Tuscaloosa Amphitheater renamed as Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater

Mercedes-Benz is launching another star into our skyline, as Mayor Walt Maddox, with City Council members and Michael Göbel, president and CEO of the Tuscaloosa County plant, announced Tuesday night that the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater will be rebranding as Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater.

Raising that emblem inside and outside the 8,000-seat venue will create two major benefits, Maddox said.

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"No. 1 is the just straight financial picture," he said. "It ensures that we will have the resources to be one of the best amphitheaters in the country."

Though city and Mercedes officials declined to give dollar figures on the renewed investment — Mercedes has been a corporate sponsor since season one in 2011, creating the VIP club, among other things ― in riverfront development, the mayor said it was a figure far exceeding any of several other sponsorship offers made over the years.

"The second thing, and I think it's just as important, is the branding itself. We were intentional when we opened the doors of the amphitheater, not to take a title sponsor. We wanted to sell Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa has grown ...." but when it comes to booking acts, handled by Birmingham-based Red Mountain Entertainment, the Druid City is still a tertiary market.

Global recognition of the Mercedes brand should help raise appeal for touring artists. "It's just the evolution of that next step for this amphitheater," Maddox said.

In the setup between classic rock bands Loverboy and Foreigner on Tuesday, last concert of the 2023 season, Maddox and Göbel, joined by Kay Day, the city's director of arts and entertainment, and city councilors Lee Busby, Matthew Wilson, Raevan Howard, Norman Crow, John Faile and Cassius Lanier, made the announcement to a 5,000-plus crowd.

The City Council will formalize the agreement with Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. (MBUSI) and Mercedes-Benz U.S.A. (MBUSA) as joint sponsors. The Vance plant, first of its kind in the United States, in addition to sponsoring the club, has hosted employee events at the amphitheater with entertainment for team members including Earth, Wind and Fire; St. Paul and the Broken Bones; India Arie and others.

After years of planning, design and construction — preceded by years of publicly floating the idea of an outdoor venue ― the amphitheater opened April 1, 2011 with a concert by the Avett Brothers and Band of Horses, followed the next evening by the O'Jays and Patti LaBelle.

The project wound up costing about $14.9 million, to be paid from the city's lodging tax. Capacity was originally announced at a little over 7,400, varying according to moveable seating in the pit. It was later expanded.

Of that opening, The Tuscaloosa News wrote: “…as the sun fell behind the treeline at the left of the stage, the clouds parted and a light breeze wafted the smell of popcorn over the seats, things seemed from all appearances to be running smoothly.”…

“ ‘I’m as nervous as a cat,” Maddox said that opening night, although he was smiling at the time. ‘It’s only three and a half years, culminating in one night.’”

Two weeks later, an April 15 tempest caused cancellation of a planned Sugarland show, slamming the city with a roughly $225,000 loss; under contract, “acts of God” don’t cancel payments. That was unintended prep for April 27, when a devastating F4 tornado tore a 5.9-mile path across Tuscaloosa, damaging 13% of the city, with 53 deaths attributed to the storm.

The amphitheater served as a meeting and relief station for city workers, helping feed volunteers, and coordinate rescue and recovery efforts. That inaugural season, a string of bands including Kenny Chesney, My Morning Jacket, Widespread Panic and Alabama donated either all performance fees or other heavy donations to the city. Mercedes helped in a big way, putting more than $1 million into a tornado relief fund.

"That made sure that T-Town was never down," Maddox said.

Göbel remembered that tragic day as one of the saddest for our community.

"But it was also one of the moments where everyone in the community stepped up, and we stood together," he said. "Mercedes Benz has been a partner of the city of Tuscaloosa as a sponsor of the amphitheater since it opened in 2011. The Mercedes Benz Club bears our name; it signifies luxury and excellence.

"Tonight we're here to take that partnership to a new level."

In a written release, Dimitris Psillakis, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA said "Just as our company strives to bring people together through innovation and excellence, this facility will serve as a place where communities unite through the power of music, culture, and shared experiences.

“We look forward to seeing this venue serve as a central location for fostering connections and inspiration for years to come.”

With the new star rising, expect a stellar 2024 season, said Christina Frantom, a communications lead at Mercedes.

"We're gonna bring some wonderful shows here, working with our partners at the amphitheater and of course, at Red Mountain," she said. One show has already been booked for the new year, Riley Green, with openers Tracy Lawrence and Ella Langley, 7:30 p.m. April 18, 2024. Tickets are on sale through www.ticketmaster.com, and at the box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway, for $89.50, $79.50, $59.50, $49.50, and $39.50, plus fees and taxes.

"A large portion of our team members actually live here," Frantom said, in addition to local hires, including people from Germany, South Africa, Mexico and Canada, "so we're really excited that they'll be able to play here, too."

Over the years, the ampitheater has booked acts including Phish, Def Leppard, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige, Miranda Lambert, Soundgarden, Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band, Todd Rundgren, Crosby Stills and Nash, Chris Stapleton, Bob Dylan, ODESZA, Brad Paisley, Hall and Oates, John Legend, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Alabama Shakes, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, the Richard Thompson Trio, Styx, Brandi Carlile, Earth Wind and Fire, Alan Jackson, Counting Crows, Backstreet Boys, Wilco, Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban, Poison, the Lumineers, Fun, Tegan and Sara, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Gotye, Missy Higgins, Kelly Clarkson, the Fray, Daughtry, Live, Neko Case, Pretty Lights, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Jamey Johnson, Sturgill Simpson, Flo Rida, Nelly, Rob Thomas, Jack Johnson, Darius Rucker, Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers, Brantley Gilbert, Coolio, Color Me Badd, TLC, Hank Williams Jr., the Commodores, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Moon Taxi, Lynyrd Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sheila E., Dawes and Kings of Leon.

Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa rebrands venue as Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater