`new Pa.,' Same Leader? 
Ridge Announces Bid For Re-election

Airport Regains Use Of Its Weather System

By ALAN K. STOUT; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, January 15, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





SCRANTON- Dust off the Army blankets, memorize that Ticketmaster phone
number and start finding out who'll be hitting the concert trail this summer.
Lackawanna County Commissioner Joe Corcoran and the Metropolitan Entertainment
Group are optimistic concerts will return to Montage Mountain. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The commissioners did not automatically renew the promoter's contract at
the conclusion of the 1997 concert season, as they had done in previous years. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The commissioners were hesitating to bring concerts back to the venue, they
said, because of safety concerns and traffic complaints. Public debate soon
followed, with concertgoers voicing disappointment and anger, and surrounding
businesses speaking out on the positive aspects of the concerts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The commissioners met earlier this week with Keith Beccia, senior vice
president of Metropolitan, and both sides are hopeful the mountain will rock
again later this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Keith recognizes some of the problems and the concerns and has been very
willing to try and work them out," Corcoran said Wednesday. "I recognize the
fact that there are some benefits to having the concerts. ... That's never
been an issue. It's just been a matter of trying to work the logistics out.
We're continuing to work in that direction." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Beccia- who only a few weeks ago said there was only a 50-50 chance of
having concerts at Montage in 1998- also was more optimistic that the concerts
would return. Beccia would not reveal which options and ideas for alleviating
problems have been discussed, only saying that there's been much mutual
agreement on certain issues, and that the promoters and commissioners would
meet again next Wednesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The commissioner has legitimate concerns, and we are addressing those
concerns," Beccia said on Wednesday. "We've come up with some solutions to
some of the problems that were raised, and we're hopefully going to bring the
concerts back." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Corcoran said the talks aim to find long-term solutions to the problems
encountered at the venue. He said working through the 1998 season on a limited
schedule and then relocating to another site in 1999 was one of the solutions-
but not the only solution- being discussed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's improving as we move along," he said. "We're hesitant to set a
deadline as to when we'll have a final, overall solution to all of the things
we talked about. The public-safety issue remains first and foremost in my
mind, and Keith is also very sensitive to that." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some of rock's top acts performed at Montage last year, including
Aerosmith, Live and Counting Crows. The Lilith Fair- an all-female event- drew
nearly 17,000. It's estimated that more than 100,000 attended the 14 shows
held throughout the season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Beccia has said that the venue mad

Talks Could Revive Concerts At Montage 
The Lackawanna County 
Commissioners And The 
Promoters Are Holding 
Negotiations In An Attempt 
To Deal With Safety And 
Traffic Problems

Talks Could Revive Concerts At Montage The Lackawanna County Commissioners And The Promoters Are Holding Negotiations In An Attempt To Deal With Safety And Traffic Problems