The ACM Awards have been on for 53 years. 15 of those years the awards have been held in Las Vegas. The week before the awards has been named “The Week Vegas Goes Country”. During this week there are several country concerts.

The ACM Awards air Sunday Night with a haunting past hanging over the location. It is the same place the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. History. The same place a gunman shot and killed 58 people at the Route 91 Harvest Festival held in October.

Jason Aldean, who was performing when the shooting started,  along with multiple others will be returning back to Las Vegas for the first time.

The ACM staff recognizes and appreciates the strength and courage it takes for people who were present the night of the festival, to come back. “It’s going to be quite an emotional return and we applaud those in our industry who are standing strong and coming back,” Said Pete Fisher, ACM chief executive officer.

It definitely was contemplated to move the awards. “As difficult it will be for some people, everyone wanted to come back to Vegas,” Said Fisher. Fisher said the ACM Lifting Lives charity has donated $400,000 dollars to grieving families and first responders. The show will also start with a tribute to the victims of the shooting.

Jason Aldean explains why he believes ACM should go back, “If were gonna go back, I think the ACM’s are they place to go back and be because you’re surrounded by all your friends and artist and everybody that is there, and you kind of feel like you have a support system.”

Reba McEntire will be host. There are more than 20 country singers lined up, along with pop star Kelly Clarkson. Other performers include but aren’t limited to: Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, and Kelsea Ballerini.