Thousand Oaks to Consider Exclusive Arts Plaza Contract With Ticketmaster

A contract with Ticketmaster for ticket sales at the new performing arts center is expected to come before the Thousand Oaks City Council for final approval tonight.

As set up by the contract, Ticketmaster would be the sole outside seller of tickets to performances at the Civic Arts Plaza, through phone and outlet sales. Patrons would pay $1 to $3 in service charges for the tickets, depending on the price of the performances.

Theater Director Tom Mitze said the theater negotiated for lower service charges on performances under $10 to bring down prices for the theater’s many child-oriented productions.

The bulk of the costs of processing credit cards on ticket sales will be paid by the performer. The performing arts center will get royalties of 25 cents for each ticket sold in a Ticketmaster outlet, and 50 cents for each ticket sold by phone.

Ticketmaster will charge the theater 10 cents per ticket for printing costs.

To avoid the service charge, patrons can buy tickets at the box office outside the theater’s main lobby.

Since the theater opened, Mitze said, it has experienced a high number of direct sales at the box office.

“I think there is tremendous curiosity about the new building,” he said. “People want to come down and look at a seating chart. They just want to check the place out.”