Students upset by Irvine seating reduction

After last week's announcement that renovations to Irvine Auditorium would include reducing available seating, many student groups have voiced concern about the effects of the change on their respective organizations. According to Facilities Management Vice President Art Gravina, seating will be reduced from 1,800 to 1,250. And earlier last week, Provost Stanley Chodorow said the purpose of the Irvine renovations, which are a part of the ongoing Perelman Quadrangle project, is "to create a first class music hall/music theater." But Concerts Director for the Social and Planning Events Committee Mike Parker said he was "curious about what it is the best music theater for." "We do not love Irvine the way it is and it desperately needs to be renovated," the College senior said. "But reducing the number of seats will make it impossible for us to bring in large acts." He added that due to financial costs, his group will no longer be able to bring in popular bands since they cost on average between $12,000 and $15,000. Parker noted that A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul sold out Irvine two years ago. With the reduction in Irvine seating, there will be no place to throw big concerts except for Hill Field at 34th and Walnut streets and the Palestra, which is almost always used for basketball, Parker said. "It's ridiculous that the major venue for large student productions which do sell out will be reduced to a point where a little over 10 percent of campus can come to an event," he added. Parker also expressed his dissatisfaction with the renovation proposals in general, explaining that "the plans looked like they were drafted by people who know nothing about throwing rock or hip-hop concerts." He added that anything designed for student concerts should have one-third to half of the seats removable for dancing. South Asian Society President and Wharton senior Rajesh Shah also expressed concern about the seating reduction. "Monetarily, we will lose money at five to seven dollars a pop," he explained, adding that this will result in a large loss of revenue for the group, considering the fact that this year's fall Diwali show sold out in Irvine. Wharton junior George Holt, president of the Bi-Cultural InterGreek Council, said he is worried about revenue and seating for the Council's step show, which is held annually during Penn Relays and drew approximately 1,500 last year. "We will be financially hurt," he said. "The step show is a large part of the Big-C's revenue." Holt added that part of the money for the show serves the community in the form of scholarships and food for the homeless. "This effect goes even further than Penn and reaches the community at large," he said. Holt also stressed that the event unifies all of the groups -- and alumni -- under the Big-C, and he is worried that this will impact the group socially. College senior Mike Smith, Spectrum co-chairperson, explained that the reduction in seating will affect future planning of groups that the use the facility. "We are definitely planning a concert this year," he said. "It will be an act that has the hottest disc out and it will definitely sell out. "But for future programming we are concerned that [the reduction of seating] will hinder our ability to put on a good show and have Penn community enjoy it," Smith added.