How Alejandro Pabón Did It

With a strategic imaginative and prescient and a high-level operational method, Alejandro Pabón has established himself as a key pressure within the evolution of dwell leisure inside the Latin and international markets. A companion at Transfer Live shows and chief working officer at Rimas Nation, his work ranges from worldwide stadium and area excursions to Unhealthy Bunny’s present historic residency in Puerto Rico, main the manufacturing, operation, and technique of industry-leading concert events and excursions.

Pabón — together with Unhealthy Bunny’s supervisor, Noah Assad — is the promoter of the Puerto Rican famous person’s historic No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency on the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot. As such, he’s been in command of your complete group, from reserving the 30 dates on the iconic venue (10 consecutive weekends between July 11 and Sept. 14), to setting ticket costs, discovering firms to assist create journey packages, and principally implementing your complete construction to make this concept a actuality.

The unprecedented occasion, whose tickets offered out in simply 4 hours, is attracting some 250,000 guests to the island this summer season, stimulating the economic system and selling Puerto Rican tourism and tradition throughout a time that’s often just about inactive. The primary 9 exhibits have been completely for Puerto Rican residents. This weekend, the present lastly opens to worldwide audiences.

For that, Alejandro Pabón is acknowledged at the moment (July 31) as Billboard Español‘s Executive of the Month. We caught up with him over Zoom from his middle of operations in San Juan.

Do you know this residency was going to be so successful when it was deliberate?

I imply, you hear it and the very first thing you say is, “Wow! This is attainable.” And after we noticed the album [Debí Tirar Más Fotos] come out and the impression it’s having, we thought that this residency may actually be one thing big. We knew it was going to promote out, we had little doubt about that, however I don’t suppose we had any thought of the cultural and identification impression, the impact on Puerto Rico —extra than simply financial, which we knew, as a result of we have now metrics primarily based on what we promote, what we’re going to do— however the impression it has had culturally.

I can’t converse for the artist, however I don’t suppose any of us knew what it was going to generate by uniting generations. You’re seeing grandparents, dad and mom with their youngsters on the concert events. Everybody desires to be part of this, whether or not they have been Benito followers earlier than or not. It’s spectacular, and probably the most stunning factor is that they’ve come to Puerto Rico in a really unthinkable method. I believe it’s breaking down all of the obstacles of political and cultural opinions in a rustic that’s typically divided by ideology within the U.S., as a result of it highlights our identification, and that’s because of the artist and this residency.

Take me via the timeline. When did Benito give you this concept, and the way lengthy did it take to make it a actuality?

The primary time they talked about this to me was two years in the past, and we’d already had some preliminary conferences for 2025, however then it was determined it wasn’t the correct time. Then, round Might, Noah advised to me: “Look, the subsequent album Benito is making is an album that has quite a bit to do with Puerto Rico, and I believe it’s going to be the correct time to do the residency. Let’s search for a date.” I advised him: “I believe the perfect dates are in the summertime, as a result of that’s when the Coliseo is emptiest, as a result of it’s the downtime.” Usually, for concert events, that’s the slowest time. The identical goes for lodges, for every part. So, I advised him: “I’m going to name the Coliseo, I’m going to test the dates, see if they’ve them.”

There have been like 12 occasions throughout that point interval, and we managed to maneuver them. After which we began determining how we have been going to put aside three months with out anybody realizing. So we began placing different artists’ names on the record and in search of sporting occasions. Every little thing was faux so we may have the calendar with out anybody realizing, as a result of if it leaked, like every part Benito creates, we may lose that impression of shock. And we managed to do it.

Do you know from the start that you just wished 30 dates?

From the start, we talked about three months, sure, 30 dates. However if you happen to discover, we first introduced 21, as a result of although we all know the artist’s greatness, there’s at all times a sure concern, a doubt: Can we promote out 30? I at all times stated sure, however they’re at all times very measured. We booked 21 dates, after which, once they offered out, we stated, “Let’s go for the opposite 9, as a result of there’s actually little doubt it’s going to promote out.” So it’s a course of we’ve been speaking about for 2 years, however we lastly started to implement it about eight months prematurely.

How did you determine to order the primary 9 dates just for Puerto Rican residents?

The artist. It was 100% his thought, his requirement. I bear in mind us sitting right here in an workplace and he stated, “No, the primary 9 should be for Puerto Rico. You’ll be able to work out the way you’re going to do it.”

And the way did you management that?

As a result of we did it in particular person. Ticket gross sales have been held throughout the island at 9 places so everybody in Puerto Rico would have the chance, not simply in San Juan. Tickets have been posted in several cities, and distinctive codes have been created by way of flyers the place individuals lined up, scanned them, and will purchase tickets on their cell telephones. Meaning if you happen to weren’t in Puerto Rico, it was not possible to get a ticket for these first 9 dates. The primary individuals from overseas will start arriving this weekend.

What do you count on now with overseas audiences? What do you suppose would be the distinction?

I believe lots of people with Puerto Rican roots are coming. There are about 75,000 individuals from the US who purchased tickets, whom I consider first or second era Puerto Ricans. There are going to be lots of household reunions. I believe there’s going to be lots of feelings, as a result of there are going to be lots of people who haven’t linked with Puerto Rico, who’re coming for the primary time in a very long time for this. And I say this as a result of it’s taking place personally with many members of the family, so I do know it’s a actuality. However there’s going to be motion, so to talk, motion within the metropolis. All of the lodges are totally booked, the eating places are at capability. We’re going to see a really energetic, bustling, euphoric San Juan, as a result of persons are coming to expertise Puerto Rico. We’re going to see a distinction within the variety of individuals we’re going to have right here.

As you talked about earlier, summer season in Puerto Rico is often very quiet. As a promoter of the residency, how do you are feeling about with the ability to increase the economic system this season on the island?

It’s a supply of delight, as I say, for your complete crew. We’re right here how we may help make our island higher. I believe that was the artist’s message, and primarily based on what he does, there’s little doubt about it — I imply, the album is clearly a tribute to Puerto Rico and demonstrates his love. That is one other present he’s giving to Puerto Rico, and for us to be part of it, and for me to have the ability to assist execute all of this, is a superb honor. I at all times inform people who not even in my wildest desires may I’ve imagined one thing like this may be a actuality, a lot much less the impression it’s having. So we’re blissful, happy with every part that’s being carried out, and clearly grateful as a result of it’s an important crew, so many individuals engaged on this. With the ability to do that is one thing we’ll carry with us eternally; it’s a gorgeous factor.

How many individuals make up the manufacturing crew?

We’re speaking about 250, 300 individuals, and is basically a neighborhood crew. The individuals who constructed the mountain, which is the primary stage, the little home, are all Puerto Rican. Our crew, the promoters, the manufacturing crew, are all native. It’s good that it’s being carried out by individuals from right here, as a result of individuals typically suppose that one thing like this requires bringing in individuals from exterior, however that is being carried out by a gaggle of individuals from Puerto Rico. And take a look at the impression it’s creating! Sure, we are able to do it right here; we don’t have to depart to have the ability to do one thing this large, and that’s a supply of delight.

What’s the largest problem you encountered throughout this entire course of?

Personally, I went into many phases of issues I wasn’t accustomed to, like hospitality, lodges and journey packages. That side of the journey packages, the way to set up them, was a problem. However we’ve had some superb companions, and I’ve realized quite a bit — as at all times, in life, you continue learning. And positively, the technique to promote bodily tickets for the primary 9 performances was an enormous problem, and we have been capable of obtain it, however it saved me awake at evening. We offered over 120,000 tickets in lower than 24 hours in particular person. I don’t suppose it’s been carried out anyplace else, and it was an actual problem.

What’s the largest takeaway from this expertise? Would you do it once more?

I consider that after this, nothing is not possible. So, I’m by no means going to second-guess any thought, irrespective of how large it’s. I might positively like to do one thing of this magnitude once more, but when I’m fully sincere, I don’t know if something like this can ever occur once more. It’s all about excellent timing, and like I stated, possibly that is as soon as in a lifetime.