Hub City strongly holds onto Miss Tennessee pageant location
[gtxvideo vid=”LvQOnhJp” playlist=”” pid=”OTSe9U1y” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/LvQOnhJp.jpg” vtitle=”MS TN Location PKG”]
JACKSON, Tenn. — The Hub City is the home of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Program and has been for 63 years. “We’ve proven to the Miss America program that Jackson is the only place that it can be and operate like it does successfully,” said Tom Hensley, chairman of the board of directors. The pageant originated in Jackson, and it pools the community together to support the event. Hensley said it is the people of Jackson that help the pageant thrive. “They’re the reason we’re still here in Jackson,” he said. The Lions and Rotary clubs hosted the kickoff luncheon Monday for the pageant contestants. Ray Washington, the president of the Old Hickory Rotary Club, said it is important to keep the civic clubs involved. “Initially we host this luncheon today for all the young ladies,” Washington said. “They get to introduce themselves to business leaders and civic leaders that are members of our club. In turn, those persons who own businesses and other organizations buy tickets.” Jimmy Exum, the president and producer of the Pageant Association, says it is a huge economical boost for the region. “We have people come in from all over the state, even have some people from out of state come in,” he said. The pageant brings in several million dollars to the city each year. “The tourism and the revenue that it creates, it also gives us a stage to talk about Jackson across the state,” Exum said. Exum also said Jackson ranks in the top ten for the Miss America franchises, securing its location here in the Hub City. Gov. Bill Haslam will be in Jackson Wednesday and will attend the Miss Tennessee pageant. A new Miss Tennessee will be crowned Saturday night at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
