Ari Emanuel’s events and experiences business, Mari, said Tuesday that it will acquire ATG Entertainment, the owner of 70 venues, including theaters in London’s West End.
ATG’s venues have hosted more than 16,000 performances and more than 18 million theatergoers annually, according to Mari. ATG also co-produces work for West End and Broadway and is the home for productions including “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
“I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself many times, but live has only grown more powerful,” Emanuel said in a statement. “Nothing connects great talent with audiences more directly. ATG has built one of the world’s great theater businesses around that experience. This is a long-term bet on where live goes next.”
Mari is acquiring ATG from Providence Equity Partners LLC for an undisclosed price and the deal is subjected to regulatory approvals.
The acquisition comes as Mari continues to expand its portfolio of businesses. Last year, Mari acquired TodayTix Group, a theater ticketing platform serving Broadway and London’s West End, for an undisclosed price. Mari owns several events and experiences properties, including tennis tournament Miami Open, contemporary art organization Frieze and London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
ATG owns three venues in San Francisco: Orpheum Theatre, Golden Gate Theatre and Curran Theatre.
Mari plans to invest in the preservation and modernization of ATG theaters and in the audience experience, adding Mari’s “creative energy will be a strong component,” said Mark Shapiro, principal investor and Mari board member, in a statement. The company also said it aims to create new opportunities for local artists and broaden access to live theater.
After the deal closes, ATG will continue to operate under its existing leadership, Mari said.
“MARI understands live entertainment and what matters most to ATG: our theaters, the people behind them and the relationships we have built with producers, artists and audiences,” said Melanie Smith, global CEO of London-based ATG Entertainment. “That makes MARI the right home for our next chapter.”
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