I suppose the only news that could be better than the announcement from Toyota would be that the plant is opening next week instead of next year. What a great day for northeast Mississippi! As an entertainment facility we depend on area residents having disposable income in order to support our programming. Over the past 18 months we have been somewhat restrained in our approach to the concert business as a direct reflection of the local economy. Toyota’s renewed commitment to the Blue Springs facility (and the 2,000+ jobs that come with it) will allow us to ramp up our entertainment offerings accordingly. We’re poised and ready for growth.
With the talk about growth I think it’s important to mention what we’ve been able to accomplish so far this year even in the throes of the great recession. Attendance for the fiscal year to date (our year began on October 1) is over 200,000 for the third straight year which hasn’t happened since 1995-97. Not including our Broadway series we will host 10 concerts for the year even in this down economy. Past total concerts per year have varied from a high of 17 in fiscal year 95 to a low of 4 in fiscal years 2000, 2001, and 2007. Thanks so much for your support!
