CMA Music Festival Direct Visitor Spending Reaches $39.3 Million

Zac Brown Band performs during CMA Music Festival in 2014. Photo: John Russell / CMA

The 2014 CMA Music Festival contributed a record-setting $39.3 million in direct visitor spending to the local community, according to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. (NCVC). In 2001, the Festival generated $15.5 million in direct visitor spending; by 2013, the figure grew to $31.5 million.

“Since moving to downtown Nashville in 2001, CMA Music Festival has experienced amazing growth, which has benefited our city in numerous ways,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The Festival is a showcase for Music City that drives tourism, benefits music education, and generates a strong base of local revenue, with a significant impact on our community at large.”

The estimated number of room nights for festival attendees was 150,000 and the average length of the visit was 5.6 days, higher than 2013’s 5.2 day average.

Originally started as Fan Fair™ in 1972, the event has featured performances by every major star in the format. What began with 5,000 fans in the Municipal Auditorium has grown to a daily attendance of more than 80,000, with attendees from every state and two dozen foreign countries.

The numbers are based on CMA’s onsite/in-person surveying of 437 attendees over the four days.