Riverfest group makes pitch to Gadsden Council

The nonprofit RiverFest Community and Economic Development Corp. made their pitch Tuesday to the Gadsden city council during the councils work session.  The group wants to use the RiverFest name to host the festival in 2015. The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County, which had hosted the event, ended its association following the 2014 edition, saying it had lost money the last two years and the festival no longer fit into the organization’s mission.

The council in October voted to accept the rights to the RiverFest name. The nonprofit group approached the council a month earlier, asking to be allowed to use the name for one year, and for the city to continue to offer security through the police department and other assistance through the public works and parks and recreation departments.

According to a study, done by Phillip Mixon, associate chairman of Troy University’s economics department, the festival’s impact on Gadsden was the equivalent of 50 full-time jobs.

Council members received copies of the study, which said based on 28,000 people attending the festival, non-ticket expenditures totaled $2.7 million and the local government revenue was $206,366. It said the average amount spent per person was about $87, not including tickets.

The nonprofit group told the council it needs a decision soon so it can begin making plans for a festival in 2015