The music center has reported profits in the millions annually since 2019, with the exception of 2020, a year that was rough on many industries, live music included. That year, rather than hosting hundreds of fans for live performances, the venue supported the community in a different way by serving as a COVID testing site.
Mayor Jeff Gore said a large part of the venue’s continued success can be attributed to the city’s collaboration with MEMI, which handles the venue’s booking and attendance.
“They’re the ones who are advertising and marketing our facility, and they understand the live music industry, so they’re able to make sure we get the bands that people want to see,” Gore said. “It’s the combination between MEMI’s management and with how well the city maintains the venue. The city is concerned about making sure our guests have the best possible experience, and I think we provide that.”
The venue had acts from Earth, Wind and Fire and Buddy Guy to Sheryl Crow and Air Supply perform this past summer.
Construction of the $19.3 million music center, at 6800 Executive Blvd., started in 2013 and the Rose opened in 2015. The facility was paid for with tax increment financing (TIF) funding, according to city officials.
City Councilman Mark Campbell played a critical role in the inception of The Rose. Campbell said the original idea to construct a music venue came from a brainstorming session in 2012 between himself and a few of his friends who had ties to the music industry, with the goal to utilize space on Executive Boulevard in a way would benefit the community.
Following calls and meetings with MEMI executives and multiple industry and development professionals, Campbell was intrigued and prepared to move the idea to the next step.
“I paid to have blueprints and artist renderings made, I met with engineers,” he said, adding that his private sector experience in business allowed him to gather preliminary documents on his own time — and on his own dime — to propose the concept to council.
“I pitched the idea to council and it took an hour and 20 minutes; that’s how much data and information I had prepared,” Campbell said.
From there, city council voted to begin fact-finding research into the prospect. Construction began the following year and the rest is history.
“I couldn’t be more proud. It was really a community effort; the community got behind it, they took the risk, and the risk paid out,” Campbell said. “The venue is really a first class experience for the consumer; it’s a beautiful facility.”
Gore said the facility itself is as much of an attraction for customers as the acts that perform there.
“When you go to The Rose, you really feel like it’s a night out. People have told me they come to shows at The Rose, not even because they’re that interested in the band, but because of the experience; it’s fun,” he said. “I think all of this combined contributes to its success.”
Along with serving as an amenity for the community, the profit generated from the venue finances other assets within the city, Gore said.
“It helps us pay for the parks and things like that without the need to have a recreation levy like many other cities have,” he said. “It’s a great revenue generator for the city.”
Acts announced in 2023 at the venue include Chicago in May and Buddy Guy again in late July. More will be announced early next year.
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