Pitbull to play Covelli

Mr. Worldwide will be making a stop in Youngstown this summer.

Pitbull, the Miami-based rapper with the infectious Latino style, will play Covelli Centre on July 15.

His show is the second annual Concert for the Valley, sponsored by the Surgical Hospital at Southwoods. Ed Muransky, owner of Southwoods, is underwriting the concert.

Tickets are $56.50, $76.50, $96.50 and $126.50 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000 and at the Covelli box office.

The inaugural Concert for the Valley was in August, when Lionel Richie came to Covelli. Southwoods also underwrote that show.

Muransky will not divulge the amount he spent on either concert, but he said it’s a way to reward his employees, plus others who do business with Southwoods, as well as the entire Mahoning Valley. He provides free tickets to Southwoods employees and a guest, plus others he does business with, and the rest are sold to the public at prices that are less than what could be expected.

The goal is to bring in acts that otherwise would not play Youngstown.

Eric Ryan, director of Covelli Centre, said the concert will meet the goal of finding an act that will please fans in a wide age range.

“One thing we try to do is book active artists, and we do it with country music, but it’s difficult for the pop world,” he said. “We don’t have enough seats. We were lucky to get Pitbull. He is a worldwide entertainer touring this year at major venues. If the show wasn’t underwritten, we would have had to price tickets at $126 to $256 [to surpass the break-even point].”

Pitbull is known for his dazzling high-energy shows, and Ryan said he will bring his full production to Covelli.

Seats will be sold along the sides of the stage, but not behind it. Approximately 6,000 seats will be available.

Ryan noted that the concert also helps Covelli Centre by bringing in revenue during the slow summer months. Pitbull will not come to Pittsburgh or Cleveland on his current tour, said Ryan.

The idea for Concert for the Valley actually got started three years ago when Rod Stewart came to Covelli.

Muransky bought up a large block of tickets for that concert and gave them away as part of a fundraiser for the United Way. Tickets were steep – $59, $91, $153 and $193 – but the show sold out.

“[Ryan] would shy away from big concerts in the summer because of the warm weather, but that concert proved that you could do it,” said Muransky.

“With our Southwoods 20th anniversary last year, I came up with the idea to underwrite a concert that otherwise would never make it Youngstown, to celebrate our employees, those who work with us, and what this community has given to us over 20 years, and to make everyone feel good about the Valley.”

Muransky’s concerts also raise money for children’s charities. The Pitbull show will raise funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs and also the Success after 6 program, which serves several Youngstown schools.

As an artist, Pitbull pleases the 50-and-up crowd, but also their children, said Muransky.

Last year’s Lionel Richie concert drew an older demographic.

“With the success of last year’s concert, we tried to change it up,” said Muransky. “Pitbull had a break [in his touring schedule] and Eric told me about it, and I said, ‘Let’s go get him.’”

Muransky noted that he also is a fan.

“My kids laugh at me because I have some Pitbull songs on my workout music,” he said. “They told me about more of his songs that I like. I didn’t even know how big of a fan I was.”

Pitbull’s hits include “Timber,” “Fireball,” “Time of Our Lives” and “Greenlight.” He has 10 albums to his credit, one Latin Grammy, and multiple American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards.