SMG TO SPONSOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY CONCERTS AT TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH

LONG BEACH, Calif. (March 27, 2018) – SMG, the company that manages the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, has signed on to sponsor the Fiesta Friday and Saturday night concerts at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 13-14.

Friday’s concert will be entitled SMG Presents Fiesta Friday Starring Ozomatli, while Saturday’s will be known as SMG Presents The Cult.

The concerts, held on the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center outdoor stage, follow racing activities each day (approx. 6:45 p.m. Fridayand 6 p.m. Saturday) and are free to race ticket holders. Space at the outdoor stage is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

SMG is considered the “gold standard” in public facility management. Since SMG was founded in 1977, more than 250 facilities have been brought under its management worldwide.

Not only will SMG present the concerts, but the company will remain a part of the impressive family of Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach sponsors, receiving signage around the racetrack and other considerations.

“We are excited to be the presenting sponsor of the concerts and to continue our partnership with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,” stated Wes Westley, President & CEO of SMG.

Ozomatli, formed in Los Angeles in 1995, features a wide variety of musical styles, including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap and others. The band has released seven studio albums in total and played all over the world. The Cult have recorded 10 albums comprising many hit songs including “She Sells Sanctuary,” “Wild Flower” and “Fire Woman,” and their latest album, “Hidden City,” was released in 2016.

“We have had a long and very productive partnership with SMG here at Long Beach and are delighted to continue enhancing that relationship at our event,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “Many of the attractive elements that our guests enjoy at the Grand Prix are assets that SMG deploys during the weekend.”

In addition to the concerts, the Grand Prix features a wide array of family-friendly activities including the Lifestyle Expo and popular Family Fun Zone. On-track, spectators will see racing from the Verizon IndyCar Series, the BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge under the lights on Friday and Saturday nights, the SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, the powerful sports cars of the Pirelli World Challenge and the inaugural running of the Historic Trans Am Challenge.

Ticket prices for Friday’s events and concert start at $33 for a General Admission ticket, with a Saturday general admission ticket costing $65.  Three-day tickets, pre-paid parking packages, handicapped seating, Verizon IndyCar Series Paddock access passes, Super Photo tickets and a number of VIP Club packages are also available.

Fans can select and pay for their 2018 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach tickets, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 827-7333.  A printed ticket brochure that includes a circuit map, ticket prices, order form and other information is also available.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @ToyotaGPLB, Instagram at ToyotaGPLB and Snapchat at ToyotaGPLB.