For years, my routine on arrival in Chicago has been the same. Stop at Hot Tix before anything else, then check in to the hotel. It was a great resource, with really helpful people. It it supported a good cause. But no more.
This weekend I was saddened and a little disgusted to find Hot Tix has hooked up with the evil empire known as Ticketmaster. Only after making my purchase and looking at the receipt did I realize my ""half-price"" ticket was no longer half-price, but nearly full price. As usual, it was the exorbitant Ticketmaster ""convenience fee,"" which amounted to about half the cost of the show. The ""convenience,"" apparently, was for giving me the privilege of walking eight blocks to the Hot Tix office and handing over my money.
I am one of those cranky people who, if given no other option but Ticketmaster, will just do something else. My own little boycott just makes me feel better. We need to vote with our dollars. I will continue to regularly attend Chicago theater events, but will now experience the ""convenience"" of going to the theater's own box office. Thanks for everything over the years, Hot Tix. You will not be seeing me again.
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