Live Nation Pacts Over Silver Spring Fillmore

SILVER SPRING (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Live Nation has finalized its deal with Montgomery County officials over the proposed 2,000 capacity theatre in Silver Spring, MD to operate under the Fillmore banner.

The deal, worth $13.5 million dollars includes provisions to mollify local residents who had voiced objection to the plan, including a 1 AM curfew for shows and a midnight cut-off for alcohol sales. Live Nation also offered the tantalizing plum of 1.1 million in annual state and local revenue from the venue, the Washington Post reported.

"With Live Nation, we are partnering with a first-class company with a successful track record for bringing the very best to music lovers," County Executive Isiah Leggett said in a statement.

The deal however, has not been without controversy. The location Live Nation will be developing was originally slated for a Birchmere theater in a plan crated by Leggett's predecessor, Douglas Duncan. However after Leggett's arrival, the deal soon fell apart and Live Nation was quickly chosen as the heir apparent. Many observers, including IMP's Seth Hurwitz have called into question the 'closed door' nature of the deal.

Of the $13.5 million, Live Nation is only pitching in 2 million of their own money, with 4 million each from the state and local governments as well as a donation of the land with $3.5 million from a real estate developer Lee Company.

Hurwitz offered his own deal to the county, one that offered more money to the county and required no public subsidy, but Leggett refused to consider Hurwitz' proposal, noting that he was bound by his reportedly non-binding agreement with Live Nation.

Some of Montgomery County's council members echoed Hurwitz criticism. "I still think it was a rip-off and we could have done better," councilman Marc Elrich told the Post. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers