Entertainment tax on hold

ROANOKE RAPIDS — City leaders have asked the area’s state lawmakers to put an entertainment tax bill on the back burner until the new operators of the Carolina Crossroads outdoor amphitheater have a chance to launch their enterprise.

“We wanted to give the people a chance to get their feet on the ground,” Mayor Drewery Beale said of Atlantic One Entertainment LLC, the venue’s new operator. “That’s what I think should be happening. We need to make sure they’re going to make it before we start taxing them.”

The bill introduced in the state House would allow the city to levy an entertainment tax on every admission ticket sold.

The bill proposes a no more than $3 tax on tickets in which the admission fee is at least $5 and more than 5,000 tickets are available.

The bill would not affect tickets sold at The Roanoke Rapids Theatre, only tickets sold at events for events at the outdoor amphitheater at Carolina Crossroads.

According to a copy of the bill sponsored by area legislators Lucy Allen, Angela Bryant and Michael Wray, the city is to use the proceeds collected from the tax to reduce any bond debt associated with construction, improvements of the Roanoke Rapids Music and Entertainment District.

According to the bill, every person, firm, corporation or organization selling admission tickets is to collect the tax.

Atlantic One, headquartered in Rocky Mount, has entered into a lease-purchase agreement with Carolina Crossroads for the amphitheater location. The company plans on building permanent structures on the site and hosting a series of concerts.

Its first concerts are planned for later this month. At a news conference in April, Atlantic One announced two festival style events. On the May 16, the amphitheater will host the Stimulus Festival, an all-day event priced at $1 per ticket, according to company officials. The event will feature vendors, food, crafts, a fun zone and live entertainment by Zapp, the Adam Stone Band and Maurice Wynn.

On May 30, a second all-day festival, dubbed the Frankie Beverly Experience, will feature the R&B act Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. The event will also include appearances by Grammy nominated soul singer Wayna and neosoul artist Calvin Richardson.