A new outdoor music venue with capacity for 6,000 people could attract more than 150,000 visitors to Chattanooga per year and fill a gap in the market, according to a new study.
Late last month, the Chattanooga Tourism Co., which attracts major events to the region, released the results of a study that recommends the development of a new outdoor amphitheater with 3,000 seats and standing room to accommodate another 3,000.
“This amphitheater would not only fill the existing void in the market but also provide a versatile space for a variety of events, enhancing Chattanooga’s appeal as a music destination,” the study said.
The tourism company hired the consulting firm Conventions, Sports & Leisure International earlier this year to complete the assessment. Barry White, CEO of the Chattanooga Tourism Co., said the organization commissioned the study at a time when officials were hearing buzz about new opportunities for music events in the city.
Country musician Kane Brown had recently performed at Finley Stadium; the Chattanooga Lookouts were moving forward with a new multiuse ballpark in the South Broad District, and the developers of The Bend were contemplating a venue as part of their project on the riverfront, White said.