Stadium work forces out annual drum corps show
Construction at Gateway High School’s Antimarino Stadium is forcing an annual drum corps show to change the event’s venue to Moon Area High School.
“Innovations in Brass — Pittsburgh” is presented by the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and is co-sponsored by the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio, and the Gateway high band boosters. The show has been held at Gateway’s stadium since 2013.
Gateway’s stadium is closed through Aug. 10 for renovations to its retaining wall, ramps and other parts of the facility.
The event, scheduled for June 28, is a fundraiser for the Gateway High School marching band. According to Gateway Superintendent William Short, the band will share the proceeds with the MoonArea band this year.
“This event normally served as the largest fundraiser for our band booster organization of the year,” said Jim Hoeltje, director of bands at Gateway. Mr. Hoeltje said he was informed of the change a few weeks ago.
The venue change has left the band to deal with a budget shortfall, Mr. Hoeltje said.
“Our boosters are hard at work searching for new fundraisers or corporate sponsorships to cover the shortfall,” he said.
Hesaid the Bluecoats paid the boosters a flat rate for hosting the show, plus the boosters could profit from thesale of concessions.
“Nick Barthen (director of bands at Moon Area High School) and his boosters at Moon have been very generous in offering to split the profits from the Bluecoats for the host fee,” Mr. Hoeltje said.
Tickets for the event were being sold as early as December, but those involved in the event were just recently notified of the venue change. Mr. Hoeltje said more than 200 tickets have been sold.
Mr. Short sent a letter to the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps apologizing for the inconvenience.
“Without question, Gateway School District looks forward to and appreciates the relationship we have developed over the years,” the letter said.
“I believe the folks at Gateway did everything they could to resolve the situation before we discovered that it was going to be impossible to avoid,” said David Glasgow, Bluecoats executive director.
Six drum corps are scheduled to compete at the event, including the Bluecoats, the Boston Crusaders of Boston; the Cadets of Allentown, Pa.; Madison Scouts of Madison, Wis.; Spirit of Atlanta from Atlanta, Ga. and Pioneer of Milwaukee, Wis.