2019 is shaping up to be a year of changes for the Cajundome.

Pamela Deville took over as the arena’s director when Greg Davis retired in October after 25 years in the role. Davis said his retirement was partly to help the venue save money as it deals with budgetary issues.

Deville is no stranger to the Cajundome. She’s worked there in various roles for 32 years, making the transition “a very smooth process,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Cajundome will try to fill the open dates created in the fall after organizers announced that the oil and gas expo LAGCOE, a longtime Lafayette staple, is moving to New Orleans for its 2019 event.

“Our hope is to find or cultivate an annual conference that can showcase the technological developments and assets of our community by creating a consumer expo or educational conference that draws a regional audience," Deville said.

Country superstar Carrie Underwood and one of the original boy bands, Backstreet Boys, are booked for the Cajundome for September 2019. Other events on the schedule include WWE Monday Night Raw Live in February, the Toughest Monster Truck Tour in March and Louisiana Comic Con, also in March.

Deville said the Cajundome is competing with other venues for “several major concert tours.” Some of its biggest competitors include the Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans and the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City.

The Cajundome can hold up to 12,772 people, Deville said. The Smoothie King Arena holds about 18,000 and the CenturyLink Center holds about 14,000.

“Promotors make money off the shows where they can sell the most seats,” she said. “So, it becomes a challenge and an opportunity for our staff to be creative in our event marketing and promotions while relying on our fan base, which resides in a 150-mile radius, to buy local and purchase tickets to Cajundome shows.”

Ben Berthelot, executive director of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, said high-profile concert acts can draw fans from across the region, leading to a trickle-down effect for hotels, restaurants and more.

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“The question is: Are they spending the night? And I think the answer is that they are, depending on the artist,” said Berthelot. When Garth Brooks played five shows over two weekends at the Cajundome in 2017, local hotels saw high occupancy, even on traditionally slow nights like Sundays.

“I think that with the right act and the right night, a concert can certainly have a huge economic impact,” Berthelot said.

Deville said one challenge facing the industry is convincing people that the live experience — whether a concert, sporting event or other entertainment — is worth the time, money and effort.

“Your favorite song, character or player will never be as entertaining or exciting on a playlist, radio or TV as it is at a live event,” she said. “Our job is to make sure that the fans’ expectations are met and/or exceeded.

"Looking to the future, we see technological improvements enhancing the overall guest experience and providing new and unique ways for fans and guests to take their event experience to the next level and keep them coming back for more.”

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It isn’t just the Cajundome that relies on events to bring in dollars. In 2016, the venue had an economic impact of nearly $16 million and non-local attendee spending had an impact of more than $37 million, said Gregg Gothreaux, executive director of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.

Most of that money went to hotels, restaurants, retail stores and other entertainment venues, Gothreaux said.

“Events that bring in a large number of out-of-town attendees for multiple days have the most impact on the region’s economy,” he said. In particular, conventions, sports events, seminars and large meetings bring the most overnight hotel stays.

Because of that, Gothreaux said, a 300-room convention hotel with additional space, plus a 45,000-square-foot expansion of the Cajundome Convention Center could be viable.

“That extra space would propel Lafayette to the next level of convention cities, allowing our partners at LCVC to market the city to a higher tier of convention and event planners,” Gothreaux said.

Berthelot agreed.

The Cajundome remains a popular venue for regional and statewide conventions, in part because of the food and music that attendees can enjoy when they are not in meetings or training sessions. But he said a hotel and expanded convention center space would be a “game-changer.”

“When you get out of the meeting, you want to have something cool to do. We certainly have an advantage in that regard,” Berthelot said. “The disadvantage is infrastructure. Some areas have passed us up. But I’m optimistic based on the conversations I’ve had. Given the financial situation, you can’t just keep doing what you have already done. I’m optimistic that they are not doing that and they are trying to bring as many events as possible to our area.”