Groovin’ on the Grounds is moving from the Parade Ground to the Baton Rouge River Center Arena due to inclement weather expected Friday evening.
Weezer, Pepper and Battle of the Bands winner Deacon Jones are still set to play at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the new location.
Student Government Chief of Staff Gerard Zimmerman said when planning the event, the River Center was the backup location. The PMAC was the on-campus indoor option used in the past, but it is booked for Friday.
Michael Smith, SG adviser in the Office of Advocacy and Accountability, said the PMAC is booked for a football coach’s clinic run through the Athletics Department.
Zimmerman said the chance of rain Friday put the concert in a risky position. Had the concert remained on the Parade Ground and lightning struck, artists could choose not to perform, the stage would need to be cleared and the show would be canceled.
“I’m not going to play poker with student fees because we would lose a ton of money,” Zimmerman said. “This isn’t our first choice, and our first priority is to put on the concert for the students.”
The event will still be open to the public and SG will provide shuttles from campus to the River Center for transportation. Parking in the River Center lots will be available for $5 per vehicle and side street parking is free after 5 p.m.
Construction management senior Jacob Pender said the move is inconvenient because of the downtown location.
“It’s a little more hassle parking,” Pender said.
Because of space capacity, students who want to watch the bands on the ground floor will be wristbanded and students in the upper levels of the River Center will not need wristbands, according to a news release.
Zimmerman encourages students to carpool or take the shuttles to the event.
Taylor Franks, English sophomore, said she wishes the concert were closer to campus because of the convenience, but she was not planning to attend.
Mechanical engineering freshman Josh Pender lives on campus and said he wishes he could walk to the Parade Ground for his first event.
Though the concert will be relocated, Zimmerman said he is confident the event will run smoothly.
“I’m not going to play poker with student fees because we would lose a ton of money.”