54 West Music Hall opens at Towne West Square on Saturday

The new 54 West Music Hall opens Saturday in the former Denim & Diamonds space at Towne West Square.

As Have You Heard? reported in February, Wichita Ballroom owner Hong Zhang had to move his business from its building near Kellogg and West Street to make room for road work.

Along with the new name, there’s a new concept.

Previously, Zhang says the Wichita Ballroom catered to a mostly Hispanic audience.

“Now we’re going to change,” he says.

There will be corporate meetings and trade shows, private parties, such as weddings, and concerts.

Zhang says the concerts will include country and rock music and “maybe a little bit of hip hop,” though he adds, “Maybe not.”

The kick-off event on Saturday will be a quinceanera that’s open to the public, Zhang says.

Concert bookings are underway.

“We’re still working on it,” Zhang says of dealing with promoters.

He expects events “most likely every weekend.”

The first concert will be May 8. Mexican bands Banda Cuisillos and Banda Troyana are the performers.

Zhang says the new venue is an event center with a large dance floor.

“It’s not like (a) nightclub at all.”

The 16,000-square-foot space can hold 1,728 people.

A website is in the works. In the meantime, there’s a Facebook page.

Zhang says he thinks the changes he’s made to his business will broaden its market.

“I think it’ll be doing better.”

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 3:08 PM with the headline "54 West Music Hall opens at Towne West Square on Saturday."