Qwest Center Omaha - US/World Rankings

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:53 am

TheOmahaChannel.com wrote: Qwest Center Is Top 20 Venue In World
Omaha's Arena Is No. 17 In Worldwide Ticket Sales

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha's Qwest Center ranked No. 17 in worldwide ticket sales for 2004 and 16 of the top 25 touring acts made a stop in Omaha.

Monday, news broke that U2 will stop in Omaha in December. Other tops acts that have been in town are Prince, John Mayer and Shania Twain. Last week, Kenny Chesney tickets sold out in less than 20 minutes and a second date was scheduled for the Qwest Center.

According to Pollstar.com, U2 is the top touring act, with Green Day -- which is sold out at Qwest for next Sunday -- at No. 2 and Kelly Clarkson at No. 5. All three will perform at the Qwest this year.

U2 will perform Dec. 15. Tickets will range from about $50 to as much as $160. They go on sale March 19 at 10 a.m. It will be the first time the Irish rock band has played in Nebraska.

John Mellencamp hits the stage April 1 and on April 12 Motley Crüe will perform.

Before it was built, some called the Qwest Center a white elephant, believing an arena and convention center in Omaha could not pay for itself. Homer's record store owner Rick Galusha said the Qwest Center has been great for the Omaha music market.

"They are one of the most powerful bands out there at the moment," said Galusha, of U2's stop. "It's exciting to have them come to Omaha to play the Qwest Center -- quite a coup for us."

In other Nebraska tour news, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams will co-headline the Rock 'n Roll Double Header tour, which will hit 26 minor league baseball stadiums, including Lincoln's Haymarket Park. The concert is scheduled for Aug. 2. There is no word yet on when tickets will go on sale.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm

Remember when a lot of people were complaining at the idea of a new arena and said that the Civic Auditorium was fine?! HA.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:08 pm

WOW! That's really remarkable.

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:34 pm

Time to expand.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:26 pm

Change is very hard for the conservative masses.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:31 pm

Arena is eighth wonder of world in ticket sales

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:37 pm

Yeah, the World Herald definitely reports that it's the EIGHTH ranked arena in the world for ticket sales.

And that's just friggin' amazing!

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:43 pm

From the W-H piece:

'The arena in Manchester, England, ranked first, followed by those in Tampa, Fla.; San Jose, Calif.; Montreal; Sidney, Australia; East Rutherford, N.J.; New York and Omaha. The America West Arena in Phoenix and one in Birmingham, England, rounded out the top 10.'..

Pretty exclusive company..

And:

'Other regional Omaha competitors and their Pollstar rankings include Denver's Pepsi Center (32nd) and Kansas City, Mo.'s Kemper Arena (71st)'..

VERY interesting..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:43 pm

I'd like to see some stastics on how many of those 150,000 tickets sold also contributed to the downtown economy in any way other than parking fees.

As happy as I am for DTO and the Qwest, Omaha REALLY missed the boat by not placing that closer to established retailers and restaurants.

-Big E

Post by **Brad** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:55 pm

Qwest In Top 10 Ranked 8th in ticket sales

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/1656691.html

Some of the radio stations also reporting TWO big concert announcements comming soon, plus they are hopeful that the Rolling Stones will be comming to town in the begining of next year.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:25 pm

Big E wrote:As happy as I am for DTO and the Qwest, Omaha REALLY missed the boat by not placing that closer to established retailers and restaurants.

In the short term, yes. Once the North Downtown master plan is realized there will be a giant block of retail surrounding the massive parking garage in the center, right across 10th Street from the Qwest. I do see loads of people walking down 10th Street from the OldMarket when there are events at the QC. I don't htink its that much of a walk that its a huge detriment.

Brad wrote:Some of the radio stations are reporting TWO big concert announcements comming soon

One of those is likely the Bon Jovi concert we've all been anticipating here.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:58 pm

I do see loads of people walking down 10th Street from the OldMarket when there are events at the QC. I don't htink its that much of a walk that its a huge detriment.

I agree. It isn't that far of a walk from the Old Market to the Qwest Center. Heck some times in the down town are I walk farther than that after finding a parking spot.

zedmib · Post by **zedmib** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:24 pm

Uffda,

As North Downtown (whatever it ends up being called) develops I would like to see a circulator bus that runs from 10th and Webster, south on 10th to Howard, Howard to 13th, then 13th up to Webster. This would cover the heart of both areas.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:55 am

This is pretty amazing news. Numbers and rankings like this do a lot more to gain us recognition and exposure than getting another elusive retail or restaurant chain. The fact we are consistently ranking high should enable us to continue to attract top acts.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:12 pm

I like how Roger Dixon pointed out that we are still ranked high even after the honeymoon first year. Here's to year number 3. As far as the Qwest Centers location, I'm still hoping for some big things (and there are) at the Swanson site.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:13 pm

I wonder where the MAC is ranked?

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:26 am

Holy cow.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:01 pm

QWEST CENTER OMAHA RANKS
FIFTH IN U.S. CONCERT TICKET SALES
Qwest Center Omaha Ranks 18th in World Sales

http://www.qwestcenteromaha.com/default ... cktolist=1

Omaha, NE -- Qwest Center Omaha rises to the top five venues in concert ticket sales for the United States. Pollstar, the concert industry’s leading trade publication and world’s largest database of interational concert tour information, just released its mid-year concert ticket sale rankings. Qwest Center Omaha ranks fifth in the Unites States and 18th in world ticket sales.

Additionally, Qwest Center Omaha has hosted four of the current top five worldwide tours. Roger Waters ranks first, followed by Herbert Groenemeyer, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani and Kenny Chesney. Waters, Timberlake, Stefani and Chesney have all played the Qwest Center Omaha Arena in the past year.

Roger Dixon, President/CEO of Qwest Center Omaha, said the Pollstar rankings reflect the continued strong support from the people of Omaha and the surrounding communities.

“We are pleased, but not satisfied,” Dixon said. “The coming year will take Qwest Center Omaha to a whole new level with AVCA Volleyball, te 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Round Tournament, U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Swimming, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and much more.”

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:42 am

I was just wondering - Concert ticket sales are for typical musical groups from Hannah Montana to Van Halen but what do world ranking ticket sales comprise? I wonder because thee last few days Qwest had the how many at TSO, 6,000 the see Andy and Serena, and 12,109 at the NU v OU game. Is there a place where Qwest event attendance numbers are listed? I think MECA is doing pretty good filling in the Qwest - but with CU building a volleyball/basketball facility for the women and UNO Hockey over at the Qwest and possibly their own rink and the Knights gone - I have to really begin to wonder the fat of the civic.

mchine73 · Post by **mchine73** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:42 am

Good call back Coyote,

Other than the Music Hall and other than regular tenants what has been at the Civic the last year. heck, even the mega church Christmas extravaganza has moved to the Qwest.

While the long term viability may be questioned, the city continues to spend money(the new press lot), it looks like that new tower would really bring some livelihood to the area.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:10 am

Coyote, TSO had just under 11,000