Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Amphitheater to open soon
A blinding-white canopy dominates the low sky at the center of the Miramar Regional Park, 5,000 square feet of taut PVC-coated polyester fabric poked upward by two towering masts.
The soaring form is part of a $7.4 million, 4.1-acre amphitheater that city officials hope will attract concerts, holiday celebrations, festivals and other events when it is completed by the end of March. A grand opening is scheduled in early summer that will include music and guest speakers, said city spokeswoman Natasha Hampton.
“This will offer our residents something that they have had to drive far for, a location where they can go to concerts and festivals, right here in their own city,” said Mayor Wayne Messam.
The canopy will provide cover for at least 3,000 weather-resistant folding seats on a concrete surface. There will be seating for 2,000 on a grassy area behind the canopy.
The focal point is a large elevated stage that includes lighting, projection screens and speakers. The venue also will have a sodded promenade area, a network of lighted walkways and an adjacent parking lot.
The city will rely on a For a video about the venue, go to Sunsentinel.com/ Amphitheater third-party management contractor for bookings, and is looking to attract at least 15 large events annually and bring in at least a half-million dollars yearly in revenue.
Annual events such as the Latin Music Festival and Funkfest would move from adjacent athletic fields to the amphitheater, preventing scheduling conflicts with sports league games, officials said.
The first concert booking has not been finalized.
“However there has been great interest in the venue for events ranging from faith and local community events to festivals, art and book fairs and concerts,” Hampton said.
There is a lot of regional competition for wellknown acts, said Lyle Cayce, vice president of communications for the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, a 2,900-seat open-air venue that typically hosts about two dozen concerts or events a year.
He said an abundance of facilities such as the Broward Center For Performing Arts, The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the Magic City Casino and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, are among those competing for ticket sales.
“But the desire for the public to be entertained isn’t going away, and there will be plenty of options,” Cayce said.