Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
A different kind of New Year’s Eve reveler will occupy the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge when an Alabama ministry will stage an event for 5,000 people.
The ministry is the Ramp, which is based in Hamilton, Ala., and the Dec. 31-Jan. 2 event is called Winter Ramp.
“This is the largest Ramp event of the year, and its focus is bringing the message of Jesus to a younger generation,” said Bradley Stewart, events and media director for the ministry.
Stewart said most of the attendees will be of high school and college age and mostly from the Southeast.
While most Ramp events are at the ministry’s Alabama headquarters, Winter Ramp has been in larger venues the last four years in Dalton, Ga., Cleveland, Tenn., and Chattanooga.
The LeConte Event Center will be Winter Ramp’s largest venue to date.
“Our goal is to end the year with a bang and set the course for a new year, too,” Stewart said.
The LeConte Center opened in October 2013. In its first 10 months of operation, it has been the site of 15 tradeshows, consumer shows, assemblies and athletic events, with a total attendance of approximately 133,000. Its biggest event is the National Quartet Convention in September, which will have multiple nights of full-house concerts.
A video montage of previous Winter Ramp events:
