The Mann Music Center has served Greater Philadelphia’s community of concert goers and artists for 40 years. In spring 2015, AMS was engaged to evaluate investment options, relative to facility improvement, that would have the greatest positive impact on the financial and civic returns of the venue over the next several years. These options included both investments in the music pavilion itself, as well as ancillary facilities.
To frame the study and better consider and evaluate potential investment options, our team explored a series of questions; How have comparable venues evolved over the past decade? What are the Mann’s facility investment options and likely net returns of the various scenarios? What is the likely development cost? And, what is the most appropriate implementation approach for the proposed facility? AMS partnered with long-time Mann resources and industry colleagues with extensive knowledge in the outdoor music experience and food and beverage amenities as subject matter experts.
Our process resulted in citing three investment scenarios, the first two of which focused on maintaining current business and driving additional, incremental activity and attendance where possible, and the third scenario which sought to imagine a “New Mann,” that might best leverage the venue’s key assets. It was determined that each scenario should be considered as a set of building blocks instead of as an either-or investment, in order to ensure the venue’s successful and vibrant future.
