Ariana Sawyer

asawyer@tennessean.com

Nashville's New Year's Eve party, historically held on Broadway, will be moved to a new location under a new name this year, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. announced Thursday afternoon.

Previously known as the Jack Daniel's Bash on Broadway, the Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville celebration will be held for the first time at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, CVC said, citing concerns over safety, attendance growth and parking availability.

“Our famed New Year’s Eve event has grown exponentially over the last few years, resulting in the need to expand the footprint,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, NCVC board chair and managing partner and president of DVL Seigenthaler. “This move also allows us to enhance security for all who attend, giving much more room for event revelers, vendors, emergency personnel and others to move conveniently and securely throughout the celebration.”

The traditional Music Note Drop and fireworks display will now be held against the backdrop of the State Capitol building and view of the city skyline.

Event organizers will place a large screen in the traditional Lower Broadway that will display the concert and the Note Drop, according to the CVC in a news release. There will also be a secondary fireworks show across the Cumberland River with shuttles running between locations.

“Having the primary stage location at Bicentennial Mall allows us to blend two dynamic neighborhoods of Nashville,” Courtney said. “You have the wonderfully energetic vibe of Broadway bridging with one of the city’s hottest restaurant districts in Germantown, allowing visitors to fully enjoy our great city.”

The New Year’s Eve event has drawn crowds in excess of 100,000 in recent years, with the 2015 event boasting 150,000 revelers on Broadway and surrounding downtown streets.

“Nashville’s New Year’s Eve celebration is one of the events that makes Music City unique, and it’s an opportunity to shine the spotlight on our great city to a massive audience,” said Mayor Megan Barry in the news release. “We want to continue to grow this event and give visitors a chance to enjoy Nashville in the safest manner possible. The location change will allow safety to remain a top priority while also highlighting another marquee site in our dynamic city.”

Metro Councilman Freddie O’Connell, who represents District 19, which includes both Lower Broadway and Bicentennial Mall, said he expected that hosting the party at the Bicentennial Mall location to bring more visitors to the future home of a magnificent state museum

Butch Spyridon, NCVC president and CEO, noted that event growth, heightened security and reduced footprint space collectively provided challenges to the traditional Lower Broadway location.

“Our mission is always to provide the highest quality event while planning for future growth,” Spyridon said. “While we loved the traditional site, this decision reflects our success, and we will continue to include Broadway to showcase more of Nashville."

NCVC said the new location may or may not be permanent.

The concert lineup and headlining act will be announced in the coming weeks.

Reach Ariana Sawyer at 615-259-8382 or on Twitter @a_maia_sawyer.