Phish may return to Limestone for summer show March 22, 2003 - Portland Press Herald By Ray Routhier Phish may be coming back to Maine this summer for another giant outdoor concert. Dave Werlin, a Boston concert promoter who is working with Phish, said Friday that the band is interested in playing at the former Loring Air Force Base. But Werlin said details of the show would have to be negotiated before it could become a certainty. The Loring Redevelopment Authority cleared the way for contract negotiations on Friday by voting to authorize its executive director, Brian Hamel, to enter into a contract with Werlin. Hamel said after the meeting Friday that Werlin has told him the concert "is going to happen." But Werlin said he could not confirm that until a contract is signed, possibly as early as next week. "That band has expressed an interest in doing a major festival this year, so to that end we're looking at various sites, and among them is Limestone," Werlin said Friday. The former Air Force base, now home to the Loring Commerce Centre, hosted big outdoor concerts by Phish in the summers of 1997 and 1998. Both were multiple-day festival events, drawing thousands of Phish fans from all over to camp and listen to music. Each festival drew more than 60,000 people and pumped an estimated $25 million into the northern Maine economy, Hamel said. In 1999, Phish decided not to play a third consecutive Limestone festival. Members of the nationally known jam band said they were concentrating instead on a millennium concert in Florida on New Year's Eve. The band did end up doing a summer outdoor concert in 1999, in upstate New York. Hamel said on Friday that businesses and individuals in the Limestone area would be happy to have Phish back, because of the economic boost and because of how well the other two shows went. "After Phish decided not to do a third show here, people were very disappointed," said Hamel. "But now, people are absolutely excited." Article Copyright © 2003 Portland Press Herald