CMA Donates $10 Million to Country Music Hall of Fame

Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is set to expand, thanks in large part to the Country Music Association's generous $10 million pledge towards the Working on a Building: Country Music Lives Here capital campaign. The Hall of Fame and Museum will double in size, expanding to more than 350,000 square feet in 2014. The CMA's pledge is the largest donation in the non-profit educational organization's history.

"CMA and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are connected by history and our shared interest in preserving the legacy, rewarding excellence, and advancing the future of the format," says Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "This donation is the latest example of CMA's longstanding commitment to the Hall of Fame. We are proud to support the growth of the Hall and we look forward to using the CMA Theater in a variety of ways that will shine a spotlight on the Country Music industry and format."

The Country Music hall of Fame and Museum first opened its doors in 1967, with the CMA contributing nearly $5 million to the preservation organization, including a $1 million endowment to their flagship educational program, Words & Music.

The museum's expansion will include an 800-seat CMA Theater, a state-of-the-art design to accommodate a wide range of activities, including concerts, film screenings, lectures and corporate meetings. The theater's backstage area will include a green room, band room and four dressing rooms. The lobby entrance will connect with the 800-room Omni Hotel, making the theater easily accessible to the patrons of the 1.2 million square foot Music City Center.

"We are indebted to the CMA for a gift that serves our educational mission, benefits Music City, and serves a worldwide audience," says Museum Director Kyle Young. "In Nashville, the CMA Theater's seating capacity is unique and will fill a gap in available performance halls. It is sure to become a coveted venue for touring artists in many genres of music and it will be recognized as one of Music City's cultural crown jewels."

Country Music Hall of Fame member Kris Kristofferson and Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford serve as the Working on a Building: Country Music Lives Here campaign as honorary co-chairs, launching the $75 million initiative in July 2011, with $56.8 million in cash and pledges already secured. Designed by Tuck-Hinton Architects, the expansion is expected to be completed in early 2014.



Click here to learn more about the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.