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Tourism director seeks business feedback after strong turnout at new concert site
Summary
The tourism director reported successful recent concerts at a new location with strong attendance and vendor sales; some downtown businesses told council they lost sales and the director asked for written feedback to consider returning to the original site.
The City Council heard mixed feedback on the new location for the summer street-concert series. Tourism staff reported strong attendance and that food vendors sold out, while some downtown businesses reported lost sales and asked the council to consider returning the series to its original site.
"We just closed out our second concert of the season. I think it's overall been a big success," said the tourism director. She added that while most feedback has been positive, a few businesses on South Main reported lost sales and the tourism office is soliciting more detailed input. "If anyone wants to come and meet with me or share an email, I'd really appreciate it," the tourism director said.
Council members and staff generally described the move as positive for attendees and tourism. One councilmember said the new location "affords more space and it gives better shade to people that are looking for a place to sit down and relax." A police representative said the department had not seen major traffic-control issues and that the shaded, two‑story stretch made attendance more pleasant.
Why it matters: the concert series is a municipal tourism effort with implications for downtown businesses. Several council members said the new location drew out‑of‑town visitors and that some businesses may need tailored outreach to evaluate net effects on sales.
Next steps: the tourism director asked businesses that believe they lost sales to provide specific assessments so staff can evaluate whether to return to the prior location for future events or adjust logistics. No formal action was taken at the meeting.
