MGM is building a $100 million, 5,300-seat theater at the Monte Carlo hotel in Las Vegas in hopes of attracting top artists. MGM has been unable to attract artists because their current venues are either too small or too large. The new venue is expected to be open by the end of 2016.
Univision has filed to go public. The nation's biggest Spanish-language broadcaster, privately held for the past decade, is selling stock in hopes of raising around $20 billion in capital. Univision had had been conducting sale discussions with several companies, including Time Warner, CBS, and Viacom, over the past year, but has been unable to find a viable suitor.
According to Nielsen Music, music consumption in the first half of 2015 has increased 14 percent over last year. Much of the increase has been driven by a 92 percent increase in on-demand streaming and a 38 percent increase in vinyl sales. Sales of physical albums and digital tracks, however, have fallen since last year.
Experts are expecting a record year for Hollywood. Led by "Jurassic World" and "Inside Out," movie ticket sales are already up 8 percent this year, to over $6 billion. It is projected that sales for the year will be up 9 percent from last year, to a record-breaking $11.2 billion.
The Baltimore Symphony will be launching the Pulse concert series in the fall. The series, supported by the Wallace foundation and in partnership with WTMD-FM, pairs the orchestra with indie rock bands. Aimed at reaching younger audiences, the series will also be broadcast live on WTMD-FM.
Classical South Florida has changed formats, leaving south Florida without a classical music station. According to WLRN and Current, American Public Media is selling the station to Education Media Foundation, which will broadcast religious content. Classical South Florida had been losing money for APM, with losses of $1.2 to $3 million in three of the last 4 years.
The Indianapolis Symphony saw a huge increase in attendance this season, with ticket sales up 15 percent. Subscription package sales increased by 24 percent, driven by a new 6-concert series at Carmel's Palladium and a new 7-concert series in Hendricks County and the Greenwood area.
The Atlanta Symphony has finished the season with a surplus. Under terms of their collective bargaining agreement, 22 percent of the surplus will be shared by the musicians. The Symphony has also raised $13 million toward their $25 million Musicians' Endowment Campaign.