Downtown Nashville Honky-Tonk Owners Form Broadway Entertainment Association

(Photo: Mike Skalny/Shutterstock.com)

A group of owners of 13 downtown NASHVILLE honky-tonks, as well as the RYMAN AUDITORIUM, have come together to form the BROADWAY ENTERTAINMENT ASSOCIATION. The group's goals are promoting the culture of the city's lower BROADWAY district through advocacy and education, and supporting "governing policies that are good for their businesses, which lure more than 12 million people" each year, according to THE TENNESSEAN, which broke the story.

Members include the owners of BLAKE SHELTON'S OLE RED, THE STAGE, WILDHORSE SALOON, JOHNNY CASH'S BAR & BBQ, LEGEND'S CORNER and more. The group plans to elect a five-member board to govern the organization, with board members required to own a brick and mortar establishment on BROADWAY with a liquor license.

A spokesperson for the group, ROB MORTENSEN, told THE TENNESSEAN, "Our voice is not being heard. The downtown folks have really gotten a bad rap. But BROADWAY is the heart and soul of NASHVILLE." He added, "BROADWAY has created a lot of success and a lot of careers. It's who we are. There are challenges, but we are growing up. We've got to figure out how to deal with all the growing pains. But just because we have pains, doesn't make it all bad."

He also told the newspaper that the group plans to use marketing campaigns and outreach to political representatives, to highlight "the stories of the many bartenders, musicians and businesses that line BROADWAY."

Read more here.

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