11 minute read
Event Center
Downtown facility brings sports, entertainment to area
Advertisement
22
Story by J. Eric Eckard Photos by William S. Manley
After the pandemic forced the Rocky Mount Event Center to close for most of 2020, it has recovered dramatically in the past 18 months.
“After being closed for nearly a year like many sports and entertainment venues across the country, we were able to bounce back strong,” said Ashley Pittman, the event center’s marketing manager. “When we reopened on Valentine’s weekend of 2021, we opened with 135 volleyball teams participating in the Washington Birthday Bash, and we kept going every weekend until mid-June.”
And even without the first six months of 2021, the event still generated nearly $8 million for the local economy and attracted almost 53,000 visitors to the area.
That trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down for this year, either.
“As of June 2022, we have hosted 19 major sporting tournaments this tournament season,” Pittman said. “Also, we have hosted three concerts and the N.C. Wesleyan University commencement this year.”
Through the first months of 2022, the 165,000-square-foot event center has brought in almost 52,000 people to the area and boosted the local economy by more than $9 million. Estimates say the 2022 total will reach 70,000 visitors and $12 million in economic stimulus by the end of the year, Pittman said.
The Rocky Mount Event Center, which opened in 2018, can accommodate nearly any sports group looking for a place to compete in Rocky Mount, including basketball, indoor soccer, indoor lacrosse, tumbling, cheerleading, pickleball, taekwondo/ karate, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics.
But the event center also can accommodate family reunions/gatherings, birthday parties, business meetings, church retreats, weddings, festivals, concerts, conferences, trade shows, consignment sales, vendor setups, weddings and large banquets.
“We have held an exciting number of tournaments since we reopened from COVID last year.” Pittman said. “Following a New Year’s Eve wedding in our ballroom, we then started 2022 on New Year’s Day with the Crown Town volleyball tournament.”
By the end of July, the event center will have hosted nine major volleyball tournaments, nine major basketball tournaments and one major cheerleading tournament. These are multi-day events and on average bring at least 2,000 spectators and hundreds of athletes to downtown Rocky Mount. These sports tourists travel from a wide range of states such as Washington, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Illinois, Florida, Georgia and New York, Pittman said.
In the past, the event center also hosted the Monster X Tour that brought in a monster truck show; the N.C. Agritourism statewide conference; and the N.C. Pilgrimage Conference, which is under the N.C. Conference of The United Methodist Church. This conference had been held in Fayetteville for more than 25 years before moving to Rocky Mount. This conference brought in more than 3,000 youth and their mentors for a three-day event and is scheduled to return for its 2022 conference in November.
“This year, we have hosted three concerts with more
23
to come in the next few months and more actively being booked for the remainder of this year and for 2023,” Pittman said. “We held our first sold out ticketed concert with The Kings of Southern Soul Show that was done by Nu Planet Entertainment.
“This show included live performances which included Calvin Richardson, Tucka, King George, Lenny Williams, Karen Wolfe, Pokey Bear, TK Soul and Bigg Robb.”
The concert brought in more than 3,000 people to Rocky Mount that filtered to the businesses in downtown. Some of these folks came from Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and across North Carolina, Pittman said.
In addition to a 75,000-square-foot event floor and 15,000-square-foot family entertainment center, the event center also features eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, seating for 4,000, four locker rooms, two banquet rooms, 10 breakout rooms, 300 parking spaces, inhouse catering, three concession stands, an aerial ropes course, 17 climbing walls, arcade games, four party rooms and a Twin County Hall of Fame display.
“We have had numerous organizations to use our Game Day Adventure and Arcade area for their team-building experience, such as Cummins, Edgecombe Early College, N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, N.C. Food Gathering Council Gathering, Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce’s Twin Counties Leadership Program and Teach for America, to name just a few.” Pittman said. “Different organizations put their own spin on the usage of our family entertainment center.
“Some use it for just team building, others use it for a social hour where the guests play games, do the climbing walls, corn hole and aerial ropes course.”
And these aren’t one and done events. In May, HER Entertainment brought in R&B artists for the Mother’s Day Festival. HER Entertainment is expected to return in September with a hip hop concert during the Down East Viking Football Classic weekend. And the group that performed during June’s FaithFest Rocky Mount is scheduled to come back next year.
“Last year in August, we hosted Bridge II Sports Valor Games Southeast 2021,” Pittman said. “This extraordinary event brought heroic disabled military veteran athletes from multiple states who participated in a fun and intense Wheelchair Basketball Tournament.
“We are proud to welcome this group of heroes back again this year (in August).”
Also in August, the center will host Reggae Fest 2022.
“The Rocky Mount Event Center is an incredible symbol of innovation and pride for our community and honestly for all eastern North Carolina,” Pittman said. “This venue is a state-of-the-art catalyst for tourism and economic development, as well as now being a proven tool for generating millions of dollars of economic impact.
“The Rocky Mount Event Center is a beautiful family friendly gathering space that contributes to our local economy, bringing thousands of visitors to our area who spend their money on our businesses, large and small, throughout the region.”
24
Able Home Health Care, LLC Able Home Health Care, LLC Able Home Health Care, LLC Options to help seniors Options to help seniors Options to help seniors stay in their homes stay in their homes stay in their homes
Adult care services, such as Able Home Health Care, employ professionals who make scheduled visits to help seniors with basic chores and laundry. They will also assist with minor medical needs, run errands and buy food at the grocery store. Performing these tasks allows elderly people to remain in their own homes.
There is no task too big or small. Adult care employees may help with personal hygiene and dressing. Not only will the elderly person receive help, he or she will also appreciate having company each day.
Assisted living is a fantastic option for seniors who need help with routine tasks, such as cooking and washing. It offers them a sense of independence, while helping them stay in their comfortable, familiar surroundings. Adult care services, such as Able Home Health Care, employ professionals who make scheduled visits to help seniors with basic chores and laundry. They will also assist with minor medical needs, run errands and buy food at the grocery store. Performing these tasks allows elderly people to remain in their own homes. There is no task too big or small. Adult care employees may help with personal hygiene and dressing. Not only will the elderly person receive help, he or might otherwise be unavailable. Receiving help from a trusted friend would brighten anyone’s day. The first step is to consult with the senior who is contemplating an assistance arrangement of any type. Making the decision on whether to stay in one’s home or move into a facility is always difficult. However, the range of options available should make it easier for seniors to enjoy being home for as long as possible.
she will also appreciate having company each day.
Assisted living is a fantastic option for seniors who need help with routine tasks, such as cooking and washing. It offers them a sense of independence, while helping them stay in their comfortable, familiar surroundings. Adult care services, such as might otherwise be unavailable. Receiving help from a trusted Able Home Health Care, em- friend would brighten anyone’s ploy professionals who make day.scheduled visits to help seniors The first step is to consult with with basic chores and laundry. the senior who is contemplating They will also assist with minor an assistance arrangement of medical needs, run errands and any type. buy food at the grocery store. Making the decision on Performing these tasks allows whether to stay in one’s home elderly people to remain in their or move into a facility is always own homes. difficult. However, the range of
There is no task too big or options available should make small. Adult care employees may it easier for seniors to enjoy help with personal hygiene and being home for as long as posdressing. Not only will the el- sible. derly person receive help, he or she will also appreciate having company each day. Oftentimes, nursing homes and other living facilities are clinical and impersonal. The aging process brings with it enough difficulties without the additional stress a radical change in lifestyle can bring. Remaining at home surrounded by beloved personal belongings can stave off depression, sadness and offer a sense of comfort. It provides a feeling of friendship and companionship that might otherwise be unavailable. Receiving help from a trusted friend would brighten anyone’s day. The first step is to consult with the senior who is contemplating an assistance arrangement of any type. Making the decision on whether to stay in one’s home or move into a facility is always difficult. However, the range of options available should make it easier for seniors to enjoy being home for as long as possible.
