ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC NOMINATES BOK CENTER FOR VENUE OF THE YEAR
(Tulsa, Okla.) May 17, 2018 – The awards keep piling up for BOK Center. The SMG-managed arena was nominated by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) for Venue of the Year – Large Capacity. BOK Center, which opened in 2008, has been nominated for the award seven times over the past ten years.
In order to be considered for Venue of the Year, the venue must have bought or promoted at least three country concerts during the prior calendar year of January 1 to December 31, 2017 and be in good standing with all agents. In 2017, BOK Center hosted seven country concerts including Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean.
The 2018 calendar year is already shaping up to be a blockbuster year for Country Music in Tulsa. In February, Blake Shelton kicked off his North American tour at BOK Center and Thomas Rhett, Willie Nelson, and Allison Krauss have all visited over the past two months. On June 1 and 2, nearly 40,000 fans will converge on Downtown Tulsa for “Strait Down Route 66,” a special sold-out weekend engagement featuring the legendary George Strait who will come out of retirement to play two special shows to help celebrate the venue’s tenth anniversary.
“We are honored to once again be nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Venue of the Year,” said SMG General Manager Jeff Nickler. “In today’s competitive environment where venues compete for every show that is booked, BOK Center’s continued success is a testament to the passion Tulsans have for country music. We couldn’t be more appreciative of the artists and promoters who continue to think of BOK Center as a must-play venue.”
Also nominated for Venue of the Year – Large Capacity are The Budweiser Stage (Toronto, ON), The Forum (Inglewood, CA), Hollywood Casino Amphitheater (Tinley Park, IL) and Shoreline Amphitheater (Mountain View, CA).
Venue of the year is an off-camera Industry Award and will be presented during the 12th Annual ACM Honors event on Wednesday, August 22 in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The Industry Awards honor the behind-the-scenes industry professionals and venues who contribute so much to the artistry, success and longevity of country music. The award is considered a part of the 53rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards and is voted on by the professional membership of the academy.