Festival production company Danny Wimmer Presents looks to further develop opportunities in 2020 with financial backing from Ron Burkle’s investment firm The Yucaipa Companies.
Founded in 2011 and based in Los Angeles, Danny Wimmer Presents currently produces seven unique live music festivals across the United States. The company’s lineup boasts some of America’s biggest music and lifestyle events, including Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival, Aftershock, Epicente
In total, DWP’s 2019 festival season attracted nearly 750,000 fans, with several sold-out events. By merging well-known talent with local cuisine and culture, DWP has become recognized within the industry for delivering the highest-quality, exceptional value entertainment experiences to customers, artists, sponsors, partners and host cities alike.
The Yucaipa Companies is a premier investment firm that has established a record of fostering economic value through the growth and responsible development of companies. Founded in 1986 by Ron Burkle, the firm has completed mergers and acquisitions valued at more than $30 billion including significant investments in entertainment and live events companies in the U.S. and internationally.
“We had several different options for investors, but ultimately selected Yucaipa because they really understood our growth strategy, and they are uniquely situated to help us execute on it,” says Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents. “Yucaipa already has several successful investments in the music industry, as well as key relationships in cities where we already operate and others we’d like to enter. We believe they will be able to accelerate our plans to expand into new markets.”
As part of the financial partnership, DWP has already executed several term sheets and expects to announce its initial acquisitions very soon. Concurrent with The Yucaipa Companies deal, DWP entered into a new banking relationship with First Horizon Bank that provides DWP with further investment capital. As well, DWP renewed its ticketing agreement with Front Gate Tickets, North America’s leading festival ticketing platform. “Collectively, the new and renewed partnerships provide DWP with a foundation to aggressively grow the business surrounded by forward-thinking partners,” says Hayes.
For The Yucaipa Companies transaction, DWP was represented by investment bankers Alex Michael and James Lindsay at LionTree Advisors and attorneys Brian Schall and Matthew Wolf of Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Shulman & Rabkin.
The United Auburn Indian Community, an earlier investor in DWP, continues to hold a position with the company.
