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BILL GRAHAM PRESENTS UNVEILS
AMPHITHEATRE PLANS

Officials from Bill Graham Presents confirmed their plans to build a world-class amphitheatre in Yuba County on the Motorplex grounds. The announcement comes after an extensive search for a suitable amphitheatre site to serve the Sacramento metropolitan market. The Amphitheatre will be the setting for some of the biggest names in entertainment such as Dave Matthews, Shania Twain, and Bette Midler.

According to Nicholas Clainos, Bill Graham Presents Co-President, "We have been looking for years to replace our old amphitheatre on the Cal Expo Fairgrounds with an expanded, world-class facility for all audiences, from pop to classical. We have finally found it. By incorporating the highway and surface road improvements into the project, we have placed our location 35 minutes from downtown Sacramento."

"We are extremely pleased to be building in Yuba County where we have been welcomed with open arms," said Bill Graham Presents Vice President Danny Scher. "We’ve been very impressed with the County Board of Supervisors and the community. They truly understand the amphitheatre’s positive impact."

Construction of the amphitheatre is set to begin in early 1999 for a mid-season 1999 or April 2000 opening, depending on weather conditions the next six months. The Amphitheatre will be built on 90 acres of the 900-acre site currently being developed by the Yuba County Motorplex. When completed, the over $20 million amphitheatre will have seating for up to 20,000 people. Millions more will be spent on widening Forty Mile and Plumas Arboga Roads and adding and improving Highways 65 and 70 on and off ramps. Forty Mile Road and Plumas Arboga work has already commenced.

The amphitheatre will be between Highway 65 and 70 on Forty Mile Road, 26 miles from Sacramento. The project is expected to generate more than four million dollars in local tax revenues in its first five years of operation. The facility should add 650 seasonal jobs to the region.

Bill Graham Presents has a long history of presenting world-class entertainment in Northern California. Founded by the late legendary impresario Bill Graham in 1965, Bill Graham Presents has an unparalleled record of promoting big name entertainment events. The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Pearl Jam, Neil Diamond, Diana Ross, Metallica, Eric Clapton, and Janet Jackson are just a few of the hundreds of top acts Bill Graham Presents has promoted in recent years.

The company has owned and operated the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View since 1986. This beautiful outdoor facility seats more than 20,000 and will act as a model for the new amphitheatre in Yuba County.

Bill Graham Presents is also known to contribute back to the community with various non-profit grants and the production and promotion of numerous benefit concerts.

In 1998, Bill Graham Presents was purchased by SFX Entertainment, a publicly-held company and the nation’s leading promoter and venue operator for live entertainment events.