NC State Athletics on Wednesday announced a new partnership with Oak View Group to bring more concerts and events to Carter-Finley Stadium.
Officials with NC State Athletics describe Oak View as the global leader in live venue development in a news release.
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“Their experienced team has extensive resources, contacts, and knowledge of our industry, and we look forward to working with them as we grow additional opportunities," said NC State Deputy Athletics Director Todd Stansbury in a statement.
Carter-Finley Stadium has not hosted a concert in nearly a decade. The last show was Beyoncé in 2016.
Chris Brown is set to headline at the stadium in October this year. It is unclear if the concert was set up through the partnership with Oak View Group.
The partnership comes as a former Oak View Group executive faces legal turmoil.
Tim Leiweke stepped down as the company's CEO after being indicted on federal charges.
Prosecutors accuse Leiweke of rigging a bidding process to benefit Oak View Group for the development of a multi-use area at a public university in Texas.
Leiweke has pleaded not guilty and now serves as Vice Chairman of Oak View Group's Board of Directors.
Despite the separate legal troubles, the possibility of more concerts at Carter-Finley Stadium with the Oak View partnership was exciting news on campus.
"You definitely need to look into. However, that doesn't need to be a focus. There's always going to be good and bad. And if you have the bad, just address it, make sure it doesn't happen again, and move forward,” said North Carolina parent Tia Shaver.
Oak View Group agreed to pay $15 million, according to the Department of Justice.
"We have already begun to incorporate learnings from this matter into our compliance, ethics, and training programs and will continue to roll out updates, such as new company-wide training programs, working with external experts," said an Oak View Group spokesperson in a statement to WRAL.
In an email to NC State Athletics, WRAL News asked how much money the partnership with Oak View Group is worth, why the university chose to partner with the company, and when conversations with Oak View Group about the partnership began.
A spokesperson responded, without answering the questions, noting they did not have anything to add beyond what was in the original press release announcing the agreement.
An Oak View Group spokesperson says the company's role will be to use contacts with promoters to bring more non-football events to Carter-Finley Stadium.
“Together, we’re well-positioned to attract major concerts and events that will enhance the university experience and create new energy for the broader community," said Oak View Group Co-Chair Peter Luukko in a statement.
NC State Athletics officials say the partnership will give the university a "competitive edge" in finding new revenue streams at Carter-Finley Stadium.
According to the Oak View Group, the company helps manage a dozen venues across North Carolina.
According to Oak View Group, it manages the First Horizon Coliseum at Greensboro Complex (formerly the Greensboro Coliseum), the Greensboro Aquatic Center and several venues at the Greensboro Complex. It also lists football stadiums for the University of Tennessee, University of Connecticut, San Diego State University and University of Houston among its more than 150 venues.