Miss Tennessee Pageant Promotes Jackson
JACKSON, Tenn.- Pageant week for the Miss Tennessee Scholarship crown is underway marking the 61st year the pageant has been held in Jackson. City officials said this year’s festivities are expected to bring in more than $1 million dollars to the City of Jackson. “The economic impact is well over a million dollars. It was over a million dollars 5 years ago, so we feel like it’s increased 30 percent,” said Jimmy Exum, chairman of Jackson’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. Exum told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News that practically every area hotel is booked, restaurants are full with thousands of spectators who have traveled across the state and country for the big show at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. “I would say over the course of the week in the building itself we’ll see 8,000 people,” said Exum. “(Sunday) we had people come from Missouri, and Illinois so you know it’s just a chance for us to show what’s really happening in Jackson and how hard we are all working in the city. This year the pageant is expected to rake in and estimated $1.2 to $1.7 million dollars as out of town guests shop, eat out and buy gas in the city. “When we booked the room in March, it was the last room they had for this week, they booked the whole hotel out,” said guest John Potter. “It’s overwhelming. Yes, it’s very overwhelming the first time we came it was a lot more than I was expecting it to be.” Pageant organizers said it takes more than 300 volunteers to make the festivities possible in the Hub City each year. The Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant is nationally recognized as a leading pageant across the country. The competition in Jackson is also the only pageant in the Miss America System that has a full orchestra. “The Carl Perkins Center was almost full when we were down there and we enjoy it it’s like a vacation for us really,” said Potter. There are 36 contestants competing this week for a chance to be the next Miss America. Some fans said they anticipate this competition all year round. The preliminary competitions begin at the Carl Perkins Civic Center Wednesday at 8 p.m. The next Miss Tennessee will be crowned Saturday night.
