arena | on stage

On with
the show

By CARLA SANDERS

CARRIE UNDERWOOD is coming; so are Metallica and Alan Jackson. Sesame Street Live will take to the stage and Disney on Ice will skate across the floor.

When Citizens Business Bank Arena opens in October, it will herald a new era in entertainment options for the Inland Empire.

No longer will residents from the area and outlying communities (think Victorville, Apple Valley, Palm Springs and Twentynine Palms) have to make the trek to Los Angeles or even Anaheim for concerts and large-scale family fun.

Finally, after years of planning and growing and building and waiting, the Inland Empire is ready for its close-up. The Arena will be a showcase for the region as a whole.

Booking acts and entertainment into the Arena, it’s the IE that will constantly be touted, according to Steve Eckerson, general manager for the Arena through the entertainment management company AEG.

"We’re selling the highlights of this area," he said.

The 4.1 million people who live here don’t hurt, either.

Those kinds of numbers are enormously helpful in promoting a venue in a region that has been heretofore untested for arena-type activity. But that has not hampered Eckerson’s efforts to draw big names for the Arena’s inaugural season.

The Inland Empire, he said, already has developed a reputation for being successful in selling tickets. That and the ability of the Arena’s management to establish a successful relationship with promoters have enhanced the allure of the new venue.

Eckerson explained that their efforts in attracting top quality entertainment have benefited from the close connection between AEG and AEG Live, the company’s entertainment arm that has handled such major events as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Festival.

Logistically, corralling the acts has been a mixed bag: Some have been booked 90 days out; others are scheduled at least a year in advance. In addition, the region has proven to be a strong market for events that cater to families — a demographic that has some in the entertainment business counting the days until the opening with anticipation.

Ken Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, has already expressed his eagerness to bring shows into a market that’s new for them.

Among Feld-promoted events are the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and Disney Live — all of which are on tap for the Arena during its first year.

"He told me he can’t wait to get to Ontario," Eckerson said.