Tuesday News Roundup

CMA ONLINE SOCIAL AUDIENCE IS NO. 1: The cumulative CMA online social audience is ranked No. 1 among all awards shows for biggest social network audience, topping the Grammys and the Oscars! As of 9/27/2011:

The Entrepreneur Center has received confirmation of its $2.5 million EDA grant application. The money will be used to renovate and buildout the Center’s new permanent facility at Trolley Barn No. 1, Rolling Mill Hill. “In the wake of Nashville’s disaster, the EDA funding represents an investment in the future of our city,” said Michael Burcham, who runs the EC. “The Center that we build will help entrepreneurs turn ideas into reality, support innovation, and drive economic growth and job creation for thousands and tens of thousands of Tennesseans.”

Trolley Barn #1 at Rolling Mill Hill is a 22,000 square foot space that will house 72 incubation space. Since it’s launch in 2010, the center has helped launch 19 companies and helped them raise over $5.2 million in seed stage and venture funding.  While the EDA grant will partly cover the construction buildout of the center, as a non-profit 501c3 organization, public and private funding and corporate sponsorships are needed to support the center’s operations.

“Nashville is a city full of creative, smart, hard-working people, and the Entrepreneur Center is harnessing this resource, cultivating ideas and incubating inventive businesses to help continue moving the city forward and create jobs in the process,” Mayor Karl Dean said.

Scotty McCreery, Season 10 winner of American Idol is scheduled to perform the National anthem prior to Game One of the World Series, Oct. 19. “This is absolutely incredible for me,” said McCreery. “I have two loves in life—music and baseball.” McCreery’s debut album launches October 4 on Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope Records.