WMTH CORPORATION
P.O. Box 51153
Bowling Green, KY 42102
(270) 792-5300 "We Make Things Happen!"
HIGHLIGHTS and FULL REPORT
ROSINE BARN JAMBOREE
BANDS PLAY EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT YEAR-ROUND (EXCEPT THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS)
TWO NIGHTS SURVEYED IN 2003 FOUND ATTENDEES FROM OHIO, INDIANA, TENNESSEE, FLORIDA AND 27 KENTUCKY CITIES
OF THE 97 PEOPLE SURVEYED, OVER HALF COME TO THE ROSIN BARN JAMBOREE EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT
VISITORS TO ROSINE COUNTRY STORE IN DOWNTOWN ROSINE
OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, VISITORS WHO SIGNED THE GUESTBOOK CAME FROM CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, ENGLAND, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, IRELAND, GERMANY AND 42 DIFFERENT STATES.
IN 2002 ALONE, PEOPLE CAME FROM 35 STATES AND 3 COUNTRIES
JERUSALEM RIDGE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 2003
ATTENDEES SPENT ON AVERAGE $99 PER DAY DURING THE 4-DAY EVENT
$594,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE REGION
JERUSALEM RIDGE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 2004
43 STATES, 27 KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES AND 12 COUNTRIES WERE REPRESENTED AT THE 4-DAY EVENT IN 2004
ATTENDEES STAYED ON AVERAGE THREE DAYS AND FOUR NIGHTS IN THE AREA.
$640,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE REGION
ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE HOMETOWN OF THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS
Kentucky is known internationally for bluegrass music and for being the home of the 'Father of Bluegrass’ Bill Monroe who was born, raised, and buried in Rosine Kentucky. People travel from all over the world to visit this small community and the homeplace of Bill Monroe which is located on top of Jerusalem Ridge. Every Friday night throughout the year, bluegrass musicians perform at the Rosine Barn Jamboree in downtown Rosine and, more recently, a festival featuring over 40 top bluegrass bands is held on top of Jerusalem Ridge annually. What many in Kentucky don’t realize are the number of people currently visiting the site and the potential for additional visitors and greater economic impact if the bluegrass initiative was further developed.
WHO IS CURRENTLY VISITING THE AREA In 2003 the Team at WMTH Corporation tabulated results from surveys distributed at the West Kentucky Parkway Travel Center (Appendix F), two Friday nights at the Rosine Barn Jamboree (Appendix E), and the Rosine Country Store Guestbook which covered a period of five years (Appendix D) to determine who was visiting the small community of Rosine, hometown of Bill Monroe "Father of Bluegrass". The results were astounding! People came from 42 states and eight countries! In fact, visitors from as far away as Canada, Japan, Ireland, Switzerland, and Australia came multiple years. More in-depth surveys were then conducted of both the 2003 and 2004 Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Festivals, a 4-day event held annually at the Homeplace of Bill Monroe to determine the economic impact on the region.
In 2003, 274 of the estimated 3,000 attendees* at the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Festival completed a questionnaire (Appendix C-Survey/Results). The survey indicated that nearly 50% in attendance traveled over 200 miles to the event, spending on average $53 a day on gas, food and lodging within the community and an additional $46 at the event itself. This would equate to an average total of $99 spent per day x 3000 attendees* resulting in an economic impact on the region of conservatively $594,000 over the four-day period estimating a conservative multiplier of two. That is assuming that a visitor attended just one day of the event which, in itself, is a conservative assumption considering the distance most people traveled.
The following year, two surveys of the 2004 Jerusalem Ridge Festival were conducted; one by the Team at WMTH in partnership with Recreation 450 students at Western Kentucky University (Appendix B-Survey/Results), and one by the event organizers (Appendix A -Survey/Results). The first survey was conducted by WKU students during the event itself, asking individuals to complete a questionnaire while the student waited. The second survey was included on the bottom of the schedule that was handed out as people paid to get in. A third survey was conducted less formally by ticket takers at the front entrance to the event, asking each person purchasing a ticket where they were from which determined that there were 43 states, 27 KY communities, and 12 countries represented at the event. Having three surveys at the same event helped the validity of the survey instrument in confirming data. Results from the first two surveys are included in this document so one may compare the two and actually have the results of all of data collected.
One hundred and ninety-eight attendees of the estimated 4,000 attendees* at the 2004 event completed the WMTH questionnaire and one hundred and one responded to the organizer’s survey. Four countries (Holland, Ireland, Norway, Canada), and thirty-two states (including states as far away as Utah, Wyoming, Oregon, New York, Arizona and California) were represented in the two surveys. The WMTH survey determined that 46% stayed in a hotel, 18% spent at least one night at a campground, 26% at home and an additional 9% with friends/other.
The organizers’ survey had similar results. One hundred and one people completed their survey with over 50% staying in a motel and 25% of the remaining 50% staying in a campground. (Appendix I – Results).
Visitors spent $80 per day on food, lodging, gas and merchandise, staying an average of 3 days. If one applied these figures to the number of people in attendance, this would equate to 4,000 people x $80 per day x 2 (very conservative multiplier) = $640,000 economic impact on the community. If one only included those individuals staying in hotels, the total amount would still be well over $400,000.
Both surveys indicated that nearly 50% of those who attended heard about the event through television with 92% of them specifically mentioning RFD-TV.
*Estimated number provided by the event planners from ticket sales, etc.
HIGHLIGHTS AND A FEW COMMENTS FROM VISITORS DURING THE
2004 JERUSALEM RIDGE EVENT
Visitors from 43 states, 27 KY communities, and 12 countries descended on Jerusalem Ridge Sept-30-Oct-3 2004
50 + acts donated their talents for this monumental project
Motels and bed & breakfasts in Hartford, Beaver Dam, Morgantown, Central City, Leitchfield and Owensboro were at or near capacity for the event.
Significant increase in gate receipts from 2003
Comments from those who attended:
"I was in Heaven"- D. G., the Netherlands
"Now this is real bluegrass" A. F., New York
"This will be the biggest festival in the United States soon"- Bluegrass legend, Melvin Goins
"Thank you for an incredible weekend!" J. F. , Alabama
"Thank you all again for providing such a great service to people like us that enjoy the roots of great, traditional American music". S. C., Michigan
"I loved the music and the fellowship." D. K., Arizona
"I loved the traditional bluegrass and the natural setting." F. A., South Dakota
"We love everything!" B. H., Raphine, VA
"Love it all!…resist commercialization!" J. G., Eldridge, MO
"We love the BMF, traditional bluegrass music and more traditional bluegrass music!" B. C., Michigan
"Love the music and the friendly people!" F. H., Marquette, TX
"We drove 899 miles to get here and it was worth it! We watch (this project) on RFD TV every week." G. L. Moody Texas
"We love all the old-time, hard-driving bluegrass." D. J., Fredericktown, MO
"I loved every last little bit!" R. H. Dublin, Ireland
"Our favorite part was watching Campbell and all keep everything running like a well-oiled locomotive. Great job!" T. C. Illinois"They worked me to death for four days! But I got 240 dollars in tips in one day alone!" Beaver Dam waitress
"I even got to meet a man from Alaska who came in for the festival." Beaver Dam waitress
"The festival was so well organized." M. B., Colorado
"Thank you for making everything accessible for my boy friend and me. We will be bringing more people with us next year." Handicapped fans from WV- K. K.
OTHER INTERESTING FINDINGS AND A FEW GRAPHS FOR BETTER ILLUSTRATION OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE 2004 JERUSALEM RIDGE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL Graphs were developed by WKU Rec 450 students Michelle Caruso and Sheila Starr
Graph of where people were from who willed out the WMTH questionnaire.
A combined review of those who filled out one or both surveys indicated people came from 32 states and four countries (Holland, Ireland, Norway, Canada). A third survey indicated 43 states and 12 countries were represented at the event.
Average age of the attendee was between 43 and 65.
Most came as couples with 47% males and 44% females with another 9% specifically
noting that they were a couple.
Over 50% stayed at a hotel or camped.
The majority heard about the event from TV with over 92% of them specifically indicating
they heard about it on RFD-TV.
As indicated here, the music, tradition and the fact that this is the Father of Bluegrass's home
is what keeps people coming back.
A complete report is also available in PDF format, click here.
WMTH CORPORATION PO BOX 51153 BOWLING GREEN, KY 42102 PHONE (270) 792-5300 FAX 721-0004
