June 24, 2008
FILLMORE TO GET $800,000 TAX BREAK
Silver Spring's new Fillmore music hall will be getting an $800,000 tax break over ten years under a law proposed by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. The proposed measure applies to the county's arts districts in Wheaton, Silver Spring, and Bethesda, and a county memo says the only projects eligible for the tax break would be the Fillmore and any condos units in a Bethesda building, the Trillium, that are occupied by "certified" artists or arts groups. The music hall, to be run by Live Nation, is expected to open in late 2009 or 2010. The agreement between the county and Live Nation has been criticized for being a sweetheart deal.
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well, it's not like Montgomery County could use the money or anything. plus, i'm sure there's no way in hell Live Nation could have afforded to open up a Fillmore in Silver Spring without an $800K tax break.
hey Ike, how about a tax break for MoCo homeowners? I sure could use one, especially after the real estate boom gave MoCo a green light to inflate my assesment and jack up my property taxes every years for the past 8 years.
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i don't know when these little news snippets started, but i love it! thanks, sommer.
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Fuck the Fillmore. And furthermore, Ike Leggett is a dumb shit. Did anyone else hear him getting his ass chewed out on WTOP last week for dropping the ball after that water main break?
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Speaking of "certifying" artists, I have yet to recieve certification for my tribute to Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ," tentatively entitled "Fart Pope." Although, given the current anti-intellectual climate, I may just have to call it something nondescript like "The Wind of the Lion."
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$800K? Hell, LiveNation makes that up in parking fees for every show put on at Nissan.
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I for one cannot wait. Finally something to break up the monopoly that I.M.P. has on (shitty) music promotion in DC. LiveNation does a great job. And low and behold, seems to exist along side local venues in other cities just fine. Perhaps because more music promotion means more bands coming through the area. And diversity of choices. I'm tired of going to NY and Philly and Baltimore to see shows that should be playing here.
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How much of this tax break is going to Mallard Fillmore? If that duck gets one penny of this, I'm gonna totally lose it.
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So I suppose all those ticket "fees" will be waived by Live Nation? Or only for "certified" artists who live in condos that pay fees to Live Nation's friends?
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Seems as though IMP made a play for the space and was turned down. Difference is Seth said up front that he did not need a tax giveaway to open up and run a venue. Leggett's stated response was that Montgo Cty. local surveys said they "didn't want another 930 Club."
Great. Now they they get the unique opportunity to front Clear Channel 800K to open a cookie cutter venue which will book the same artists that make money on Clear Channel radio stations. I just can't wait for the onslaught of the latest soundscan-baby Matchbox 20, or Three Doors Down clones to travel thru.
It'll be grand.
Government supported mediocrity
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Too bad most of downtown Silver Sprung is a fake, prefab McDowntown to begin with.
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What is a certified artist? What does that mean?
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One that has been certified by the county as part of the arts districts.