From the Post story here are some of the milestoness
"
In late July, the county ended negotiations with the owners of the Alexandria-based Birchmere Music Hall. The administration of former county executive Douglas M. Duncan had approached the Birchmere in 2002 about opening a second venue in Silver Spring, and Duncan announced a tentative deal last year. But the county and the Birchmere ultimately could not agree over what Leggett described as "a host of critical issues." "
Live Nation was approached when negotiations with the Birchmere began to break down. Live Nation was spun off in 2005 from Clear Channel Communications, which (under the name SFX) acquired many concert production companies around the country, including Alexandria-based Cellar Door in 1999.
On Monday, Seth Hurwitz, head of Bethesda-based IMP, which owns the 9:30 club (the nation's busiest in terms of ticket sales) and operates Merriweather Post Pavilion, sent a letter to Leggett expressing his "sincere interest in the proposed music facility in Silver Spring." Hurwitz said he had held off, hoping the county and the Birchmere "would all get back to the table because it's probably what belongs there. . . . As a lifelong Montgomery County resident, and with 28 years of experience in the music business, I would have liked to be considered for this opportunity."
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So basically in a two month period no one from the county thought to approach anyone other than Live Nation and critical problems with the Birchmere plan are suddenly addressed.
