NASHVILLE, Tenn. - This year's CMA Music Festival was a smashing success, breaking records with attendance.
According to officials, more than 71,000 fans came in and out of Nashville in the past four days. That's a 9.2 percent increase over the 2011 festival. This is the also the third year in a row that the nightly concerts at LP field were sold out.
Organizers credit the mild weather and increased national exposure. More than 80 percent of the four-day ticket holders came from outside of Tennessee.
"Third time's the charm and to achieve a sell out for a third straight year and increase attendance says a lot about the strength of this event, the dedication of our fans, the support of our industry and local community, and the popularity of our music and artists," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.
According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the direct visitor spending generated by CMA Music Festival in 2011 was $30 million, a $6 million increase over 2010 making the Festival the top annual generator of tourist income in Nashville.
Tickets for next year's CMA Festival are already on sale. It will be June 6-9, 2013.
