NEWPORT, Ky. — Those planning on going to a concert at the newPromoWest Pavilion at Ovation stage had better plan on not only having their ticket but also their COVID-19 vaccination cards on hand.
AEG Presents, the company that owns PromoWest and the Ovation stage, announced Thursday that all staff and concert-goers must provide proof of vaccination before attending a show at any AEG venue.
“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status,” said Jay Marciano, COO of AEG and Chairman and CEO, AEG Presents, in a news release. “Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers.”
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The announcement from AEG said the vaccination policy will go into effect no later than Oct. 1 at any of its venues. The official Twitter account for PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation stated that leading up to Oct. 1, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of a concert will be in place for that venue's first show on Aug. 29.
For the show to go on, we have updated our vaccination policy to ensure the safety of fans, artists, and live event workers. This policy will be in effect starting with our first show, on August 29th. pic.twitter.com/ScXpn1727y
— PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION (@OvationPavilion) August 12, 2021
Kesha with special guest Betty Who is scheduled to perform on Ovation's outdoor stage that evening.
Shawn Trell, COO and general counsel with AEG Presents, said, “Certain states’ regulations may override our mandate, or a few artists may not want to immediately get on board with the plan, but we know that using our platform to take a strong position on vaccinations can make an impact. The message we want to send is simple and clear: the only way to be as safe as possible is to require everyone to be vaccinated. And we’re confident that others who haven’t been ready to make this full commitment yet will follow our lead.”
AEG went on to state that the vaccination policy will be implemented as an open-ended one, with any changes or reversals informed by updates relating to infection rates, transmission data, variant developments, and local and federal regulations.
