Tim Orchard was used to running his own show, so to speak.

As a local promoter, he had gained quite a reputation for booking hot acts in Rosemont.

So when his company, The Orchard Group, merged earlier this year with the giant SFX Entertainment, Orchard was a bit apprehensive about the relationship.

But once Orchard had a chance to discover and use SFX's extensive resources, he quickly got over it.

"It's like having a bigger box of toys," Orchard said.

SFX Entertainment is the world's largest promoter and producer of live entertainment, and it also owns numerous theaters and arenas where the acts appear.

It April, the company made its presence known by purchasing exclusive booking rights to the Allstate Arena and the Rosemont Theater. It also acquired the bookings for Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wis., and it purchased The World Music Theatre in Tinley Park.

And SFX merged with Orchard's company to form The Entertainment Group/SFX, essentially to acquire his local expertise in booking acts in Rosemont.

"It's a good partnership because of my local knowledge and SFX's resources," Orchard said.

For the local music fan, the relationship should translate into better entertainment at Allstate Arena, Orchard said.

SFX has access to all the top names and runs the major tours. Thus, Allstate Arena is playing host to the likes of 'N Sync, Lauryn Hill, Cher, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and the Bob Dylan/Paul Simon tour.

"For the music fan in the North and Northwest suburbs, it means not having to travel two hours to Chicago or to The World to see the top acts," Orchard said.

In the past, most acts that came to the Chicago area played at only one venue because of exclusivity agreements. Now, The Entertainment Group/SFX can book the same act in multiple locations to allow more fans to see a show, Orchard said.

For example, both Dylan/Simon and Tom Petty played The World over the summer. In the past, that would have been their only shows in Chicago. But Dylan/Simon will be at Allstate Arena Sept. 12 and Tom Petty Oct. 8.

"These groups are enough of a draw and the Rosemont market is so geographically far apart from The World that we feel they will work at both venues," Orchard said. "We don't have to worry about robbing Peter to pay Paul."

Fans living near the Allstate Arena will have less worry about commuting to Chicago, Tinley Park or Wisconsin because the big acts are going to perform close to home, Orchard said.

"You take the fan from Schaumburg. He's not going to want to commute two hours to Tinley Park to see a three-hour show, then drive two hours home," Orchard said. "And the fan from Buffalo Grove. It's quite a trip to drive to Chicago.

"The Allstate Arena has a unique geographic location," Orchard said. "It is in the center of the most densely populated area of the Chicago market. People drive to it from all over. It is a place that can draw for top name acts."

Some critics suggest that with SFX dominating the booking of acts in the Chicago area, there is less competition, which could lead to higher ticket prices. Orchard bristles at the suggestion.

"The price of a ticket is the function of supply and demand. If your prices are too high and the demand isn't there, people won't go," Orchard said.

For example, since the Allstate Arena can seat almost 19,000, the price of a ticket for the Dylan/ Simon concert should be about $65, compared with the $85 price at The World, where there are fewer premium seats, Orchard said.

Orchard has a defender in a longtime client, Harry Pappas, who has witnessed the rise in concert ticket prices in his 20 years as executive director of the Allstate Arena.

"The promoter has nothing to do with the rise in ticket prices," Pappas said. "It's the artist, not the promoter who sets ticket prices. Anyone who tells you different is wrong."

Orchard said naturally some increase in prices will occur when you bring better quality acts to an arena. But he is convinced fans will benefit from SFX's presence in the Chicago market.

"People are going to see better shows, and they're not going to have to travel as far to see them," Orchard said. "They are going to drive a half hour to a well-lit parking lot and plenty of security, go into a brand-new facility, see a three-hour show, not have to fight traffic and be home in a half hour. It's all in their back yard."