlined a country show that also featured Phil Vassar and The Wreckers. Pop rock star John Mayer is scheduled to perform in February with up-and-coming Mat Kearney as his opening act. It'll be Kearney's second time to campus as he played a free show with Griffin House in November.
And the Great American Country Christmas Concert - featuring Steve Azar, Julie Roberts, Deana Carter, Blue County and American Idol contestant Bucky Covington - made a stop in MSU's Lovett Auditorium in December.
Along the way, Pittman and other university officials involved in hosting concerts have learned ticket sales are only part of the battle. The real lessons have come in treating people right - something MSU prides itself in doing.
“You have to get them here, but once you do, they are taken care of,” Pittman said.
It's a philosophy MSU Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jim Carter sums up: “People play people; people don't play buildings.”
Carter has some experience himself. From 1981-85, he was director of student activities then he spent the next four years as Curris Center director. He says those were the last great years of colleges being great concert venues. Now civic centers draw the crowds.
And Pittman and Carter can't help but to think Murray could have the best of both worlds with RSEC sitting on the north edge of campus.
Bringing Ticketmaster to campus 18 months ago was a step in this direction.
“Being able to be across the country and buy a ticket for a show in Murray was huge for us,” Pittman said.
Carter still carries with him a dream of having concert series similar to Austin City Limits in an intimate coffeehouse setting. He and Pittman guarantee that and more are still to come at Murray State.
Story created Jan 05, 2007 - 22:37:55 EST.
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