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Florida concert promoter is offering fully-vaccinated people $18 discounted tickets. - Unvaccinated people, however, are being charged a flat rate of $999.99 for the same tickets.
- Those seeking discounted tickets must bring their physical COVID-19 vaccination card to the venue.
A concert promoter in Florida is trying to incentivize people to get vaccinated against the
Those that can prove they have been fully vaccinated can pay $18 per ticket to attend the Teenage Bottlerocket, MakeWar, and Rutterkin concert at Saint Petersburg's VFW Post 39 on June 26.
However, those that haven't gotten two shots of either Pfizer or Moderna
"I also wanted it to be a vaccine drive to get the fence-sitters off the fence," Paul Williams of Leadfoot Promotions, who came up with the idea for the discount, told ABC News.
He added, "I wanted to get the kids that want to go to shows to go out and get their shots."
According to the Leadfoot Promotions website, guests looking to purchase a discounted ticket must bring their physical COVID-19 vaccine card to the venue.
It must show that the individual received their second shot of Pfizer or Moderna or single shot of Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days before the concert, per the guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If a concert-goer reserves a discounted ticket in advance but is unable provide their vaccination card on-site, they will be charged the difference (an additional $981.99) to attend the show.
"We are NOT telling you what to do here, we are making a business decision and letting the market decide. If someone wants to come in unvaccinated, they will scare off a large number of patrons and will need to pay the difference," the website reads.
Williams told ABC
The promoter said the reception to his idea has been "overwhelmingly positive" despite receiving some negative messages from anti-vaxxers.
"You can buy a full-price ticket and you'll be treated like everyone else," he explained.
Ray Carlisle, the Teenage Bottlerocket singer and guitar player, told CNN's Pamela Brown that he and his bandmates initially thought Williams' plan was a joke.
"He's doing his best to keep the audience and the band safe, the venue staff safe. We go along with this idea," he said.
The Leadfoot Promotions website confirms that "all staff, volunteers, and band members" who will be present at the June 26 event will be vaccinated against COVID-19.
As of Sunday, over 134 million, or 40.5% of the US population has been fully vaccinated, according to data provided by the CDC.
Still, there's a large push to encourage unvaccinated people to get the shot.
Some state governments are offering cash prizes to residents that get vaccinated. Others are promoting vaccines by touting experiences and goods including free drinks, prepaid debit cards, sweepstakes for a new car, and more.