Chicago's Ravinia Festival Web site opens on high note as IdeaStar orchestrates new e-ticketing system.

IdeaStar Inc. has built a powerful new e-commerce Web site, for the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The new site includes a real time ticketing, content management, a dynamic interactive events calendar, store front, additional information and more.

(PRWEB) August 12, 2004 -- Ravinia Festival (http://www.ravinia.org), the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this summer. And along with its stellar list of performances, it has a powerful new Web site, built by IdeaStar Inc. (http://www.ideastar.com), to celebrate.

IdeaStar partnered with AMN New Media of Chicago to enhance the former Ravinia site with a suite of powerful components, including real time ticketing, content management, a dynamic interactive events calendar, store front, additional information and more.

The results have been superb! The first week of ticket sales far exceeded any prior numbers. The system went online the day before ticket sales opened and everything functioned perfectly. Visitors purchasing tickets were able to do so in a safe, easy-to-use environment. Nearly $250,000 were taken in the first 24 hours. That number grew to $1 million within two weeks, and it is still rising.

The most challenging part of the project was integrating the real time ticketing system ENTA by Galathea STS of London. Although ENTA is an established product, integrating it into Web sites is new. Challenges popped up every step of the way but IdeaStar's developers worked through them. "Many of the ideas we wanted to accomplish were cutting edge and untried, such as expanding a closed data base system into an open experience," said Stephen Belth of AMW.

"These challenges were overcome by working directly with Ravinia and Galathea to figure out all the details. We spent a lot of time getting to know the ticketing system and how to interact with it," said IdeaStar Software Developer Kelly Davis. And all the hard work has paid off. "The site has been very well received," according to Julia Kirchhausen, Ravinia Marketing Director. "People seem to be pleased with the look, feel and function of the site."

The graphics for the Web site were provided by Eyetopia Designs of Chicago. IdeaStar's Web designers incorporated the graphics into the new site.

The second phase of the project will bring more personalization to the site, including recommended performances for ticket buyers, more integration with ENTA, greater search capabilities, a volunteer center and more. "Right now we are working on making the site dynamically driven by the client through the admin forms," Kelly said.

IdeaStar is currently building another site for a Midwest performing arts organization using Tessitura Software. Upon completion IdeaStar will have succussfully developed e-commerce sites using two major ticketing solutions, ENTA and Tessitura.

About IdeaStar Inc.
IdeaStar is a full-service Web development firm which designs, programs, promotes and manages leading-edge Web sites and e-Business applications for customers who demand a significant return on their Internet investment. IdeaStar services and maintains several leading performing arts Web sites including the Cleveland Orchestra and the Playhouse Square Center.

Contact:
Mary Fisher
Marketing Manager
IdeaStar Inc.
5350 Transportation Blvd.
Suite #1
Cleveland, OH 44125
inbox@ideastar.com
216-587-9300
216-587-9301 fax