BY JIM AUSTIN
THE COOPERSTOWN CRIER

Tickets go on sale Saturday for the Labor Day Weekend performance of Sugarland, the Country Music Association’s 2009 Duo of the Year, at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

The Sept. 4 concert was announced Monday afternoon by the Cooperstown board of trustees, show promoter Stu Green of Magic City Productions in Binghamton and Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Susan O’Handley. ``We have an exciting concert coming.

Cooperstown is going to have a very fun and exciting summer,’’ said Mayor Carol Waller.

``We’re thrilled Stu could present Sugarland,’’ said Deputy Mayor Jeff Katz. ``I’m really looking forward to it.’’

Katz said the concert will be in keeping with previous shows by providing great family-oriented entertainment. Another important aspect of the concert is the fact the fire department will again sell concessions, he said.

``We had a great experience coming here last year with Crosby, Stills and Nash,’’ said Green, the Binghamton- based promoter of the show.

He said two other acts _ Little Big Town and Ellis Paul _ will open for Sugarland.

``We want everyone to bring a blanket and have a great night under the stars,’’ Green said, adding that is will be the first country music concert at the field.

``This is really the first country show and country is the big genre of music today,’’ Green said.

Katz said the concert will be in keeping with previous shows by providing great family-oriented entertainment. Another important aspect of the concert is the fact the fire department will again sell concessions, he said.

``We really appreciate all the effort by the mayor and village board to bring these events to the village and helping out with our fundraising,’’ said Cooperstown Volunteer Fire Department President Chris Hollister.

The Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce will again act as the designated ticket seller, Katz said.

``The Chamber, at its core, is a way to make sure local residents have a chance to get tickets,’’ he said.

The Chamber office at 31 Chestnut St. will open at 10 a.m. Saturday for ticket sales, according to O’Handley.

``We are bracing ourselves for an overwhelming response,’’ she said.

Katz came under fire during the press conference from Freeman’s Journal publisher Jim Kevlin for the timing of the announcement a week before the annual village election.

Kevlin said that during campaigning, Katz had been ``hanging his hat’’ on the concerts he has helped bring to the village in recent years and asked how he would answer criticism that he had staged the announcement so close to the election.

``I haven’t been hanging my hat on concerts,’’ Katz replied.

The board of trustees was first notified of the possibility of the concert in November and discussed Monday’s meeting during the February board meeting, according to Katz. They were told Green wanted a March 8 announcement.

Green told Kevlin that Katz had nothing to do with the timing of the announcement. Tickets go on sale Saturday for shows in Saratoga and Scranton and Green said he did not want to lose sales to those shows if people did not realize Sugarland would be playing in Cooperstown.

Kevlin also asked O’Handley if she was concerned the Chamber of Commerce would alienate some members or residents by being part of the press conference.

O’Handley replied that she hadn’t thought about it and ``the Chamber has nothing to do with politics.’’

The board of trustees met briefly before the announcement to formally approve the concert contract. The motion, which needed four `yes’ votes to pass, was adopted by the narrowest of margins with Eric Hage, Joe Booan, Jr. and Neil Weiller all absent from the meeting.

The village will receive $10,000 from the promoter for the rental of Doubleday Field _ the same as last year’s concert _ and $2 for each ticket sold above 8,000.

The village will also receive half of the five-dollar surcharge on tickets sold through the Chamber of Commerce after expenses have been deducted.

Ticket prices are $59 plus a $5 surcharge from the Chamber. They may be purchased in person at the office, by calling 607-547- 5212 or online at www. coperstownchamber.org.

Tickets will also be available from Ticketmaster outlets. Concert information is posted on the Chamber website, but sales will not begin until Saturday, O’Handley said.

``This is a show doing all the major venues,’’ said Dave Armstrong, of the Creative Entertainment Group, which is handling the marketing for the concert.

The Cooperstown concert is part of Sugarland’s 2010 The Incredible Machine Tour that opens April 22 in Nevada and will travel to more than 55 cities across the country.

Sugarland has received Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, and awards from the Academy of Country Music, CMT and from the Country Music Association.

They received a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for ``Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their number one hit ``It Happens.’’