COLUMBUS, Ohio (COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST)–Starting next week, four of the most prominent music venues in Columbus will require proof of vaccination against Covid-19 for entry.

PromoWest Productions, which runs Express Live!, Newport Music Hall, The Basement and A&R Music Bar, has announced a new vaccination policy that will start Aug. 18.

The policy will be in effect nationwide at all AEG Presents venues no later than Oct. 10. AEG Presents, one of the largest concert promoters, acquired PromoWest Productions in 2018.

OnTwitter, PromoWest said the policy was updated “for the show to go on.”

“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status,” Jay Marciano, chairman, and CEO of AEG Presents, said in a release. “Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again.”

Marciano acknowledged that “some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one.”

“We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers,” Marciano said in the release.

The policy may be void in some states where laws restrict it, AEG acknowledged.

According to Shawn Trell, chief operating officer and general counsel of AEG Presents, “certain states’ regulations may override our mandate or a few artists may not want to immediately get on board with the plan, but we know that using our platform to take a strong position on vaccinations can make an impact.”

“The message we want to send is simple and clear: the only way to be as safe as possible is to require everyone to be vaccinated,” Trell said in the release. “And we’re confident that others who haven’t been ready to make this full commitment yet will follow our lead.”

On its website, AEG said it would update customers who refuse to be vaccinated soon on a “limited refund availability.”

PromoWest venues are not the only ones in Columbus that have started requiring vaccines or negative Covid-19 tests for entry. Venues such as Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza & Live Music, Ace of Cups, Spacebar, and more have adopted similar policies, Columbus Alive recently reported.

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