Started in 2023, the then three-day festival drew about 80,000 but this year saw that climb to a total festival attendance of more than 100,000 music fans, said officials.
“It’s a great event for the community and really shines a light on West Chester,” said Township Administrator Larry Burks. “It also requires a great deal of planning on the part of our entire team, including Community Services, Communication and Administration, but especially public safety services.”
Officials acknowledge the economic impact of the festival on West Chester Twp. and surrounding Butler and Warren county communities is substantial, but measuring the financial boost is problematic given the sponsorship and involvement of private companies not required to make public such information.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The Voices of America Country Music Festival is owned by Further Festivals LLC, a for-profit business owned by Tyler Wogenstahl, said township officials.
“In order to make the event happen at Voice of America (VOA), formal agreements are made between Further Festivals LLC and MetroParks of Butler County, The National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting and West Chester Township. The VOA property is complicated in that there is more than a single owner of the property required to host an event of this scale,” said officials.
“As a township, West Chester collects no sales tax and it is difficult to measure the added business that comes into the community as a result of the festival. Some local businesses have contracts with Further Festivals LLC for services and there are food vendors and such who clearly profit from the event.”
West Chester benefits from a hotel tax, but again difficult to determine the reasons people are staying in our hotels any given weekend. The festival coincided with the Cincinnati Tennis Open in Warren County’s city of Mason, which is nearby and also brings in considerable tourism, said officials.
Other Butler County communities also provided aid during the festival, which will return at the same location in 2025.
Supporting agencies included: Monroe, Trenton, Hamilton, Miami University, Butler County MetroParks, Cincinnati and Dayton police departments; Hamilton and Butler County sheriff’s offices; Ohio State Highway Patrol; Miami University; Liberty Twp. and Middletown fire departments, Butler County Emergency Services Unit and Butler County Emergency Management Agency.
West Chester officials said the cost for public safety services during the event was estimated at about $267,000.00, but added this does not include planning time, nor command staff salary personnel working the event.
The estimate does include a contingency for unanticipated needs. By contract, Further Festivals LLC is responsible to pay $200,000.00 of this cost. The remainder (up to $75,000.00) is paid from West Chester Police and Fire funds, said township officials.
Over the course of the four days, initial reports indicate police managed a vehicle crash on the site, arrested two people and supported private security in the ejection of 30 people from the event.
“The presence of law enforcement is critical to de-escalate circumstances in most cases. Our goal is to not arrest unless necessary,” said West Chester Interim Police Chief Brian Rebholz.
“Officers interacted with people throughout the weekend and in some cases security teams ejected individuals who posed concerns.”
Medics at the festival responded to everything from chest pain to traumatic injury, trouble breathing and altered mental status. In all, 65 patient contacts were made with 14 transports to hospitals, said Rebholz.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
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