Rock festival lineup takes shape, revenue to follow


Halifax County expects to reap a half-million dollar tax windfall from the Blue Ridge Rock Festival when the massive concert event takes place at Virginia International Raceway Sept. 8-11.

County and state agency officials continue to make plans for the multi-day concert, which is coming to the Alton area after drawing crowds in excess of 40,000 people daily at last year’s venue in Pittsylvania County near Chatham.

The announced lineup features rock and rap acts, with Alice Cooper, Ice Cube, Stone Temple Pilots, Daughtry and Nelly among the best-known names.

County Administrator Scott Simpson updated members of the Board of Supervisors on the event planning at Monday’s board meeting in Halifax.

County, VDOT, State Police and health department officials are working to ensure that the concert organizers have adequate traffic and crowd control, sanitation and other arrangements in place for the influx of visitors.

“I expect all their plans to culminate over the next three to four weeks in a format all county agencies can sign off on,” said Simpson.

VIR’s existing conditional use permit allows the raceway to host concerts and other special events at the site, but there is a separate requirement for an entertainment permit that is issued by county administrator’s office.

Simpson suggested the money the event will bring in is well worth the approval.

The Blue Ridge Rock Festival is expected to draw 40,000 people on all four days in September, with some 30,000 concert goers camping at VIR. Simpson said the track is making arrangements to accommodate everyone from tent campers to RV dwellers.

With most of the concert crowd staying at VIR, the traffic impact in nearby areas should be “at a general minimal level,” said Simpson.

Since there will be no onsite parking at VIR, non-camping concert goers will have to catch shuttles to the event, from locations yet to be determined, said Simpson.

Speaking of the festival’s economic impact, Simpson said the boost in visitation should bring in around $500,000 to county coffers.

That sum includes an estimated $100,000 in additional lodging taxes, $300,000 in meals taxes, and an unquantified bump in local and state sales taxes.

Simpson suggested that supervisors consider an admissions tax as another way to raise revenue off large spectator events.

“An admissions tax on an event like this would gain us a lot,” he said.

The board took no action on the matter.

Supervisors did approve a plan to distribute a $1 million gift to the county by Con Edison Development, developers of the Water Strider solar generation facility in Nathalie. The plan approved by supervisors earmarks $575,000 for present-day needs, mostly related to county fire and EMS, and places $425,000 in reserve for future economic development and emergency services costs.

The $575,000 distribution includes:
» $110,000 for the North Halifax Volunteer Fire Department, to purchase an ambulance and stretchers
» $100,000 for economic development incentives
» $110,000 for county volunteer fire departments, with 11 departments — North Halifax excluded — each receiving $10,000
» $10,000 for the Brookneal Volunteer Fire Department, which provides fire coverage in the area of the Water Strider facility
» $50,000 for a fire/rescue personnel training reimbursements
» $100,00 for paid EMS and rescue personnel
» $95,000 for communication tower generator costs and site work

The $100,000 for EMS and rescue personnel will bring the rescue units with the North Halifax and Turbeville fire departments up to full staffing, enhancing EMS response in both areas.

Supervisors voted 7-1 for the plan, with ED-8 supervisor William Bryant Claiborne casting the lone dissenting vote. Claiborne said the future distribution of $425,000 should be made out evenly among county fire departments, excluding NVFD, which will receive 11 percent of the full $1 million donation. However, Vice Chair Garland Ricketts said the $425,000 is for rescue and not fire department needs, and the motion to approve the distribution drew the support of the board majority.

 

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