Six days after Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley announced a “non-stop concert” to commemorate the beginning of direct flights between Miami and Beef Island, he said in a live statement on Friday that the government had changed the concert venue after taking community feedback into account.
“We want to ensure our hard-earned tax money is spent well. Therefore, we have made an important shift,” he said in a video posted to Facebook. “The non-stop concert will now be held at the festival grounds, and this will be the first event to kick off the festival season.”
According to the premier, the stage for the concert will remain up after the event, allowing for more pre-festival activities and cost savings.
Though many residents have criticised the projected $250,000 expenditure for the concert, he said the event is about “building our tourism product and building our economy.”
He also called the concert a “well-intentioned effort to promote” the first non-stop direct flights between here and Miami.
The line-up features Jamaican dancehall artist Konshens; St. Thomas duo Rock City; and VI performers Monea and VIBE.
Dr. Wheatley previously said that event would be one of many planned this year to boost entertainment tourism in the VI.