Live Nation can now book up to 30 events annually at the Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park, per an updated management agreement with the city of Wilmington. 

The renegotiated agreement increases the maximum number of shows from 20 to 30, with any additional events requiring preauthorization. 

Wilmington entered into a 10-year management agreement with Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. in 2020. The publicly funded park, which cost nearly $35 million to construct, opened its inaugural season in 2021 with 19 total shows. 

This year, Live Nation sold 111,471 tickets, community services director Amy Beatty told Wilmington City Council members at their Tuesday meeting. The management deal with Live Nation requires the firm to pay the city $2 per ticket sold, so the city collected $222,942 from ticket sales this year, plus $40,000 in annual rent. 

That’s a jump up from the 2021 season, when Live Nation sold 92,794 tickets. About 59% of tickets sold were to those not living in Wilmington, Live Nation general manager Ryan Belcher told the council in January. 

“We have more artists and bands that want to come to Wilmington than available slots,” he said when first making the request to increase the number of shows.

Another change in the management agreement is Live Nation will give the city four box seats to all events at the pavilion for a value of $15,324. 

Hours of operations for concerts will remain unchanged, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.