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"This association with `American Idol' will benefit the Inland Empire. It will bring fame to the area and will raise awareness about our beautiful mountain community not only to the Inland Empire and Southern California but nationally and internationally," Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce President Lewis Murray said at a town hall meeting Monday night at the Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa.
Monday's meeting was held to raise community awareness and solicit support for the exclusive agreement between Pali Entertainment, `American Idol' officials from FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment and the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce. The agreement will be signed later this week.
Chatting over coffee before the meeting, Lake Arrowhead resident John Lorenz said, "It is nice to have a community meeting that isn't about road closures, fires or the bark beetle."
Patsy Baily, also of Lake Arrowhead, added, "This is exciting. I hope we can get (former `Idol' contestant) Melinda Doolittle to do a concert up here. She is my favorite."
For $2,995, campers between 10 and 15 years old will attend two-week sessions, which will run from June through August each year and will feature audition tips, vocal training and "open mic" nights as well as more traditional summer camp events such as swimming, hiking and roasting marshmallows over an open fire.
Idol Camp Director Ian Brassett said that 150 campers per session will specialize in singing, acting, dancing or production.
"Pali Mountain will provide campers a fun, safe environment to learn from industry professionals about performance, makeup, hair design and fashion. This isn't just about auditioning for `American Idol,' " Brassett said. "We will teach song writing, singing, dancing, audition, performance techniques, video production and set design as well as vocal performance."
Brassett said that although last year's pilot program in Northfield, Mass., was successful, organizers thought it would be better to hold the camp closer to the "American Idol" stage near Los Angeles, the hub of the entertainment industry.
Former "American Idol" contestants Ace Young, Kimberly Locke, Bucky Covington, Jon Peter Lewis, Carmen Rasmusen and Vonzell Solomon worked with campers at the 2007 camp. The 2008 lineup has yet to be released.
Although fans will not be allowed to tour the camp at random in search of their favorite "American Idol" celebrities, they will be able to attend the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce Concert Series, which will feature at least 15 concerts headlined by Top 12 finalists from the television program's past six seasons. For general seating, the concerts will be free. Priority seating will be available for a nominal fee. The concert schedule is being finalized.
"The first official announcement about the new location for Idol Camp will be made by Ryan Seacrest on Tuesday or Wednesday on his morning show on KIIS FM," according to Leslie McLellan, director of marketing and tourism for the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce.
Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson may not make the two-hour drive from Los Angeles to Lake Arrowhead. But the director of marketing for Pali Entertainment, Traci Hainsworth, hinted to prospective campers, "Idol Mania has officially hit the Inland Empire. I can't guarantee who will show up from `American Idol.' But, you never know ... "
To enroll in the camp or apply for a scholarship, visit www.AmericanIdol.com, www.IdolCamp.com or call Pali Mountain at (909) 867-5743. For information about the summer concert series, visit www.LakeArrowhead.net or call the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce at (909) 337-3715.
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