Saturday night in Tiger Stadium could imply more than football soon. Quint Davis, producer of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and other New Orleans festivals, wants to hold a country music festival in Tiger Stadium on Memorial weekend 2010 and wants the City of Baton Rouge to contribute $300,000. Mike Futrell, Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish chief administrative officer, said Mayor-President Kip Holden and the city support the festival and will bring the idea before the Metro Council next Wednesday for approval.”We were approached by the producers of the festival and asked to sponsor this event,” he said. “After some analysis, we decided to bring it before the council.” The event would be called the Super Bayou Country Fest, and would take place May 29-30, Futrell said. “This is held during a time when Baton Rouge needs business most,” said Paul Arrigo, president and CEO of Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Most hotels are available, and many people tend to leave the city. This might lure folks to stay here and invite family and friends to enjoy the festival and community.”Arrigo said negotiations between organizations and the metro council are not unusual — the city invested almost the same amount of money for the 2005 Miss Teen USA pageant.Futrell said if accepted, the festival will cost $6 million, with the City contributing $300,000 from a 2008 budget surplus. He said the anticipated economic return for the city is $22 million.”This is an economic development for Baton Rouge,” he said. “That’s a pretty good return on our investment.”Arrigo said if the city invests in the festival, the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will match the City’s $300,000 if the BRACVB board votes in favor.Athletic Director Joe Alleva said Tiger Stadium has never held an event like this before, but he thinks the festival is good for the city and the University. He said the stadium would be an ideal venue because of the ample seating and parking.Alleva said he anticipates having one big stage at the south end of the field with seats and concession stands on the ground level, in addition to the stadium seats and concession stands. He said the field would be protected with a floor-like covering.Alleva said the chance for a permanent event depends on the success of the festival.”Attendance and success will depend on the talent of the artists we bring in,” he said.  “This has a chance to be a huge success for Baton Rouge and the University.”Money for the event will go to the Athletic Department because this is an official Athletic Department event, Alleva said.Johnny Palazzotto, Baton Rouge concert producer, hosted the Juke in the Box music festival in 1984 at the old Alex Box Stadium. He said a country music festival has a great chance for success in Baton Rouge, but he doesn’t believe Tiger Stadium is the place for it. “When has there been a festival in a football stadium?” he said. “They are comparing this to Jazz Fest; having a festival in a football stadium is not the same as Jazz Fest.”Palazzotto said there is a strong market for country music in Baton Rouge, with Garth Brooks selling out concerts at the PMAC in the early ’90s. However, he said excessive heat could be a problem for festival-goers if the event is held in Tiger Stadium. “Heat could be a factor,” Alleva said. “If it’s 98 degrees like it has been lately, it would be tough, but hopefully temperature won’t be a factor.”Stephan Hardy, computer engineering senior, said Tiger Stadium is a good place for a festival because of its convenient location, but he doesn’t think he would attend unless there were big-named performers. “I’m not a big country music fan,” he said. “But if there were some big stars and I had nothing better to do, I’d go.”Hardy said he thinks the festival could be successful because of country music’s popularity in Baton Rouge. “Being a foreign student, I would definitely attend something like this because of the cultural experience,” said June No, food science senior. No said he thinks Tiger Stadium would be a good festival site because of its capacity for spectators. “We hope this is an annual event that will grow every year,” Futrell said. “It will be different than Jazz Fest, but we hope it will be as successful and well known across the country as a signature event for Louisiana.”—-Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]