Entertainment
Country Boom may move closer to West Salem
The annual Country Boom festival outside of West Salem every summer may get a new home in the future that’s nearer to the village.
Included in the materials for the upcoming Board of Supervisors Planning Meeting on Monday, the organizers of Country Boom are presenting a request for an option to buy 85 acres of the former county farm on the east end of West Salem.
The proposed development comes from Jon Holthaus and Country Boom, LLC, who said in a conversation with WIZM News that he wants to give back to West Salem, which he called a “special place.”
Country Boom currently holds its annual summer festival at the Maple Grove Venues a few miles from West Salem.
The presentation says that 60 acres would be for Country Boom grounds adjacent to a 25-acre phased development area with approximately 300 new homes.
Jason Gilman of JBG Planning LLC, who helped put together the proposal, said they’ve worked with both the Village of West Salem and the county to create a comprehensive presentation that works with the long-range planning for both municipalities.
He said that after their work, the village passed a resolution supporting the concept.
The school district is also supportive, too, according to the presentation.
For comparison to the Country Boom proposal, Gilman cited the neighborhood around the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois.
He tells WIZM News that their research shows that property values go up and neighborhoods become more desirable when centered around a cultural attraction.
Gilman said that they’ve also addressed potential concerns over sound from the venue and traffic.
He said that the current system of shuttles and transportation to and from Country Boom would remain as it’s been done in the past.
Sound or noise issues would be addressed by using directional sound equipment and locating the stage over 1,600 feet from the Lakeview facility and the Shorewood development.
When not in use for Country Boom, according to Gilman and the presentation, the site could be used for educational purposes working with the school district, smaller concerts, farmers markets, or other outdoor entertainment opportunities.
If approved, the developers provided a possible timeline with construction of the first phase of housing starting in 2026 with 20 homes getting constructed per year.
The purchase price proposed is $25,000 an acre, or $2 million.
In return, the developers estimate the total value of the project, when complete, would be over $100 million. The presentation also cites an increase in housing prices within a one-mile radius of an outdoor concert venue.
Economically, the proposal said that the Wisconsin Department of Tourism stated estimated that an event like Country Boom provides an estimated $10 million impact annually on the economy when looking at such factors as hotel stays.
No vote on the proposal happens on Monday night according to the County Clerk’s office.
The County Board holds its monthly meeting on April 17.
