Larry Wilson, the general manager of SMG-managed John Paul Jones Arena who was instrumental in putting local venues on the map for major touring artists like U2 and the Rolling Stones, announced in a mass e-mail today that he is leaving Charlottesville. He is being promoted to general manager of six facilities in Jacksonville, Florida.
Never one to tend the fire after stoking the flame, Wilson was involved in the opening of six buildings since he started working for the event promoter 1994, and managed the opening of the $130 million John Paul Jones Arena in 2006. “Our job,” Wilson told C-VILLE at the time, “is to put butts in the seats.”
Wilson and JPJ did not immediately return calls for comment.
The Paramount Theater inked a three-year management deal with SMG in October 2008, according to Paramount General Manager Mary Beth Aungier. That meant Wilson, as SMG’s regional manager, oversaw the accounts at the Paramount and used his leverage to court more nationally recognized touring acts to the Downtown theater.
Aungier says that Wilson’s made an “incredible contribution to the Charlottesville music industry.” She says that he is one of two people, along with Coran Capshaw, most responsible for putting Charlottesville on the map.
But she’s careful to note that when Wilson leaves, he won’t take our spot on the map with him.
So what does this mean for the Paramount? “We’re trying to regroup and look forward to a transition period,” Aungier says. “Everything’s pretty great here. It’s not going to affect staff or operations at the Paramount Theater.”
