Sun Center plans summer shows, adds seats for 1,600

Bill Rogers' BRE Presents, Haddonfield, is building seating for around 1,600, staging, lighting, and concessions for shows at the Sun Center movie studio in Delaware County, confirms spokeswoman Charlene Chamberlain. The "Starlight Summer Series" scheduled for Sun Center this summer, mostly at 7:30 p.m. - tickets via Ticketmaster - includes some recent and some real oldie rock acts:
June 11 - Tedeschi Trucks Band 
June 12 - Buddy Guy
June 20 - Bacon Brothers
July 16 - Straight No Chaser
July 17 - Procul Harum
July 19 - Gordon Lightfoot
Aug. 7 - The Mavericks
Aug. 8 - Get the Led Out
Aug. 12 - Indigo Girls
Aug. 13 - The Beach Boys

Sun Center is the taxpayer-backed former Sunoco employee retreat, just off I-95 north of Chester (toward Aston), which Philadelphia lawyer Jeff Rotwitt and his son and senior vice president, Adam, have been trying to lure more movies and TV series since his initial success three years ago with a Will Smith clunker.

But Rotwitt has long acknowledged movie shoots won't carry the facility alone. He says keeping a single-movie location busy is an accident of studio, actor, producer, director and availability timing. So he's hoping to build on what he's called the QVC effect, creating destination amenities around his studio, attractions that will keep visitors coming even when the big stars are elsewhere. Thus the new concert venue.

Plus, the Rotwitts are planning "more soundstages" movie-themed "visitor attractions," 3-D and "4-D" movie screens, live acts, "motion-based simulator rides," restaurant, "boutique hotel" and retail stores, according to a statement from Rogers' office. "There is a lot brewing," Rotwitt agreed. More details soon