Park City Institute Announces The St. Regis BIG STARS, BRIGHT NIGHTS Concert Series

The St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights Concert Series will be moving to a new venue within the greater Park City area.

"It is the end of a chapter," said Park City Institute Executive Director Teri Orr. "In mid-December, the management at Deer Valley Resort (now an Alterra Mountain Company property) informed us they would not be renewing our contract to present summer concerts there, after 14 years. We loved the beautiful space, and will miss being there. We immediately began the search for a new location for our 2018 summer series, since our patrons plan their summers around our specific shows."

According to Phyllis Robinson, PCI Board Chair, "The St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights Concert Series is crucial for our ability to move forward with our plans for a permanent home for the Park City Institute, where we can bring the best creative minds in the world to work, teach, and inspire. Our summer concerts are part of the fabric of our community. They are also a significant amount of funding, largely through sponsorships and memberships, supporting all of our programs throughout the year, including the Main Stage at the Eccles Center, and, specifically, our Student Outreach programs. Ticket sales (earned income) only account for approximately one-third of our annual revenue."

Orr added,"With no time to adjust our budget and no way to anticipate this abrupt change - the Institute staff launched into an exhaustive search of every blade of grass, for a place to host this concert series. We have spent the past three months-while in the middle of our ambitious and celebratory 20th Anniversary season on the Main Stage at the Eccles Center-looking for new locations, to present a pop-up series for this summer. We also began conversations about helping to create a new amphitheater in our community."

Orr extended her thanks to the staff and council of Park City Municipal, for assisting the Institute in identifying potential venues. "We are thankful for the assistance that Park City Municipal staff - especially Jenny Diersen and Jonathan Weidenhamer - has extended to us during this time," Orr said. "They have been a tremendous help in evaluating the possibility of specific venues, and recently identified parcels that could serve as locations for a pop-up summer season."

The Institute will draw on its 14 years of experience, presenting in outdoor venues, to plan and execute this year's series, on such a short time frame. "During those 14 years, we have cultivated strong relationships with agents, who have held nine show dates for us, this summer," said Orr. "The series will showcase our signature mix of legendary and emerging artists."

"We are grateful our title sponsor, St. Regis, immediately committed its support for the season, as have two of our major individual donors," Orr added. "We also have commitments from new sponsors, who recognize the value the Big Stars, Bright Nights Concerts and Main Stage series bring, to our community and the economy, and who want to help us continue as a leader in the arts community."

The Park City Institute will post additional information on its website, www.parkcityinstitute.org, and the PCI Facebook Page.

Park City Institute is a non-profit organization, dedicated to bringing world-class performances and new ideas to the community. Since 1998, PCI has presented internationally renowned and cutting edge musicians, actors, authors, comedians, dancers, speakers, and film, at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (a joint-use facility with the Park City School District). The organization will embark on its 15th season of headliner concerts, next summer. PCI is dedicated to introducing young people to the arts through free student outreach workshops, shows and demonstrations. Since 2010, PCI has offered a free, after-school literacy program to students in grades one through 12 at the thinky and fun tutoring hub, The Mega-Genius Supply Store and IQ HQ (located at 435 Swede Alley)

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