River Jam still on for Oct.

♦ The plan “will be the prototype” for concerts in the COVID-19 era, a promoter says.

Promoters of the annual River Jam country concert in Rome are moving forward with ambitious plans for an October event at Coosa Valley Fairgrounds.

Jay Shell, the local partner, told city officials that the concert was originally scheduled for mid-month but got moved up to Oct. 9-10 after the Southeastern Conference scheduled the Georgiaalabama football game on the 17th.

Peachtree Entertainment plans to announce the entertainment line-up on Sept. 1 and tickets are expected to go on sale Sept. 3.

Shell said that when it became obvious COVID-19 wasn’t going away, the promoters starting looking for ways to be able to conduct the event. They spent most of the summer developing a plan that could make it happen.

“This will be the prototype for concerts for the foreseeable future,” Shell said. “There are a lot of people involved

— from the artists to the management teams to Peachtree Entertainment.”

The promoters will limit the crowd to approximately 25% of capacity at the fairgrounds, about 4,800 tickets. The spectators will be seated in pods of six people. Each pod will be fenced, and they’ll be separated from adjacent groups by an 8-foot aisle to maintain a safe physical distance.

All participants will be required to wear face coverings and, if they aren’t wearing one when they show up at the entrance, will be issued one.

Shell said sponsors have already expressed interest in having their logo or names on face coverings.

Contactless temperature checks will be conducted at each of the entry points.

“Safety is first and foremost above everything else,” Shell said.

When country music fans order their tickets, they will be given a specific time for entry to the fairgrounds. All tickets will be purchased online, with no tickets sold on the days of the event.

Concert goers will have the opportunity to preorder concessions, which will be delivered in a coolerlike container to each pod. Those who do not preorder, including their beer, will be able to purchase items from vendors.

They’ll be going up and down the aisles in golf carts or on foot, similar to vendors at sporting events.

“There won’t be any concession lines,” Shell said.

Security squads will be around to make sure that guests in each pod are of legal age to consume beer ordered in advance.

Shell said a professional security team has been contracted to mingle around the venue to make sure physical distancing is adhered

to of that geted security He Restroom the throughout the told close event. promoters alone. commissioners to areas $70,000 both have will nights bud- for be assigned Northwest Public to Health specific Georgia Director pods. District Dr. that Gary he discussed Voccio confirmed Rome River Jam 2020 Covid-safety plans with the promoter and city officials.

He noted that — even though the concert is outdoors and considerable safety measures will be taken — the event is still considered risky.

“I have no doubts that we can safely pull this off,”

Shell said.

Contributed A drawing shows how Rome River Jam 2020 guests might be socially distanced to allow the Oct. 9-10 concert to go on at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds.

Contributed A series of physically distanced and fenced pods would be set up at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds to allow the Rome River Jam 2020 to become a prototype for safe concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aisles between the pods will be 8 feet wide. Only 4,800 tickets would be sold.

Contributed An artist’s rendering of what a pod for Rome River Jam 2020 might look like. The two-night concert is planned for Oct. 9-10 at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds. Featured entertainers are expected to be announced Sept. 1.