ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Contemporary Christian band Mercy Me will headline a concert set for The Wharf Amphitheater on July 27.

Part of the money to promote the show will come from Orange Beach’s $500,000 BP marketing grant as part of an agreement with Red Mountain Entertainment out of Birmingham, the promotions company that books concerts for the amphitheater.

Orange Beach divided its grant into $250,000 halves with the first half going toward promoting concerts at The Wharf. Already this year Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney have come to town and others are planned.

Lady Antebellum will be on stage May 26, Brad Paisley on June 15, Alabama on July 5, Dave Matthews on July 23 and now Mercy Me will headline the Christian-themed show on July 27.

City Administrator Ken Grimes said of the $250,000 used to promote events coming to town, $135,000 went to Red Mountain Entertainment.

“The first pot of money was $250,000 that we divided into those special events that we sponsored and that was all those events like Gumbo Fest, Bulls on the Beach, the boat show, the car show, those things,” he said. “We divided them out and we also divided the remaining $135,000 – there was $115,000 for special events – the $135,000 we did a contract with Red Mountain Entertainment.

“They’re using part of that to bring a contemporary Christian concert the last weekend in July. It’s the first time ever to try a different genre of music. The concert the last weekend in July, that’s an example of where this is a test. This is the first time we’ve had a contemporary Christian concert at The Wharf.”

MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul.

Among the events getting BP promotional money were $25,000 to Bulls on the Beach, $25,000 for The Wharf Boat and Yacht, $15,000 for Bama Coast Cruise, $25,000 for first-ever Gumbo Festival, $10,000 for Orange Beach Billfish Classic on May 15-19 at The Wharf and $15,000 for the Alabama Soccer Festival on Oct. 31-Nov. 3, in conjunction with 2013 SEC Women’s Soccer Championship at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.

Grimes said the other $250,000 will be used for in-town promotional materials like banners for highway light poles, seasonal lights for Christmas and Mardi Gras and a new TV monitor video/system.