Brookhaven Amphitheater has new manager

Brookhaven Amphitheater sits in a natural crater atop Farmingville's Bald Hill -- an appropriately symbolic location for a facility often cited as a money pit by officials and civic activists.

But a new partnership between Brookhaven Town and Ronkonkoma radio group JVC Broadcasting could breathe new life into the amphitheater while easing the burden on taxpayers, according to town officials who support the pact.

JVC Broadcasting has inked a five-year deal with the town to manage and promote the 7,000-capacity amphitheater, which has featured acts ranging from James Brown to Alice Cooper since it began hosting music in the 1980s.

The radio group, which will share revenues with the town under the agreement, is already working on a busy summer schedule.

The amphitheater has operated more than $1.5 million in the red over the past four years. Brookhaven's agreement with JVC should reduce costs and help attract more acts, said Councilwoman Connie Kepert, who represents the area.

"It's a great entertainment venue and it deserves to be utilized," Kepert said. "I think it's a win for the town, rather than letting it go to waste."

Under the agreement, Brookhaven will receive 50 percent of any naming rights sponsorships, 25 percent of net parking revenue, $1,000 per use of the nearby town hall parking lot for overflow parking and $1 per ticket sold in 2012, town officials said.

The town's cut of ticket sales will increase to $2 per ticket in 2013 and $2.50 in 2014, officials said. The town and JVC will renegotiate the revenue sharing in 2015 and 2016, officials said.

Supervisor Mark Lesko says the town's 2012 budget for the facility of $79,615 could essentially be refunded as JVC takes over virtually all operations.

"The Town of Brookhaven, from an operations standpoint, is getting out of the amphitheater business," he said. "From a content standpoint, we still have oversight."

The town board unanimously approved the contract March 29.

JVC president John Caracciolo said he is working on a July 3 event called Freedom Fest featuring country singer Dierks Bentley. The Long Island Philharmonic is slated for July 4, Ronnie Dunn of country music duo Brooks & Dunn is scheduled for Sept. 22, and several other events are in the works, he said.

"This year should be a good year and next year will be a much better year," he said.

The decision to contract operations at the amphitheater reflects a shift in Brookhaven toward privatizing government functions, Lesko has said.

Lesko has said the town, which struggles with declining revenues, must purge itself of costs to remain fiscally solvent.

The town is also considering a move to solicit bids from private operators to take over Brookhaven Calabro Airport, which has a $535,059 budget in 2012 but typically loses about $500,000 a year, officials say.

The public-private partnership at the amphitheater is a good first step toward shaving costs, town officials said.

"The amphitheater is one of the town's greatest assets but it has been underutilized and a financial drain on the taxpayer for too many years," Councilman Tim Mazzei said.