CMC Rocks Heads To Queensland

Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, Chugg Entertainment and Foxtel’s Country Music Channel said Aug. 18 that the new site, at Willowbank Raceway in Ipswich, offered direct bus and train services and proximity to two international airports in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

With four major cities nearby, fans have more choice in accommodation. Promoters noted Hunter hotels bumped up prices by 100 percent in recent years.

The rebranded CMC Rocks QLD will stage March 13-15, with Lady Antebellum and Australia’s Troy Cassar-Daley to headline.

During the Hunter days, CMC Rocks pulled crowds between 6,000 to 11,000 with appearances by Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill and Big & Rich. It is expected the Queensland site could see attendances rise in future years to 15,000.

The move is seen as a boon for tourism in Queensland, as 35 percent of attendees came from interstate or outside Australia. “The event will provide a great opportunity to showcase the greater Brisbane region to the important U.S. visitor market,” confirmed Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Jann Stuckey.

A partnership has been struck with Storme Warren, host of Headline Country, which reaches 62 million U.S. households.