Perry Receives Huge Economic Benefit From Rodeo

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Put on your boots and your cowboy hat, it’s time for the rodeo.

Perry is hosting the Georgia National Rodeo at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter throughout the weekend.

Perry loves it some Rodeo.

“This event brings people in from all over the state,” said Bob Irwin, Chief Operating Office at the Georgia Fairgrounds.

And why wouldn’t you? It’s pretty entertaining.

“I like it just because um because I like it because my daddy used to ride bulls when he was a kid,” said rodeo fan David McFarlan, “I really like the bulls.”

“Oh it’s a great experience, great people, it’s just fun to watch you know?” said rodeo fan Chase Hollingsworth.

And while the rodeo is a lot of fun and games for kids and adults out there in the ring, there’s also an economic advantage to Perry when these big animals come to town.

Bob Irwin is Chief Operating Officer at the Georgia Fairground, where he helps host the Rodeo.

“There’s not an open hotel room within miles of here,” said Irwin. “The restaurants are full, I mean it just has a huge economic impact on the whole community for the entire week.”

Irwin said the rodeo brings about three million dollars back to the taxpayers after you count how much it costs to bring the show to town.

Plus, he says it’s the right kind of entertainment.

“What it brings is some entertainment that we don’t have enough of anymore,” said Irwin. “It’s the good, clean family entertainment that we just don’t have enough of.”

And head of the PRCA rodeo John Barnes says rodeo folks can’t get enough of Perry either.

“We love coming to Perry,” said Barnes. “We’ve been coming for 19 years now, and this is just like a home to us. We go up town and we eat and folks welcome us to town and things like that. A lot of money comes through this area because of the rodeo.”

The rodeo will start at 7:30 Friday and Saturday night at the Georgia Fairground.

For tickets, stop by the box office.