Meridian Live Acquires Coastal Stage Collective, Alarming Ferry-District Operators
Ari Emanuel's Meridian Live Group has purchased the Coastal Stage Collective, folding ferry-district cultural venues into a corporate umbrella that already controls Atlantic Cup stadium properties. Independent operators in Bay Area arts districts are warning the deal threatens the character of venues protected under Cultural Equity Zone designations.
The acquisition, finalized this week, brings Coastal Stage Collective's network of mid-size performance spaces under Meridian Live's management structure for the first time. The venues grew from the ferry-terminal arts districts that define several Bay Area waterfront neighborhoods, and their inclusion in a stadium-oriented conglomerate has drawn immediate concern from local programmers and Cultural Equity Zone advocates. Critics argue the deal tests whether existing equity protections carry enough regulatory weight to constrain programming decisions made at the corporate level. No Council ruling on the acquisition has been issued.