Chris Patterson’s first job out of college was working on Janet Jackson’s merchandise team for the Rhythm Nation Tour in 1990. That opened the door for him to be a tour manager for several large acts, — including Amy Grant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and Mary J. Blidge — and eventually a venue manager in Kansas City. Now, he’s been named the RiverPark Center’s newest general manager.
In Kansas City, he was tasked with bringing larger, national entertainment to residents, which allowed him to leverage his relationships throughout the industry. During his tenure, Patterson said, he brought in a range of acts such as Casting Crowns, Sesame Street Live, Travis Tritt, and more.
While that worked for Kansas City, he said his first mission in Owensboro is to learn the audience’s tastes and what the community would like to see on the stage.
“I’m fortunate to have a really passionate, active board behind me, and I think that they’re going to be a great asset as we move forward. I intend to use my contacts in the industry to begin to identify shows that may work here. I’ll look for things on my own but also rely on Oak View Group and previous relationships to find different things,” Patterson said.
Though he has only been an Owensboro resident for less than a week, he said has already seen how the community responded well to shows including Rodney Carrington and Bluey Live.
But first and foremost, Patterson said he recognizes the facility as the community’s building, and he does not intend to change that.
“I want to continue that. I think I’ve got a fantastic staff to work with here, and we need to continue to perform at a high level because, for everybody that comes here, this is a special event for them. I want to continue to make those events special and memorable for people,” Patterson said.
Oak View Group General Manager Jeff Esposito, who has been serving as RPC interim manager, said Patterson’s background on both sides of the industry was a big plus to the hiring committee.
“Chris has a tremendous amount of experience, which is a perfect complement to our team here in Owensboro,” Esposito said.
While RiverPark Center will continue to operate as a nonprofit, Esposito noted that the relationship between OVG360 and RPC will be similar to colleagues with their own leadership and staff.
As Patterson acclimates to the community, he plans to learn what works for Owensboroans and what else could come to the RiverPark Center stage. They plan to host a meet-the-GM event in the future.
