Elvis fans may set Hammons Record
Springfield Newsleader
June 16th 1977

Ticket prices for Friday night's Elvis Presley concert in Hammons Center, an event that is expected to draw the largest crowd ever at the Southwest Missouri State University facility, apparently have leveled off at about $50 each. Those aren't tickets available from Hammons Center box office. They were sold out less than one day, but persons who bought tickets to resell at higher prices are reaping their profits. Prices however, have dropped a little since early May when the tickets were selling for as much as $150 each. Persons offering the tickets to Presley haven't been shy. The Daily News and Leader and Press have carried about 15 classified advertisements a day for the past several days for Presley tickets and numerous other persons have offered tickets for sale in the publication of Pennypower.

Telephone calls Wednesday night to persons advertising tickets for sale indicate that prices range from $25 to $50 per ticket, with 50$ the prevailing price.. The tickets sold initially for $15 each, meaning that one person who sold five tickets for $50 each yesterday profit $175. Aside from individuals offering tickets for sale, some businesses are offering tickets to customers as a sales gimmick. . Alan Ness Motors, of 1412 North Glenstone, is giving two tickets to anyone who buys a used car.." We've had pretty good luck with it " , said Ness. " They usually are looking for cars anyway and see my sign and they just stop." Ness said he's given eight tickets and has 12 more available. . Asked how he got 20 tickets since each buyer was limited to 10, he said, I just accumulated them.". Four more tickets have been given away at the Dairy Queen, 1112 St. Louis Street. They were given away in lots of two each in drawings held June 3 and 10.. How did customers respond to the drawing ? " Everybody wanted in on it as many times as they could, " said an employe. Arrangements for the concert itself were finalized this morning during a meeting involving Hammmons Center officials and Presley's lead man," said Chancy Van Pelt, center director.

Presley will arrive in Springfield by private plane sometime Friday, an SMS spokesman said, but no details of the entertainer's schedule have been released. Arrangements for Presley's personal security and other needs will be handled by his staff directly, Van Pelt said. Persons attending the concert will be allowed to take cameras in, he said, but no tape recorders or television recording equipment will be allowed. To help accommodate the sellout crowd, the doors will be opened at 7 p.m. for the concert which begins at 8:30, Van Pelt said, adding that he hopes the crowd will space out its arrival between 7 and 8:15 The largest crowd in the history of the facility is expected as all 9085 seats have been sold," Van Pelt said. "We're hoping people don't plan to leave home at 7:30 and expect to be in their seats by show time, which is 8:30. "We want to make it a good event and need the cooperation of people so they can easily get to and from the facility. We're encouraging car pools where possible," Van Pelt said.

A number of parking lots will be available in the vicinity of Hammons Center, a university spokesman noted. Two lots - the east lot at Harrison and Dollison, offering 400 spaces, and the south lot at Monroe- Holland-Madison, holding 425 cars - will be open, at a charge of 50 cents a car. Two lots at the Professional Building, Cherry and Kimbrough, also will be available for Hammons Center patrons Friday, and other university lots in the general area of the multi-purpose recreation building at no charge. Three extra ticket takers will be on duty to help get people through the door, Van Pelt said. Security arrangements for the concert will be the same as for any other sellout event, according to Van Pelt. The center will hire 22 reserve police officers to patrol the building and direct traffic. The officers will be directing traffic at more intersections than usual because of expected heavy traffic, said reserve police chief John Skinner, but no other extra measures are planned. For those who don't get a chance to see Presley tomorrow night or don't get enough of him during the concert, the Tower Theater is offering a filmed version of an earlier concert at 11:55 p.m. The theater's cashier, Ethel Young, said there has been a lot of interest in the film and "people have been showing up at all hours of the day and night to buy tickets." Mrs.Young said she doesn't know whether the film will be a sellout at $2.99 a ticket. Finally, an additional 272 persons will board buses operated by travel agent B. J. Marsh Saturday to go to Kansas City to see Presley Saturday night at Kemper Arena. Marsh said he's sold out and has a waiting list.

Review courtesy of Vic