After more than 16 months of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, entertainment fans are ready to return to experience events in real life. At least that’s the gist of a recent survey we conducted with 30,000 of our recent guests.

Survey results indicated that 92 percent of respondents miss attending live shows and that 73 percent of them are eager to attend live events again—and are looking for venues with fewer than 1,000 seats.

Also of note: 65 percent of respondents said they would travel more than 120 miles to see a show.

These data points are (pardon the pun, everyone) music to our ears, as we’re gearing up to host concerts and live entertainment at Turning Stone Resort Casino again. Part of our ongoing 28th anniversary renovations include an overhaul of The Showroom, our intimate entertainment venue. When these renovations are done, the venue will be precisely the kind of place survey respondents say they want to go.

Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, said the findings validate all the work Turning Stone is doing behind the scenes.

“These survey results are very encouraging as they indicate our guests are eager to attend live performances again, which we know is also a significant driver of tourism in our region,” he said in a release. “This is also great news for the local music scene in Central New York. We take great pride in showcasing local talent in our venues and introducing our guests who come from all over the country to the best our region has to offer.”

Construction on The Showroom is expected to wrap up later this summer in advance of live shows there starting in September. The new venue will include a state-of-the-art sound system, new contemporary design, more than 650 premium stadium-style seats, and an all-new bar in a brand-new atrium.

Get ready to rock out at The Showroom again soon!