MEMI

What MEMI does

Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI) is a Cincinnati-based live entertainment promoter and venue management company founded in 2001 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). The company owns and operates seven premier music venues across Southwest Ohio—Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, The Andrew J Brady Music Center, ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, Taft Theatre, The Ballroom at Taft Theatre, and Rose Music Center at The Heights—plus a forthcoming eighth venue, The Farmer Music Center, scheduled to open Spring 2027. MEMI promotes more than 300 events annually and sells nearly one million tickets, with ticketing fulfilled through Ticketmaster and primary distribution anchored in its owned venues.

MEMI's revenue model is diversified across three streams: (1) ticket sales and venue operations at owned properties, (2) corporate sponsorship packages (venue naming rights, signage, digital advertising, onsite activations, branded spaces) sold to brands including Dunkin, Taft's, and Skyline, and (3) professional services—booking management, venue consulting, and event production—delivered to partner organizations such as Interlochen Center for the Arts, Spoleto Festival USA, Longworth-Anderson Series, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Symphony on the Prairie. Because MEMI is a nonprofit subsidiary of the CSO, all net revenues are reinvested into the CSO's music education and community programs rather than distributed to shareholders. The company also produces signature events including MidPoint Music Festival (acquired in 2015), Cincy-Cinco Latino Festival, and LUMENOCITY.

Strategically, MEMI is in a significant capital expansion phase, anchored by The Farmer Music Center—a $160M project supported by a $60M gift from the Farmer Family Foundation, projected to generate $82M in annual economic impact and $15M/$7M in city/state tax revenues over its first decade. The company has extended its booking and management services nationally into markets such as Kansas City, Charleston, Savannah, Minneapolis, and Interlochen, while its core technology stack remains operationally focused (Ticketmaster integration, venue management) with no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary platform capabilities. Leadership is led by CEO Mike Smith, with 92 employees supporting the regional operational footprint.

Name

MEMI

Legal name

Music & Event Management, Inc.

Website

https://memi.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI) is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit live entertainment promoter and venue operator that owns seven Ohio venues, promotes over 300 events annually selling nearly one million tickets, and delivers booking and venue management services to partner festivals and orchestras nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment & Venue Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concert Venue Operators (Arenas, Amphitheaters, Clubs) (MPAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Venues & Venue Operators (Clubs, Theaters, Arenas) (MPAIAFAB), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Live entertainment promotion
• Venue management services
• Concert booking services
• Event marketing services
• Music venue operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Venue Operations & Ticket Sales: MEMI generates primary revenue through ticket sales at its owned and operated venues. The company promotes over 300 events annually with nearly one million tickets sold.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: MEMI offers sponsorship packages including venue naming rights, indoor/outdoor signage, digital advertising, social media campaigns, onsite activations, product sampling, and branded spaces. Current sponsors include Dunkin, Taft's, and Skyline.
3. Booking & Management Services: MEMI provides booking management and marketing services to partner organizations including the Longworth-Anderson Series, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Spoleto Festival USA, and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
4. Venue Consulting & Development: MEMI offers consulting services for venue design, construction, and renovation, as well as negotiating with city governments and managing community events.
5. CSO Revenue Reinvestment: As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, all net revenues from MEMI are reinvested into the CSO, supporting the orchestra's music education programs and community concerts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MEMI operates a portfolio of seven premier music venues across Southwest Ohio, including Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, The Andrew J Brady Music Center, ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, Taft Theatre, The Ballroom at Taft Theatre, and Rose Music Center at The Heights. The company promotes over 300 live entertainment events annually with nearly one million tickets sold, provides talent booking, event production, and marketing services, and offers corporate sponsorship packages and venue consulting/design services to partner organizations including Interlochen Center for the Arts, Spoleto Festival USA, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Longworth-Anderson Series.

Product overview

Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI) operates a portfolio of premier music venues across Southwest Ohio, including outdoor amphitheaters (Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, Rose Music Center), indoor theaters (Taft Theatre, The Ballroom at Taft, Andrew J Brady Music Center), and festival stages (ICON Festival Stage). The company also produces signature cultural events (MidPoint Music Festival, Cincy-Cinco Latino Festival) and provides booking, venue management, event planning, and consulting services. MEMI's core offering consists of venue operations and live event promotion, with the upcoming Farmer Music Center (opening 2027) expanding the venue portfolio. The company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati's premier outdoor concert venue along the Ohio River, accommodating over 500,000 music fans annually with over 40 years of history. In 2012, it became the first amphitheater in the nation to install a state-of-the-art synthetic concert lawn.
• PNC Pavilion A premier 4,100-capacity boutique amphitheater adjacent to Riverbend Music Center, offering crystal-clear sightlines, an intimate atmosphere, and versatile production capabilities.
• The Andrew J Brady Music Center A premier state-of-the-art venue in Cincinnati's Banks riverfront district featuring a world-class sound system and versatile seating configurations, praised by artists as 'the best sounding room on earth.'
• ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park An outdoor venue that debuted in July 2021 featuring breathtaking views of the Cincinnati skyline and Ohio River.
• Taft Theatre Historic downtown Cincinnati entertainment venue since 1928 featuring neo-classical and Art Deco architecture, hosting over 100 performances annually and welcoming more than 250,000 fans each year.
• The Ballroom at The Taft Theatre An intimate 500-capacity venue opened in March 2012 showcasing live music and comedy with superb acoustics, designed as a premier space for emerging artists.
• Rose Music Center at The Heights A boutique amphitheater with open-air, fully covered, intimate seating experience in Huber Heights, Ohio, voted best place to see live music in the Dayton market and hosting 30 events each season.
• The Farmer Music Center State-of-the-art music and entertainment venue opening Spring 2027 with 8,000 reserved seats and 12,000-capacity general admission lawn, part of a new entertainment campus alongside Riverbend Music Center and PNC Pavilion.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Customized sponsorship offerings including venue naming rights, indoor/outdoor signage, digital advertising, social media campaigns, onsite activations, product sampling, and branded spaces for corporate brands seeking to connect with engaged music fans.
• Booking Services Talent buying services with over 60 years of combined booking experience, booking venues, festivals, and private/corporate events locally and beyond with strong industry relationships.
• Venue Management Services Comprehensive venue design, construction, and management services offered to partner organizations, leveraging MEMI's expertise built through designing and building its own venue portfolio since 1984.
• Consulting Services Expert consulting in venue design, construction, renovation, city government negotiations, concert/festival booking and promotion, and marketing solutions for municipalities, orchestras, and organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 events promoted annually with nearly 1 million tickets sold
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cincinnati Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2025MEMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. All net revenues from MEMI are reinvested into the CSO, supporting exceptional music, music education programs, and community concerts. The CSO produces over 180 free and low-cost community events annually, reaching more than 970,000 people. MEMI and CSO jointly announced The Farmer Music Center project.
• Longworth-Anderson SeriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched in 2017 by the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society, MEMI provides booking management and marketing services for this annual series that brings Grammy Award-winning nationally recognized performers to historic Memorial Hall. MEMI has contributed to its ongoing success since inception.
• Interlochen Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2020, MEMI has collaborated with Interlochen offering booking and co-services for the Summer Interlochen Arts Festival. MEMI books 15-25 shows each summer at Webb Auditorium (4000 capacity) and Corson Theater (1100 capacity), featuring major artists and generating revenue to fund student programs.
• Spoleto Festival USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, MEMI was engaged to book and curate contemporary artists for Spoleto Festival USA, expanding the festival's reach into more contemporary genres. The festival runs 17 days and includes renowned artists such as Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Trombone Shorty, and Amos Lee.
• Indianapolis Symphony OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrom 2019 to 2021, MEMI collaborated with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to book 12-25 contemporary concerts for the Symphony on the Prairie series, offering audiences diverse performances from touring tribute shows to national touring artists at historic Conner Prairie.
• Hispanic Chamber Foundation of CincinnatiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2005, MEMI has partnered with the Hispanic Chamber Foundation of Cincinnati to produce the annual Cincy-Cinco Latino Festival on Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati, held over Cinco de Mayo weekend celebrating authentic Latino music, food, culture, and fun.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• C3 Presents: Austin-based concert promoter and festival operator producing Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival, and other events. Directly comparable to MEMI as a regional-base concert promoter that has scaled into destination festivals and national programming.
• Another Planet Entertainment: Bay Area-based independent concert promoter and venue operator (Fox Theater Oakland, Lake Tahoe area venues). Directly comparable to MEMI's combination of venue ownership and in-house promotion across a regional footprint.
• Danny Wimmer Presents: Independent producer of large-scale rock and metal music festivals (Sonic Temple, Bourbon & Beyond, Aftershock). Comparable to MEMI's festival/event production capabilities, including MidPoint Music Festival.
• Nederlander Concerts: Promoter division of the Nederlander Organization, operating historic theaters and concert venues across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable to MEMI's mix of historic theater programming (Taft Theatre) and multi-market live entertainment services.
• Messina Touring Group: Independent concert promoter producing festivals and tours (mostly country/Americana). Comparable to MEMI on the touring promotion and event production side, particularly relevant given MEMI's programming at Rose Music Center and partner festivals.
• PromoWest Productions: Columbus, Ohio-based independent concert promoter and venue operator (Newport Music Hall, Express Live!, KEMBA Live!). Directly comparable to MEMI as a nearby Ohio-headquartered competitor with multiple owned venues and a similar booking/promotion model.
• Jam Productions: Chicago-based independent concert promoter and venue operator (Park West, Riviera Theatre, The Vic). Comparable to MEMI's Midwest-focused regional promoter/venue operator model with a similar event-count profile.
• I.M.P. (Independent Music Promoters): Independent concert promoter operating iconic venues such as the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Comparable to MEMI as a venue operator delivering high-quality live music experiences with strong local brand affinity.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: The largest live entertainment company globally, operating concert promotion, venue ownership (House of Blues, amphitheaters), and sponsorship. Directly comparable to MEMI's concert venue operations and promotion business, but at vastly larger scale and as a public company.
• AEG Presents: Concert promotion and venue operating arm of Anschutz Entertainment Group, running major amphitheaters, arenas, and festivals worldwide. Comparable to MEMI's owned venue portfolio and national tour promotion, though AEG is a global, multi-vertical incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/music-and-event-management-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MEMI