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Classic Party Rentals brings a tent rarely seen in U.S. markets to Rock in Rio USA.
When Rock in Rio made plans to make its U.S. debut in Las Vegas for two weekends in May 2015, it turned to Inglewood, Calif.-based Classic Party Rentals, which supplies tents and party goods for more than 10 major concerts and festivals each year. Performers including Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and John Legend, as well as concertgoers and staff, made use of 48 tents installed by Classic Party Rentals. Tents for the VIP venue, dining and back-of-house support for all the stages, as well as tenting for storage needs, provided structure and utility for the “City of Rock.”
A star is born
The tenting star of the inaugural Rock in Rio USA that drew more than 172,000 people over two weekends was a two-story 30-meter Polyhall structure that sheltered music-loving VIPs. Provided by Portugal-based Irmarfer, the structure is frequently used worldwide but rarely used in U.S. markets. “The structure was suited perfectly for the VIP venue due to its 18-meter-high ceiling and rounded ends,” says Keith Krzeminski, vice president of strategic accounts for Classic Party Rentals.
Flooring used within the VIP tent was a new product for the U.S. as well, also from Irmarfer. “It’s used in Europe and is similar to BilJax but with a much heavier design,” Krzeminski says. “The heavier design allowed for a two-story configuration.”
Other tent sizes and types Classic Party Rentals installed ranged from 10-by-20-meter aluminum halls to festival style tents, as well as Housemix structures in both 20-by-33-foot and 16-by-20-foot sizes. “The Housemix structures are great for the concert market and are already being used at Country Jam in Colorado,” Krzeminski says. “Their unique design with a low-pitched roofline allows for great sight lines for both the users and the public. And the tents blend into the background.”
What lies below
From underground utilities to fresh fill to new construction, there was no shortage of installation challenges, but Classic crews met each challenge head-on and resolved them by working with the site construction company and the engineers involved with the site and project. “Our greatest challenge was to design anchors that would work in the fresh fill,” Krzeminski says. “We resolved the issue by using much longer stakes than normal.”
Open doors
Irmarfer will provide its Polyhall tent for future Rock in Rio events, and Classic anticipates demand for it from clients with the appropriate budget who need a unique venue. “This experience has allowed Classic Party Rentals to increase our market share of the concert market, introduce new products and deliver higher expectations to our clients,” Krzeminski says. “Working with clients such as Rock in Rio, MGM, Mercedes and other sponsors increases our visibility within the marketplace and allows us to grow with our clients.”
The event—and the new Polyhall—were a complete success, Krzeminski says. “No other VIP areas for concerts are even close to this installation. This is the new standard for VIP venues in the concert world.”