Tennessee Theatre hits attendance milestone

The Historic Tennessee Theatre will welcome its 100,000th visitor of 2005 at the GAC Acoustic Sessions Nanci Griffith concert tonight, a record-breaking 10 months after re-opening from a $23.5 million renovation and restoration project. Although accurate attendance records do not exist for years prior to 2001, it is estimated that this is the first time in many decades that the theatre has reached the 100,000th visitor milestone within a calendar year.   In 2001 the theatre hosted 76 public events and 79,923 visitors. At its closing for renovations in June 2003, the theatre had 42,071 visitors in 43 public events for that calendar year.   Tonight’s concert by Griffith marks the 110th public event at the theatre for 2005.Since some events are not ticketed, it is not known precisely who will be the 100,000th visitor, although the milestone will be reached tonight given the number of tickets sold. The Tennessee Theatre will surprise a random ticket-holder at tonight’s concert with a special gift for being its 100,000th visitor of 2005.