EVENT center Like most public venues across the country, the Rocky Mount Event Center was forced to shut down operations in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
youth volleyball tournament that brought in
16 volleyball courts, locker rooms, 17 climbing
140 teams on Feb. 12.”
walls and an aerial ropes course. It also has
In addition to the volleyball tournament that marked the center's reopening in
banquet and breakout rooms, an arcade center and concession areas.
But the return of activity to the event
February, the center also was able to safely
“The Rocky Mount Event Center is a crucial
center earlier this year brought a hopeful,
host a dance competition at the same time as
central component of ... Rocky Mount’s long-
cautious return to a semblance of normalcy to
one of the sporting events in different areas
term strategy to redevelop and reinvent
downtown Rocky Mount.
of the building.
downtown Rocky Mount,” Joyner said. “Our
“On Valentine’s Day weekend, after getting
“The restaurants and hotels in the area
team’s focus is to make our facility a sought-
clearance and presenting our reopening plan
are ecstatic that we’re able to do these events
after state-wide destination that provides a
to the city manager, we were able to safely
again,” Joyner said. “These events always have
unique and excellent experience for sports,
reopen for sporting events and we were one
a big economic impact.”
entertainment and corporate and social
of the first venues of our size in the state to
The 165,000-square-foot, $48-million
do so,” said David Joyner, general manager of
event center opened in October 2018, and
Joyner said as safety restrictions were
the event center. “Since restrictions began
it immediately started attracting functions,
eased a bit, the facility became the scene of
to ease, we were able to begin booking
bringing in $1.2 million in revenue during its
limited-size conferences and meetings.
small events and small catering events and
first year of operation.
reopened for our first real sporting event, a
The Rocky Mount Event Center features eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, locker rooms, 17 climbing walls, an aerial ropes course, banquet and breakout rooms, an arcade center and concession areas.
10
The facility features eight basketball courts,
events."
Joyner said he and the management team also began allowing the use of the Game Day
