Hall official pleads for more public support

Fans need to support the hall by attending its concerts, leaders said.
NILES -- The people at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame induction concert at Cafaro Field seemed to be having a good time.
The only problem was, there weren't enough of them.
A quick crowd estimate showed only about 1,400 people turned out for Wednesday's show, the first of two -- the second show is at 7 p.m. tonight -- and that's simply not enough to pay the bills.
Bob Crosby, president and CEO of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, said about half of those in attendance had complimentary tickets, given out in exchange for services rendered by businesses and individuals for the concert and induction activities this week.
Ticket sales
The hall, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the best vocal groups in the world, has no outside source of money and was depending on concert ticket sales to help pay the $250,000 bill incurred with all of the activities this week.
Crosby said total advance ticket sales for the concerts were only about 800 seats.
Some additional tickets were sold at the gate Wednesday, and tickets will be available at the gate for tonight's show as well.
"It makes me wonder if we're in the right city," Crosby said, adding, "If I was in LA, I'd be sold out."
There have been some earlier discussions about moving the hall of fame because of a lack of local support.
"Where is the public?" Crosby asked. "They have some responsibility to keep the hall of fame here."
"This could be the biggest event for eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania," said Sen. Rob Robbins of Greenville, R-50th, who attended Wednesday's concert and plans to return tonight.
There is a need for the public as well as the business and political leaders to get behind this effort, he said.
"We've all tried really hard," Crosby said. "The industry has bought into it." (The artists honored at the hall perform for free at the induction concerts.) "It is a national project at this point. If the public's not here, maybe we need to go to the public."
"Any town in America would embrace this project," he said.