<P> In 2003, the awards show left Los Angeles and moved to Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Center through 2005 . The Academy also adopted a sleeker, modern version of the "hat" trophy in 2003, which is now made by the New York City firm Society Awards . In 2004, the organization implemented online awards voting for its professional members, becoming the first televised awards show to do so . Entertainer of the Year was a fan - voted award for eight years, until 2016, when the ACM announced its decision to abandon Internet - voting for it and the three new - artist categories . </P> <P> The show was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 2006 through 2014 before relocating to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the Dallas--Fort Worth metroplex in 2015 to celebrate its 50th anniversary . The 2015 show broke the Guinness record for Most Attended Awards Show, with 70,252 . The show returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2016 then moved to the new T - Mobile Arena in 2017 . </P> <P> Voting members of the Academy of Country Music elect the nominees . In 2016, after an eight - year experiment intended to improve consumer engagement, the ACM announced its decision of abandon fan - voting for Entertainer of the Year and its three new - artist categories, thanks to the cost of participation and several rifts that had developed among artists . The program was controversial from the start and included the web ballot stuffing encouragement infamous among awards of the same type presented in other ceremonies . Kenny Chesney, after winning the first fan vote for entertainer in 2008, criticized the process backstage, complaining that instead of acknowledging artists' hard work, the vote had devolved into a marketing contest that rewarded people for "seeing how hard you can push people's buttons on the Internet ." The winner, for example, of entertainer will now be voted on by the same people who select the male or female vocalist winner . </P> <P> The most prestigious awards are for "Artist of the Decade" and "Entertainer of the Year ." There are a number of other awards to recognize male and female vocalists, albums, videos, songs, and musicians . The awards are typically presented in April or May and recognize achievement for the previous year . </P>

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