[Dixielandjazz] New venue questions

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

I am being tasked with the job of helping set up a concert program for the Scottish Rite in St. Louis.  There has never been a regular concert series in the building.

The building is 1 block from several theaters and has a 2500 seat auditorium.  It has also 2 side rooms that could host a wedding reception/ small concert @150 people.  A large basement dining room seating about 700 and a renovated side dining room for about 250.  We have an excellent in house caterer.  We have no Liquor License. 

We have several bands and performing groups in the area that would probably play but have limited draw.  The only concert in recent past was the USAF band's xmas concert that came anywhere near filling the place. (free advertising from the Post Dispatch newspaper and ticket distribution by Schnucks markets for their event)

The two Air Force bands in the area cannot charge for their concerts however we can charge for parking.

Why are we doing this -- Because they just built a 1.8 million parking garage and need to make money and with falling membership we have to work on selling the building as a venue.

We may have some ability to draw headliners because many prominent show biz people are members.

The problem is we have almost no money for advertising events and at present we have no mechanism for selling tickets and few people to draw on.  There is a limited time we can sell the building because there is no AC.  

Any Ideas on advertising / headliners or similar situations out there.