KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — With Knoxville just lately being ranked within the high 50 markets for live shows, performers and reserving brokers alike have taken discover. Tourism consultants say some leisure acts have booked performances years prematurely already.

Kim Bumpas with Visit Knoxville shared what might appear to be a sudden surge in live shows to the world is definitely the culminating work of these operating the venues, the reserving brokers, and ticket gross sales.

“When you put all of that together and then you land a big concert like a Paul McCartney you can show the promoters that from the different concertgoers that Knoxville’s the place to be,” mentioned Bumpas. “I think that puts you on a map and then the floodgates just start opening.”

Just like Paul McCartney put Thompson-Boling Arena on the map, Becky Hancock with the Tennessee Theatre says that’s what Hamilton has carried out for them.

“Biggest Broadway show that’s ever come to Knoxville, it was the longest run that we had ever done, so 2 weeks, a total of 16 performances, they all sold out,” Hancock mentioned.

Those headlining acts additionally imply cash within the pockets of native enterprise house owners, however they know the local weather can change rapidly.

“Lots of factors can have an impact on touring, like the pandemic, economic downturn, sometimes people will choose to curtail their spending,” Hancock added.

For now, they’ll benefit from the experience, including East Tennesseans have quite a bit to sit up for within the coming years.

“I can tell you there are acts looking at Knoxville, I’m not dropping names here today,” mentioned Bumpas, including that they’re reserving acts via 2026 already.

“From concerts, to how the Tennessee Theatre is looking at Broadway, to future sporting events,” she mentioned. “This is the last year for USA Cycling, but we have USA Diving in ’24, these are things that put us on the map.”