Bayou Country Superfest: Where will it go?
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BATON ROUGE – Since the announcement of Bayou Country Superfest not being held at Tiger Stadium for the next two years, many are questioning where it will go?
Tiger Stadium will undergo off-season renovations to concession stands, bathrooms and other areas of the stadium, according to LSU Athletics. Joe Alleva, the LSU vice chancellor and director of athletics, said that the renovations are necessary and the only time available to complete those is during the off-season.
For the past seven years, Bayou Country Superfest has been at Tiger Stadium and has brought in millions of dollars to the area.
"It put us on the map, it was the largest event like it in the south and it was a major impact to the community and we hope it will be again," Paul Arrigo, of Visit Baton Rouge, said.
According to festival organizers, there is no reason for the festival to leave the state. Scott Innes, Country Festival promoter, says he would like to see Bayou Country Superfest move to the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.
"You down size that thing to one day, you don't need three days. You get one day, you move it to Lamar Dixon Expo Center," Innes said.
"You're putting on a festival anyways, doing it in a stadium makes no sense," Innes said.
Innes said that Lafayette has previously been able to attract large crowds of country music fans. However, the largest venue in Lafayette, Cajun Field, is the third of the size of Tiger Stadium.
"In fact, if you go back through the years a lot of acts go to Lafayette instead of Baton Rouge," Innes said.
"It's a tough sell in Baton Rouge,o" Innes said.
New Orleans has the Superdome, but Innes says that the Crescent City will have a harder time attracting fans.
"I hate saying this because I don't want to see it leave the state, but if you need another stadium, where you going?" Innes said.
"Alabama. That to me is the second best place to do a show," Innes said.
Another venue for the event has not been named yet.