During a Friday press conference, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood posed for a photo with Yellowstone County Commissioners. From left are Kristie Ostlund, who attended in place of her husband, Commissioner John Ostlund, Commissioner Robyn Driscoll, Brooks, Commissioner Denis Pitman and Yearwood. (Jonathan McNiven photo)
Originally published in the print edition of Yellowstone County News on 6/16/17.
BILLINGS — Five Garth Brooks concerts drew massive crowds and generated massive revenues for the city’s motels and restaurants — but few if any problems, according to MetraPark officials.
Bill Dutcher, MetraPark’s general manager, told Yellowstone County commissioners on Tuesday that “everything went like clockwork,” for the five concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “The promoter was happy and Garth Brooks was happy.”
Sue DeVries, assistant manager at MetraPark, said that unlike most performers, Garth Brooks is very hands-on. He was very involved in the production and ticket sales.
“He made sure every seat had a good view,” DeVries said, personally walking to every part of the arena to make sure that every seat was a good seat.
“He truly played to every seat,” DeVries said. “He is as personable as anyone you would want to meet.”
Moving traffic in and out went very well, with the only delays because of minor traffic accidents that briefly blocked traffic outside of MetraPark. People were pleased with paid parking, DeVries said.
MetraPark officials issued press releases and sent emails before the concerts about traffic plans and other concerns. DeVries thanked the community for supporting the plans.
The biggest hiccup in getting traffic into and out of the parking lots turned out to be the performer himself, DeVries said.
“Garth Brooks gets into what he does and doesn’t know when to stop,” she said. Since Brooks didn’t always quit performing when he was scheduled to do so, that created problems in moving one crowd out and another in.
He played so much longer on Sunday night that that crowd “really got their money’s worth,” said DeVries.
DeVries said that Brooks “hand-picks” the places he goes, based on money but on where he likes to go, and where he has had the best experiences in the past. Billings was the smallest venue on his tour and probably in the U.S. that he plays.
He and Trisha Yearwood last performed in Billings July 2-5, 1998, during a two-year world tour.
“He came back because he loves this area,” DeVries said.
Unfortunately, some people were scammed by “bogus” online ticket sales. DeVries said that she was pleased to know that some of the scalpers lost money when Garth added a fifth concert to meet demand. One scalper had 450 tickets and another had 200, she said.
Commissioner Robyn Driscoll said she met many very happy people from all over the country, and even the world. There was someone here from Poland.
Sue said that the “business community did very well.”
“People couldn’t get into restaurants and ... Read full story in print or online by subscribing here.
