What’s on Noah Assad’s list of things to complete in the weeks leading up to July 11, the opening night of Bad Bunny’s historic 30-date residency at Coliseo de Puerto Rico?
“We’re going to need to open up some more seats,” Assad, 35, tells Variety. “Right now, even if my cousin called me and asked me for a ticket, there’s nothing left. We even considered opening seats in restricted viewing areas to get more people inside because that’s how badly people want in.”
The “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency will have the reggaeton star performing for consecutive weekends until Sept. 14. The first nine days of the lineup are exclusively for residents of the island, who, to purchase tickets, were required to present proof of residence at one of nine locations (125,000 tickets were sold). The remaining 21 dates will be open to anyone willing to make the trip out to the Carribean island.
Beginning his journey as a teenage promoter of local artists and events in Puerto Rico, Assad has, in many ways, been preparing his entire life for the challenge of organizing Bad Bunny’s three-month residency at “El Choli,” as it’s known to residents. Assad not only manages Bad Bunny but also leads the indie powerhouse Rimas Entertainment, whose management clients include Karol G, Arcángel and Sebastián Yatra; with signed artists Eladio Carrión, Mora, Arcángel, Cris MJ and more.
Over 400,000 people have purchased tickets to Bad Bunny’s “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency with sales coming in from a wide range of demographics, from the Netherlands to France, Aruba, South Korea, Jamaica, Italy and Germany, among top markets like the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain and Canada. Over 700,000 people registered to receive general presale codes for these sales, but only 100,000 were accommodated.
Discover Puerto Rico, the region’s nonprofit destination marketing organization, estimates the residency will produce economic profitability of close to $200 million across hotels, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions.
“I had to fail a lot in life in order to learn and truly understand how to do something like this,” says Assad of the concert run that ends Sept. 14. “What we’re bringing into El Choli has never been done at that venue. It’s the biggest thing Benito and I have ever put together, only because of how many moving parts are involved. We’re welcoming his most devoted fans — locals and people traveling to see him perform — where he thrives.”
Assad began conversations about the residency with Jorge L. Pérez, the general manager of El Choli, more than three years ago, though the pair didn’t begin blue-skying until December 2023, when Martínez birthed the idea for the album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” a heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rico. Without spoiling the creative concepts behind the show, Assad describes the production as a showcase of pride, and “a taste of the culture that makes Puerto Rico the best place in the world.”
“These shows were a no-brainer,” he says. “How do you tour an album that’s dedicated to your island and go on a world tour before performing it for your people?”
Assad’s own Move Concerts promotion company is organizing the event, with help from specialized businesses including Ticketera, who handled in-person sales (totalling up to $11 million) for residents of the island, and Vibee, which is administering hotel accommodations for the more than 200,000 visitors flying in to witness the third most streamed artist in the world perform his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” — a heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rico.
Those who purchased hotel and or VIP packages (over 86,000) will have access to hotel and pool parties. Vibee is also opening a fan pop-up that will serve as a meeting place for attendees and to a place to purchase special edition merchandise. Assad and his team have has secured sponsorship and brand deals from Adidas, T-Mobile, Tito’s vodka, Marriott, JetBlue, Visa and more, in addition to partnerships with local Puerto Rican brands from Don Q to Medala, Palo Ready and even the Inter American University of Puerto Rico.
“I thought I’d seen all I could see in my days,” says Alejandro Pabón, a promoter at Move Concerts who has spent the past 15 years working on shows for Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and more. “But I couldn’t have ever imagined something this high-impact — or that I’d be learning so much about hospitality as a concert promoter.”
Assad adds, “Our in-person ticket sales in Corozal, which is a quiet area, had thousands of people lined up. And we got phone calls from nearby pharmacies telling us they sold out of their ticket inventory in a few hours. No one expected those results. But it’s at the heart of everything Benito and I do: We eat, live, drink, sleep and think about our community every day. This is going to show the world the intangible value of our home.”
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