NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Big changes are taking place for the annual New Year’s Eve party in Nashville.
Not only is the celebration being moved just north of downtown to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, but it’s also getting a new name.
Once called the Jack Daniel’s Bash on Broadway, the official name is now Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville.
The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp (NCVC) said the music note drop and fireworks display will now have the backdrop of the Tennessee State Capitol building and Nashville skyline.
“Our famed New Year’s Eve event has grown exponentially over the last few years, resulting in the need to expand the footprint,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, NCVC board chair and managing partner and president of DVL Seigenthaler.
“This move also allows us to enhance security for all who attend, giving much more room for event revelers, vendors, emergency personnel and others to move conveniently and securely throughout the celebration,” Courtney added.
While the main party will be over at the bicentennial mall, organizers plan to outfit Lower Broad with a large screen to show the concert and note drop.
There will also be a secondary fireworks show across the Cumberland River. Shuttles will run between locations to allow partygoers to enjoy them both.
“Having the primary stage location at Bicentennial Mall allows us to blend two dynamic neighborhoods of Nashville,” Courtney said. “You have the wonderfully energetic vibe of Broadway bridging with one of the city’s hottest restaurant districts in Germantown, allowing visitors to fully enjoy our great city.”
Butch Spyridon, NCVC president and CEO, said event growth, heightened security, and reduced footprint space collectively provided challenges to the traditional Lower Broad location.
“Our mission is always to provide the highest quality event while planning for future growth,” said Spyridon. “While we loved the traditional site, this decision reflects our success, and we will continue to include Broadway to showcase more of Nashville. We have worked with security officials to ensure everyone’s safety and to provide the best concert viewing experience.”
News 2 spoke with business owners on Broadway to see how they felt about the new location.
“It is our biggest night, if not one of the biggest nights. It’s huge and we get a lot of revenue from it.” explained Hank Whitman, who works at Robert’s Western World. “We’ll definitely see a hit from it, but I’m sure people will still be coming out regardless if the event’s down here or not.”
Meanwhile, this is a welcomed change for those who work near bicentennial mall.
“It’s going to be a madhouse around here. It’s what we all need,” said Mike Durham at Germantown Pub. “More people will come in and see what’s actually going on over here, the growth of the whole neighborhood, the community.
The NCVC will continue to evaluate all its options for the event’s location and views bicentennial mall as a temporary location that may or may not become permanent.
The concert lineup and headlining act for Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville will be announced in the coming weeks.