Benton McDonough

Benton McDonough has been hired as the director of nightlife for the city of Nashville, a new position created to handle nightlife-related issues including trash, noise, lighting, and safety. Also known as a night mayor, the position is part of municipal staffs in numerous cities with large nightlife scenes, including Atlanta; Amsterdam; Manchester, U.K.; Philadelphia; Prague; and Washington, D.C. Prior to being selected for the position, McDonough served as the executive director of the city’s Beer Board for the past five years. An attorney, McDonough served as the state registrar and director of the office of vital records for the Tennessee Department of Health and as assistant general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. He also worked on the campaign for former Gov. Phil Bredesen as well as with the Advance Initiative by Bredesen. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and a law degree from the Nashville School of Law.