Photo credit: Justin Higuchi
Your blazing summer is about to get even hotter as country music star Jana Kramer is set to headline the first leg of the Free Summer Concert Series at Hollywood Gaming, Dayton Raceway’s famous racino. 101.5 Hank FM believes that there’s a good chance that the concert will pull in quite the crowd. Kramer is not just any country singer; in 2013, she received the Academy of Country Music’s New Female Artist Award, and in 2016, she was nominated for the award for Female Vocalist of the Year. The former One Tree Hill and Dancing With the Stars regular has certainly come a long way.
This news is followed by Kramer’s recent reconciliation with former NFL player Mike Caussin. E News writes that the on-and-off couple recently sat down for the Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast to discuss their reconciliation in public for the first time ever. As Caussin explains, “I don’t want to lose her. I don’t want to lose Jana. I don’t want to lose our family. I don’t want to lose what we’re trying to build.” So, as far as her personal life is concerned, Kramer will be in high spirits prior to her coming performance at Hollywood Gaming this May.
Ohio’s thriving concert scene will mean there will be plenty of music fans looking forward to the series of concerts. Apart from Jana Kramer, they already have plenty of other big name acts in line for their ongoing Free Summer Concert Series. The list includes the rock band Fuel, who’s currently celebrating the 20th anniversary release of their debut album Sunburn. Legendary 70s blues-rock outfit Foghat will also be playing at the venue very soon. And if you’re into funk, you’ll be pleased to know that George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic is also set to headline one of Hollywood Gaming’s upcoming free concerts.
It should come as no surprise that Hollywood Gaming is offering big-name performances for free to the public; it’s one of the simplest ways for a racino to diversify its audience. Whether or not concert-goers are into racing or casino gaming, the free concerts are a good way to spread the word about the venue. It’s actually a strategy that’s not unheard of – following their recent drop in gaming revenues and tourist numbers.
Even Las Vegas aka the Entertainment Capital of the World is now showcasing a much more varied array of entertainment. In an article by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the city will soon open The MSG Sphere, a 360-foot tall and 500-foot wide spherical building which will primarily be used for musical performances. Thanks to a technique called “beamforming,” the thousands of tiny speakers that will be embedded in the building’s wall can be used to direct sound and music with the utmost precision, ensuring sound clarity at any location inside the venue. Vegas is already known for having some of the top stages and attractions in the world. PartyPoker lists 10 attractions in Vegas that, like the free concerts at the Dayton Raceway, are designed to appeal to visitors who want more than just to roll into a casino and play at a table until the early hours of the morning. In today’s digital world, America’s casinos are relying on good old fashioned entertainment to bring back the crowds. Because at the end of the day, people just want to be entertained with something unique.
If this casino/racino trend continues, we can expect more big names to follow in Jana Kramer’s musical footsteps in the coming months.
