Bulldog Bash, an iconic music festival traditionally set in the Cotton District, is moving to Mississippi State University’s amphitheater because of logistical issues with local development and business owners, the university’s student government association announced Friday.
The decision was made due to the fall event’s growth, “new property development of our previous location and other surrounding businesses not allowing area use,” a MSU Student Association release reads.
Specifically, MSUSA President Roxanne Raven said the student group wants to utilize a larger stage and attract a high-profile band.
Agreements to use Cotton District space for VIP areas and backstage staging grounds fell through because of development, she said, and alternate sites on Russell Street and the downtown corridor could not accommodate a larger stage and other logistical demands.
The venue change, she said, could be a one-year change, as future MSUSA administrations are expected to again consider the Cotton District.
MSUSA chose the amphitheater because of its history of hosting outdoor events and the ability to support the concert, she said.
“We had to make the decision between going after the biggest artist we can have and amping up the atmosphere or downsizing. We were out there with measuring tape and experts for days trying to find the perfect location. If there was a way to make it work (in the Cotton District), I would have made it work,” Raven said.
MSUSA has not yet ruled out utilizing downtown or the Cotton District as a venue for Bulldog Bash’s smaller events, she said.
“Nothing is set in stone just yet. We’ve even looked at running a free shuttle system (between downtown, the Cotton District and campus),” Raven said. “It’s a whole day worth of events. We’re having a lot of conversations, looking at options and trying to engage Starkville in a day-long way.
“We just want people to have an open mind,” she added. “It might not be the perfect situation that people were expecting to have, but (moving Bulldog Bash on campus) is not going to dampen the event for anyone. I think it will be bigger and better than it has ever been.”
MSUSA has not yet unveiled Bulldog Bash’s event or musical lineup.
City leaders respond
Moving the annual event from its traditional venue — the intersection of University Drive and Maxwell Street — outside the city limits and away from businesses could impact 2 percent food and beverage tax revenues.
Many Cotton District bars and restaurants keep their doors open to accommodate the 30,000 people flooding the area. Food and drink purchases incur an additional 2 percent tax on top of the 7 percent sales tax, and that additional levy helps fund MSU student activities, including Bulldog Bash. Outlying Oktibbeha County, where MSU is located, is a dry county, and alcohol sales are not permitted on campus.
Last year, aldermen alloted MSUSA $390,000 from its 2-percent budget sales tax budget. Approximately $145,000 went toward funding Bulldog Bash, while another $150,000 supported Music Makers Production, the student group that procures bands for campus festivals and other performances.
The remainder of the funding supported the Old Main Music Festival, Cowbell Cabs and the Lyceum Series.
State law enacting Starkville’s 2 percent food and beverage tax prevents the city from specifically setting budgets for the entities — MSUSA, Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, Starkville Visitors and Convention Bureau, Starkville Parks and Recreation Department and others — it funds. Those organizations simply submit a fiscal year budget, and aldermen can either approve it or delay action.
Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker said moving Bulldog Bash could lower the event’s ability to draw attendance, which in turn would lower its stature and hurt tourism initiatives.
He said he’s hopeful the business community will consider hosting its own festival if the off-campus move becomes permanent to “ensure what is typically one of the largest revenue-generating weekends of the year doesn’t become a total loss.”
“This decision, coupled with one less home football game this year, will certainly impact the city’s 2 percent revenue and, therefore, the amount of money MSU receives from the city,” Walker said. “Bulldog Bash generates revenue for local businesses, strengthens the economy and, just as importantly, serves as a great recruitment tool for the university. I believe it will not be as successful if it is held on campus.”
Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard said he’s hopeful the city, its business leaders and the student group can found a joint committee to work through future logistical issues.
If students want to abandon the traditional Cotton District venue, Maynard said they should consider the Russell Street corridor. After construction projects and an overall street redesign conclude, it could be an attractive location, he said, that provides quick access to the Cotton District’s restaurants and bars.
Maynard also echoed Walker’s concerns about how the move could hurt turnout.
“Bulldog Bash was moved off campus for a reason — to be a joint effort between the city and the university,” Maynard said. “I don’t think it’s going to get the attendance on campus that it gets off just because of the nature of what it is. When you’re down in the Cotton District, everyone is having a good time. The best thing to do is get all the players back to the table.”
Business owners worry
Brian Kelley, a partner with Eat Local Starkville, said taking Bulldog Bash crowds away from his Bin 612 restaurant could wipe away the business’ best revenue-producing day.
“It’s something we count on year in and year out,” he said. “Bulldog Bash … factors into the overall quality of life that we experience in our community. It is typically featured by the host television station of the SEC game that weekend and helps tell the story to the nation that Starkville really is a cool place to live. It is these other factors involved that cause the most disappointment.”
Bulldog Bash was created in 1999, tying the city and university together during football season. It initially drew 2,000 attendees but now exceeds 30,000 participants.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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