Not many concert promoters would be part of the manual-labor crew for an outdoor event hoping to draw at least 10,000 spectators each day. But Johnson and his business partner at JAG Productions, John Gullo, have spent months, and thousands of their own dollars, on this gamble, reshaping the plot of land where the Ogden City Mall once stood.

"I'm really doing this because Ogden really gets a bad rap," said Gullo, who has put on the charity event, "Hot Rockin' Fourth," in Ogden for the past four years. "By doing this in the middle of town, we're showing people it's a great place."

The festival begins today with the "Honky Tonk Tailgate Party" tour - featuring Rhett Akins, Chad Brock, David Kersh and Daryle Singletary - at 1 p.m. Ronnie Milsap, Chris Cagle and Clay Walker also play today. Mark Wills, Phil Vassar, Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Sawyer Brown are slated for Saturday.

Three days before the festival, Johnson is admittedly a little nervous. Ticket sales were lagging, but Johnson is betting on a huge walk-up crowd.

"The mayor [Matthew Godfrey] thought we were crazy because of how much money it would cost," Johnson said.

"We're almost creating a venue. It's like developing Usana [Amphitheatre] from scratch in two days," Gullo said. "Everything here from water to power, we're creating everything and that's unique. . . . We're literally creating a little town."

JAG has dumped nearly $50,000 into lawn, sprinklers and other landscaping on the 20-acre mall site and tickets sales. That's only a fraction of the cost of the entire endeavor, which, if profitable, will help fund the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for Ogden children. Gullo said 8,000 fans a day is the break-even point.

"If we do 10,000 a day, we'll be happy," Johnson said. "If we do 15,000 a day, we'll be ecstatic."

The two-stage venue will hold up to 35,000. The main stage will be at the south end, with 5,000 reserved seats and a 28-by-34-foot screen.

"Even the GA's [general admission spectators] will have a great view of the action on stage," Johnson said.

JAG also secured a liquor license for beer sales throughout the venue, and the Outlaw Saloon will run a private club on the premises.

The two investors based the two-day festival on the successful Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colo. If the inaugural "Hot Country Nights" is success, JAG is planning to expand to a four-day event next year.

myount@sltrib.com

Hot Country Nights

* A two-day country-music festival at the Ogden City Entertainment Center (the former Ogden City Mall), 25th and Washington Blvd.

* Today's schedule: Honky Tonk Tailgate Party (Rhett Akins, David Kersh, Daryle Singletary and Chad Brock), 1 p.m.; Ronnie Milsap, 4 p.m.; Chris Cagle, 7 p.m.; Clay Walker,

9:30 p.m.

* Saturday's schedule: Mark Wills, 1 p.m.; Phil Vassar, 4 p.m.; Creedence Clearwater Revisited, 7 p.m.; Sawyer Brown, 9:30 p.m.

* Tickets range from $35-$125. Available at all Smith's Tix locations (801-467-TIXX or http://www.smithstix.com or visit http://www.hotcountrynights.us for further information).