Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies, and the real answers:
Question: Billy Strings, the bluegrass musician, just finished two weekends of sold-out concerts here in Asheville at our old but comfortable Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville (the Civic Center to us oldies). Downtown felt like the special weird Asheville that has been missing for a while. Can you use your “sources” to find out what the economic impact of these past two weeks of events were? Seems to me that it was pretty beneficial.
My answer: Coincidentally, “old but comfortable” is how my wife describes me to friends.
Real answer: Strings and his band played sold-out shows from Feb. 6-8, and Feb. 14-16.
Chris Corl, general manager of the Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville, said staff does feel events they put together do help to drive business in the community, “specifically hitting one of our annual targets of driving business during more of the ‘offseason.’”
“This year’s six-show run with Billy Strings in the ExploreAsheville.com Arena was part of a major push at the start of February,” Corl said. “Between Feb. 2 and 16, we hosted twelve events with a total attendance of 46,581. The six shows with Billy Strings were responsible for the majority, with an attendance totaling 38,174.”
Corl checked ticket sales data, finding that concert-goers came from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and five countries – 121 tickets were sold to fans from Great Britain.
“Fun fact: I bumped into an old friend from my time in high school who flew in with her family from Portland, Oregon, just to catch the second weekend of shows,” Corl said.
Corl also noted that Strings and his team did a “locals-only” pre-sale.
“These shows were supposed to go on sale to the public on Oct. 11, but this was delayed due to Hurricane Helene,” Corl said. “When we did go on sale at the beginning of November, Billy’s team allowed us to utilize a geo-focused ticket pre-sale here at the box office and online with Zip code tracking, allowing only individuals in the FEMA-recognized affected counties early access to tickets.”
Those counties included those in western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.
Corl consulted with Explore Asheville (the convention and visitors bureau) and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority on the economic impact.
Corl said “direct spending generated in the Asheville area by the Billy Strings concerts is estimated at $15.7 million, including $6.3 million in lodging revenue and $3.5 million in food and beverage sales. Other categories comprising the remainder include transportation, retail sales, recreation, space rental and business services.”
“From the venue side, a quick tally shows that we paid local nonprofit groups $61,519 for their assistance in our bars and concession stands,” Corl said. “Our in-house food and beverage staff received $44,720 in tips from the attendees, and we paid out $250,117 in direct wages for staff working the event. The latter value does not include our salaried full-time staff helping to execute the event.”
Corl said the center is already working with Strings’s team on a return run for next year, “with hopes of finding a way to further create a significant impact in Asheville and Buncombe County.”
Corl also offered a reminder that the Ingles Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be held March 6-10 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville.
A pickup truck is partially submerged in the Swannanoa River nearly five months after Tropical Storm Helene. // Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego
Question: Driving along Thompson Street along the Swannanoa River bank from Biltmore Avenue to where Brother Wolf is, there are still, after five months, submerged vans, cars and trucks in the river. It looks like a graveyard. What is going on? Are there still corpses in those vehicles?
My answer: I’m no expert on search, rescue, and recovery, but I’m pretty sure they check these vehicles real soon after a disaster.
Real answer: The vehicles were indeed searched soon after Tropical Storm Helene hit on Sept. 27.
“In September 2024 and October 2024, search and rescue teams searched and documented 987 vehicles and vessels impacted by the storm within city limits,” city of Asheville spokesperson Kim Miller told me via email. “This included titled property such as vehicles, boats, campers, and trailers.”
Search and rescue teams searched all of the vehicles that ended up in local rivers in the days and weeks after Sept. 27. This vehicle in Fairview was marked with an X to indicate it had been searched. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
Miller said non-titled property, such as shipping containers, will be taken to Enka Commerce Park for processing.
“City staff reevaluated the number of impacted vehicles still located in rights-of-way or waterways, and the number was reduced to 80 located in the waterway,” Miller said. “Contractors will retrieve and document the remaining vehicles and vessels. These vehicles will be transported to contracted towing facilities or a central holding location, and a formal notification process will be carried out in compliance with legal requirements.”
The city and Buncombe County are working on vehicle removals with FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state, and debris removal contractors.
Since the waterway operation began Feb. 1, Miller said, the Army Corps of Engineers and the debris removal contractor have continued to ramp up crews.
“They are currently focused on the Swannanoa River in east Asheville and sections of the French Broad River,” Miller said. “As they complete sections, they will move to other waterway sections.”
As we reported earlier this month, the Army Corps said all Buncombe County river debris cleanups should be finished by June 1, private property debris removal by June 30, and right-of-way debris removal by April 1. The Army Corps said then it had 10 crews working and expected to add another 20 to 25 this month.
“Finding staging areas and safe access points for the heavy equipment needed for this task impacts the speed of the operations,” Miller said. “So does the weather, as rain creates unsuitable conditions in our already compromised waterways.”
Update on the Western North Carolina Nature Center: In a January Answer Man column, I noted that the WNC Nature Center — and most importantly, its animals — survived Helene without major damage or injuries.
Cougars Noa and Hayla are two of the animals at the WNC Nature Center. All of the animals at the center survived Tropical Storm Helene. // Photo provided by WNC Nature Center
The Nature Center announced Monday that it will reopen to the public March 17,
five and a half months after closing because Helene caused significant flooding that destroyed roads and the main bridge to the Nature Center.
The Nature Center will open a week earlier for Friends of the WNC Nature Center members from March 10 to March 16. You can buy or renew memberships online at www.wildwnc.org/membership or at the membership office and still be able to take advantage of members-only week.
No admission tickets will be sold during this members-only week.
“After witnessing the devastation caused by the flooding of the Swannanoa River, we
thought it would be at least a year until we could safely reopen,” Nature Center
Director Chris Gentile said in a news release. “Thanks to the steadfast work of our city workers, the NCDOT and a myriad of community partners, we are ready to welcome guests.”
Because of the loss of the Gashes Creek Bridge, you’ll have to take a different route to the center, though.
Drive to the Nature Center as normal, turning from Swannanoa River Road onto
Azalea Road, but instead of turning right to cross the bridge, continue straight for half a mile. This road is now two-way all the way to the roundabout. At the roundabout, take the first right. A traffic signal has been installed on either side of the one-way metal bridge. After crossing the metal bridge, turn left on Gashes Creek Road and enter the Nature Center’s parking lots.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 21:25:00
(The Center Square) – Authorization of sports agents to sign North Carolina’s collegiate athletes for “name, image, and likeness” contracts used in product endorsements is in legislation approved Wednesday by a committee of the state Senate.
Authorize NIL Agency Contracts, known also as Senate Bill 229, is headed to the Rules Committee after gaining favor in the Judiciary Committee. It would likely next get a full floor vote.
Last year the NCAA approved NIL contracts for players.
Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance
NCLeg.gov
“Athletes can benefit from NIL by endorsing products, signing sponsorship deals, engaging in commercial opportunities and monetizing their social media presence, among other avenues,” the NCAA says on its website. “The NCAA fully supports these opportunities for student-athletes across all three divisions.”
SB229 spells out the information that the agent’s contract with the athlete must include, and requires a warning to the athlete that they could lose their eligibility if they do not notify the school’s athletic director within 72 hours of signing the contract.
“Consult with your institution of higher education prior to entering into any NIL contract,” the says the warning that would be required by the legislation. “Entering into an NIL contract that conflicts with state law or your institution’s policies may have negative consequences such as loss of athletic eligibility. You may cancel this NIL agency contract with 14 days after signing it.”
The legislation also exempts the NIL contracts from being disclosed under the state’s Open Records Act when public universities review them. The state’s two ACC members from the UNC System, Carolina and N.C. State, requested the exemption.
“They are concerned about disclosure of the student-athlete contracts when private universities don’t have to disclose the student-athlete contracts,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, told the committee. “I feel very strongly that a state university should not be put at a disadvantage at recruitment or in program management because they have disclosure requirements through state law.”
Duke and Wake Forest are the other ACC members, each a private institution.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily reports on the legislative development regarding NIL (name, image, and likeness) contracts for collegiate athletes in North Carolina. It presents facts about the bill, committee actions, and includes statements from a state senator without using loaded or emotionally charged language. The piece neutrally covers the issue by explaining both the bill’s purpose and the concerns it addresses, such as eligibility warnings and disclosure exemptions. Overall, the article maintains a factual and informative tone without advocating for or against the legislation, reflecting a centrist, unbiased approach.
SUMMARY: Donald van der Vaart, a former North Carolina environmental secretary and climate skeptic, has been appointed to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by Republican Treasurer Brad Briner. Van der Vaart, who previously supported offshore drilling and fracking, would oversee the state’s transition to renewable energy while regulating utility services. His appointment, which requires approval from the state House and Senate, has drawn opposition from environmental groups. Critics argue that his views contradict clean energy progress. The appointment follows a controversial bill passed by the legislature, granting the treasurer appointment power to the commission.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 14:47:00
(The Center Square) – Called “crypto-friendly legislation” by the leader of the chamber, a proposal on digital assets on Wednesday afternoon passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Passage was 71-44 mostly along party lines.
The NC Digital Assets Investments Act, known also as House Bill 92, has investment requirements, caps and management, and clear definitions and standards aimed at making sure only qualified digital assets are included. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the state would potentially join more than a dozen others with “crypto-friendly legislation.”
With him in sponsorship are Reps. Stephen Ross, R-Alamance, Mark Brody, R-Union, and Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake.
Nationally last year, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act – known as FIT21 – passed through the U.S. House in May and in September was parked in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Dan Spuller, cochairman of the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative, said the state has proven a leader on digital asset policy. That includes the Money Transmitters Act of 2016, the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act of 2021, and last year’s No Centrl Bank Digital Currency Pmts to State. The latter was strongly opposed by Gov. Roy Cooper, so much so that passage votes of 109-4 in the House and 39-5 in the Senate slipped back to override votes, respectively, of 73-41 and 27-17.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a factual report on the passage of the NC Digital Assets Investments Act, highlighting the legislative process, party-line votes, and related legislative measures. It does not adopt a clear ideological stance or frame the legislation in a way that suggests bias. Instead, it provides neutral information on the bill, its sponsors, and relevant background on state legislative activity in digital asset policy. The tone and language remain objective, focusing on legislative facts rather than promoting a particular viewpoint.
