Brucks taking over concert series, planning amphitheater in Toledo
TOLEDO — Maybee native and musician Hunter Brucks has some big plans for Toledo. Brucks is taking over management of the popular Promenade Park concert series and hopes to build an amphitheater in the city.
Brucks, a promoter, producer and owner of HB Concerts Inc., recently signed a deal with Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewics to take over booking the concert series at the park on Water Street in downtown Toledo. The contract begins in 2024 and could extend for three years.
The Promenade Park concert series was managed for the last six years by ProMedica.
“ProMedica did a handful of shows in the summer; some were pretty decent. They did a big one with Gwen Stefani,” Brucks said.
Annual attendance in the series is typically more than 60,000 people from 43 states, Kapszukiewics said. Additionally, more than 12 community organizations use the park for events, such as the African American Festival, Toledo Jeep Fest, Toledo Pride Festival and Latino Fest.
“Over the past six years, the concert series has generated a remarkable $20 million in economic impact for our region, benefiting small businesses in downtown Toledo," Kapszukiewics said.
Brucks' company will organize several events in 2024.
HB Concerts Inc. has eight employees and plans to hire two more next year. It has produced events at places like Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Minnesota, the Jackson County Fair and Kewadin Casinos in St. Ignace. Brucks has worked with acts such as Keith Urban, Cole Swindell, Matchbox 20, Switchfoot and Goo Goo Dolls. He's been in the entertainment business for more than 40 years.
“HB Concerts is a leading promoter, producer and buyer in the entertainment industry," Kapszukiewics said. "We are excited to usher in a new era with fresh opportunities for collaboration and community engagement."
Brucks plans to rename the series and bring in big-name acts. To prepare, he's already built a road to accommodate large touring trucks.
“The series will be called the 'Promenade Pavilion by HB Concerts.' I’ll be bringing in marquee talent and pretty large-name acts. We’re super excited about the series,” Brucks said. “I’ll be taking over talent for the Jeep Fest.”
The season is expected to run Memorial Day weekend through September or October. Brucks hopes to announce the performers in January.
“We’ve got 12 or more offers on the table, four are done and confirmed. We might drop a few early," Brucks said.
Brucks, who calls himself “the kid from Maybee," also hopes to build his long-awaited amphitheater in Toledo. In 2022, Brucks announced plans to build the theater in Waterville, Ohio. He hoped it would have opened this May. The plan was opposed by neighbors and led to several court cases.
Previous Coverage: Maybee native announces plans to build amphitheater in Ohio
“It mainly got too deep in litigation with the ‘not in my backyard’ group. It was nonsense. There were a lot of court battles," Brucks said. "I won every one of them. The secretary of state said I could built it. Sometimes you fight, you win, you know you won, but it just doesn’t feel right. There were too many unknowns.”
So Brucks left the deal.
Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news and high school sports content.
“The City of Toledo opened its doors for me. Toledo is courting me to built an amphitheater. They invited me there in the early to mid-summer," Brucks said. "The Toledo region is very appealing and there are some very attractive properties."
He plans to announce a location in January. The theater plan is similar to what he envisioned in Waterville: An open-air, state-of-the-art facility that could accommodate 7,500 people.
"It’s the same theater, with some tweaks," Brucks said. "Toledo is excited. We’re excited."
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Brucks taking over concert series, planning amphitheater in Toledo
