Ford Amphitheatre Readies For Debut

(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Clear Channel Entertainment debuts its new $23 million, 20,000-capacity Ford Amphitheatre, located on the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, on July 23 with a Michael W. Smith concert.

To kick off the July 10 opening of its venue box office, lawn tickets to all concerts (except for Dave Matthews which is sold out), are being sold on-site only that day for $10 as part of their $10 Gets You In promotion. There is a four ticket per person limit.

Concerts this inaugural season include: The Curiosa Festival, featuring The Cure on July 25; Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago (27); the David Matthews Band (29), sold out; Rush (30); Kiss and Poison (31); 311 and The Roots (August 1); Projekt Revolution featuring Linkin Park, Korn, Snoop Dogg and The Used (18); Boston (24); Ozzfest, featuring Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest and Slipknot September 2); Sting and Annie Lennox (September 9) and Norah Jones (November 12).

"Florida was missing out on a lot of really great outdoor tours," David Harb, director of marketing at the Ford Amphitheatre told the Naples Daily News. "A lot of tours weren't coming at all, because there wasn't another amphitheater to play at. They would only play at (Sound Advice Amphitheatre) at West Palm, or not come at all, he said."

Prior to the concerts, a second stage will be set up outside the amphitheater and showcase up-and-coming national acts and local bands. — Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner