The Rocky Mount Event Center Wraps Up a Successful Year

ConventionSouth 2022 Readers’ Choice Award winner, the Rocky Mount Event Center, is wrapping up a hectic year. Between hosting various social events, weddings, receptions, corporate meetings, sports tournaments, team building, birthday parties, and concerts, the state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue welcomed 77,011 guests that patronized retail businesses, restaurants, and hotels within the Rocky Mount community. The 165,000 sq. ft. facility started the year with the Carolina Kick-Off Volleyball Tournament, drawing over 1,600 guests and more than 60 teams from all over the state of North Carolina. Events have remained consistent throughout the year, with an economic impact of $14,956,388 for 2022, an astounding increase from 2021’s economic impact of $9,001,384.

The Event Center accommodated various corporate meetings, weddings, and banquets in both banquet rooms, Nash and Edgecombe, as well as its field house. Notable events include the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation Fall Convening, North Carolina Museums Council, NC Agritourism Networking Association Annual Conference, Edgecombe County Public Schools Convocation. The most significant return for the facility and Rocky Mount was hosting the NCC Pilgrimage 2022 Conference. This three-day conference was first held at the Event Center in 2021 and returned for 2022, bringing in over 3000 attendees.

Amid hosting 21 sporting events and 233 catering events simultaneously with local programming, the Rocky Mount Event Center also held multiple events geared toward celebrating the facility with the local community. “We are proud to have welcomed over 50,000 residents and visitors to the Rocky Mount Event Center that have also patronized our restaurants, local attractions, shops, and hotels,” says Barbara Green, Executive Director of the Nash County Travel and Tourism, Explore Nash County.

The Kings of Southern Soul, produced by Nu Planet Entertainment, was Rocky Mount’s first-ever sold-out concert. The event brought in over 3,500 guests and various Southern Soul artists such as Tucka, Calvin Richardson, Lenny Williams, King George. Downtown Rocky Mount business D Chill Spot returned with the Reggae Fest, which brought international reggae artist Beres Hammond. HER Entertainment brought in two shows, a Mother’s Day concert with R&B artists Case, Silk, and Tank, as well as a hip-hop concert on Downeast Viking Classic weekend with Jeezy and Plies. FaithFest Rocky Mount was held at the Downtown venue for the first time, featuring Christian artists Tasha Layton, Rhette Walker, and Jason Crabb.

A big community event for the complex was the annual Spooktacular Oktoberfest, which provided free activities to the community such as bounce houses, hayrides, face painting, a nerf war zone, music, basketball, volleyball, and cornhole. Local businesses such as Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Tractor Supply Co., First Carolina Bank, OIC Specialty Clinic, the Rocky Mount Fire Department, and Dodge City all contributed to the event by either donating giveaways or distributing candy to the children. The 2,000 attendees were also able to experience the in-house family entertainment center Game Day, which includes 17 themed climbing walls, an aerial ropes course, arcade games, and a soft play area/ Ballocity.

Game Day was also utilized for the all-day summer camps, partnered with the City of Rocky Mount Parks and Rec. Athletics Division consisted of a one-week basketball camp and a one-week volleyball camp. Youth from the local area learned basketball techniques from North Carolina Wesleyan University players and the Assistant Coach, Justin Griffith, and those who attended the volleyball camp learned techniques from Wilson Elite Volleyball Club players and one of the coaches, Tabitha Wilcox.

There is much more to be expected from the Downtown state-of-the-art multi-use facility. The complex is heading full speed into 2023 with a volleyball tournament on the first weekend of January. Tournaments are on the schedule every weekend until the end of June, leaving a single opening for the second annual Kings of Southern Soul. Various corporate meetings, weddings, conferences, and many other social events are filling up the calendar of the Rocky Mount Event Center. To see a full list of upcoming events, visit www.rockymountevents.com/upcoming-events.

Rocky Mount Event Center Inquiries:

• To book a sports tournament at the Rocky Mount Event Center, please contact rmeceventsales@sportsfacilities.com
• To book social and group events at Rocky Mount Event Center, please contact our Catering & Sales Department at rmeccatering@sportsfacilities.com

Rocky Mount Event Center opened October 2018 and is managed by the industry-leading sport facility management firm, The Sports Facilities Companies.

About Rocky Mount Event Center

Rocky Mount Event Center is the premier event destination in the city and in the region. From sporting events to corporate meetings, the 165,000 square-foot Rocky Mount Event Center has space, functionality, and guest services to create memorable events for local residents and national rights holders. Rocky Mount Event Center is at the center of it all. For more information and to book your next event, visit: rockymountevents.com. Rocky Mount Event Center is a member of the SFM Network, the nation’s largest and fastest-growing network of sports facilities and is operated by the industry-leader in outsourced operations, Sports Facilities Management.