Bon Jovi to play Spokane Arena Oct. 6

Bon Jovi fans, live on a prayer no more. The classic rock band will be playing at the Spokane Veterans Arena Oct. 6. Or rather, the Bon Jovi Veterans Arena, as it has been temporarily renamed until the concert, the Arena announced this morning. Arena General Manager Matt Gibson said the name change was a fun way to show the tour promoters Spokane was serious about bringing Bon Jovi and his “Because We Can” tour to the Inland Northwest. “We have to fight really, really hard to get big shows to come here,” Gibson said. Too often, he said, big names avoid a smaller market for fear of not being able to sell enough tickets. Gibson said the Arena, in a partnership with Northern Quest, is easing the promoter’s fears by agreeing to absorb any financial losses should they occur. With a big name like Bon Jovi, Gibson said they aren’t worried about selling tickets. He said the act “kind of bleeds Spokane,” as it mixes older music with newly released songs to appeal to a wide range of audiences. If they had to make a list of top five music acts to bring to Spokane, Gibson said Bon Jovi is easily in the top three. “For Spokane, this is a huge, huge, huge deal,” he said. A date for ticket sales has not been released. Ticket prices, however, will range from $59.50 to $179.50.