Survivor, Pat Benatar part of Elk Grove summer concert lineup

Elk Grove Village officials say the sixth annual Mid-Summer Classics Concert Series next July is their biggest lineup yet.

And it's likely they were able to secure the likes of '70s and '80s classic rock superstars like America, Survivor, Kenny Loggins, Pat Benatar and country artist John Michael Montgomery due to extra funding that became available with the discontinuation of the Tour of Elk Grove.

Village officials decided last August to cease operations of the cycling event, held for the past eight years along village streets, because of a scheduling conflict with USA Cycling and the International Cycling Union. The race was partially funded by a 1 percent village hotel-motel tax, but some of that money will now be dedicated to funding the village's contribution to the summer concert series, Mayor Craig Johnson said.

The 2014 lineup, finalized this week, runs over the course of five Tuesday evenings in July. Concerts are held at the Village Green, which is located between the Charles J. Zettek Municipal Complex, at 901 Wellington Ave., and the Elk Grove Library, at 1001 Wellington Ave.

The lineup includes America on July 1, Survivor on July 8, Kenny Loggins on July 15, John Michael Montgomery on July 22, and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on July 29.

“It's going to be our biggest concert series that we've had yet,” Johnson said. “We're excited about it. We know it's going to be a lot of fun for the community.”

While the concerts are free to attend, the village and Elk Grove Park District foot the bill to pay musicians' fees, purchase insurance and install banners.

A total of $130,000 was spent last year on four concerts, which featured Three Dog Night and Blood, Sweat & Tears, among others. The village contributed $80,000, and the park district contributed $50,000.

This year, the park district is contributing the same amount, but the village will contribute $260,000, for a combined total of $310,000.

That compares to $40,000 spent during the first year of the concert series, in which BJ Thomas was the premier act and most of the other performers were cover bands.

Johnson said the hotel-motel tax is relatively stable, with revenues having gone down some in 2010 and 2011, but are now on the upswing again. There's 13 hotels in Elk Grove Village where overnight guests are charged the tax on the cost of a room.

Officials are projecting a total attendance of 50,000 for the five concerts next summer.

There were about 25,000 people at the four concerts last summer — the largest of which was 9,000 to see Three Dog Night.