Opry Entertainment Group (OEG) announced key programming and leadership appointments for Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater (Ascend Amphitheater), supporting the company’s continued investment in Nashville and the expansion of its live entertainment portfolio.
Last year, OEG welcomed Shawn Krauel as Vice President of Festivals & Amphitheaters, reporting to OEG’s Chief Operating Officer, Gary Scott. Before joining OEG, Krauel served as Vice President of Operations at Danny Wimmer Presents, overseeing some of North America’s largest music festivals, including Welcome to Rockville, Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life. He previously held senior roles producing major festivals with Insomniac Events and led amphitheater operations in Florida.
Under Krauel’s leadership, Justin Jordan has joined the team as General Manager of Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater. Jordan brings more than two decades of experience overseeing venue operations and producing large-scale live events at arenas and amphitheaters nationwide. He most recently served as President and General Manager of REV Entertainment & Arena at Innovation Mile in Indianapolis. Prior to that, Jordan held leadership roles at Xavier University’s Cintas Center, MegaCorp Pavilion and the Voice of America Country Music Festival, where he was President and Executive Director of Events for Second Line Services.
Pete Tamayo joins as Senior Operations Manager and has a strong track record of managing large-scale venues, leading pre-opening operations and delivering elevated guest experiences across properties, including Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, 713 Music Hall and House of Blues.
Additionally, Dave Marren joins OEG as Senior Concerts Booking Manager at Ascend Amphitheater. Marren has more than a decade of experience as an independent talent buyer in Florida, where he booked and produced thousands of events in venues ranging from 500- to 30,000-capacity.
As an independent operator, OEG works with promoters of all sizes across its portfolio. The company’s Nashville-based venue programming team includes Ryman Auditorium’s Chrissy Hall, Director of Concerts, who will collaborate closely with Jordan and Marren to curate concerts across Ascend Amphitheater and OEG’s broader venue portfolio.
In addition to the Ascend Amphitheater hires, OEG announced that Gordon Hughes has joined Ryman Auditorium as Senior Concerts Booking Manager, reporting to Hall. Hughes offers deep Nashville market experience, having previously served as a Talent Buyer for Big Spring Entertainment, where he booked and promoted concerts in more than 50 venues and expanded regional market partnerships.
“As OEG continues to grow, we are focused on building a strong, collaborative programming organization that supports our venues in Nashville and throughout our portfolio,” said Patrick Moore, CEO of Opry Entertainment Group. “These leadership additions strengthen our ability to deliver a wide range of live music experiences and scale our venues and live experiences vertical while remaining deeply rooted in Music City. We look forward to a great first season at Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater in just a few months.”
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