CMA Music Fest

[it's just dave]

Like country or not, I find it a bit odd that something on the scale of the CMA Music Fest hasn't been mentioned at least in some recognition of the economic impact and extraordinary national and international exposure it brings to the city. For what it's worth, I will.

The economic impact for the 2006 festival was $19 million over the 4 days. The 2007 will greatly eclipse that.

This is certainly worth mentioning in a forum that takes pride in things that make our city a true stand out among its peers.

http://www.thatscountry.com/am2/publish/Fa...16/003605.shtml

In summary, some highlights:

• NASHVILLE - CMA Music Festival set a new aggregate attendance record in 2007 with 191,154 people attending the four-day Festival, June 7-10, in Downtown Nashville.

• Tickets for CMA Music Festival 2008, June 5-8, went on sale Saturday and Gold Circle four-day ticket packages sold out in a record 90 minutes. By Sunday, advance sales bested sales during the same period in 2006, by a robust 25 percent.

• Aggregate attendance has grown from 124,000 in 2003, to 132,000 in 2004, 145,000 in 2005, to 161,000 in 2006, and now more than 191,000.

• To date, CMA has donated more than $1.1 million to worthy causes on behalf of the artists who participate in the Festival for free - including $368,500 from the 2006 CMA Music Festival for "Keep the Music Playing." Several students groups participated in the Festival including drum corps from Hillwood High School and Hunters Lane High School, who marched in the Kick-Off Parade along with students from the Nashville School of the Arts, which received a Chevy Silverado truck to transport band equipment to community performances as part of the "Keep the Music Playing" campaign.

• Nearly 700 journalists were credentialed for 2007 CMA Music Festival representing more than 200 domestic and international media outlets. Among the domestic outlets at CMA Music Festival were "48 Hours," ABC.com, ABC Radio Networks, Associated Press, Blender, CMT, CNBC, Country Weekly, "Fox & Friends," GAC, Getty Images, "Good Morning America," People, Premiere Radio Networks, Reuters, The Sportsman Channel, The Tennessean, TV Guide, and USA Today. International media from 11 countries were credentialed as well, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Among the 59 international outlets represented were Bayern 3 (Germany), BBC Radio Lancashire (UK), Country Music Channel (Australia), CMT Canada, Disney Tribune (France), Moray Firth Radio (Scotland), Personalities Magazine (Ireland), RTL (France), Stadtspiegel (Germany) The Music Network (Australia), Voice of Country Radio (UK), and more.

• CMA's official radio partner, Premiere Radio Networks, brought 20 of Country radio's top-rated stations including Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington, D.C., and overnight syndicated radio program "After MidNite with Blair Garner" to Nashville for three days of remote broadcasts from the Convention Center. Seventy-five artists, celebrities and athletes participated in the remotes reaching nearly 10 million listeners.

[producer2]

Great post Dave and right you are about the impact this festival has on the city. Just think how large it could be with a new center and an ampitheater.

[elguapo731]

My wife use to work in the travel business and there wouldn't be a hotel availiable in the entire city during Fan Fair. The closest availiable were always down in Murfreesboro so it impacts the surrounding area as well. There were usually three to four times a year that the city was maxed out in hotel availibilty and a handful of other times where we were close to maxing out. I am a strong believer that the city is way short on hotel space.

Gaylords conventions alone would sometimes clog up the cities hotels. I totaly understand why they want to build another hotel and why developers are trying to cash in on the DT hotel market

[titanhog]

wow! That's bigger than I had envisioned. I work in the country music industry, and while the illegal downloading is seriously killing the business, the live perfomance portion of the music industry is ROCKING!

[MTSUBlueraider86]

I must have secondhand smoked 10 packs a day when they were here!

cough cough

[MidTenn1]

Another testament as to Nashville's status as the 'Third Coast'.

The industry is huge here, much bigger than most people realize. From the recent Belmont study:

A newly released study of the music industry in Nashville shows a total economic impact of $6.38 billion, according to Belmont University and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

[elguapo731]

yes, those budwiser frogs were famous but it was only the audio production (Humingbird Prod.) that was done here in Nashville. Some good creative guys over there and a great story behind that spot if you ever have the chance to chat with Mr. Bob Farmer

Video Production wise is a big part of the city but, unfortunatly a lot of the County Music Video Production has gone to LA for some odd reason. It aint what it use to be.

Like it or not Nashville is Music City and we should embrase it and exploit it 100% to benifit the community.