Shed Plans Across The States

Something about summer and shed shows just goes together, so it’s no wonder that a handful of cities around the U.S. are in talks regarding amphitheatre proposals.

Plans for the 7,000-seat Sweetwater Amphitheatre, a privately funded shed in Bedford, Va., approved by county supervisors last year, are reportedly still in the works.

Developers Darrin Snyder and Holly Sweet recently booked an outdoor summer concert series near the proposed site, featuring performances by Sara Evans, Lonestar and Blake Shelton, among others, as a precursor to the shows they plan to bring to the Sweetwater shed, the News & Advance reported.

Construction of the $325,000 Harry and Judy Watson Amphitheatre on the grounds of the Virginia Living Museum in Newport has just wrapped, according to the local Daily Press.

Elsewhere, the Leaf Chronicle in Oak Grove, Ky., noted that plans for a 3,000- to 5,000-seat amphitheatre in the local War Memorial Walking Trail Park are being discussed.

Further south, a local group in Little Rock, Ark., is reportedly looking into funding a shed, along with other improvements, for the city’s 36-acre MacArthur Park, which houses the Arkansas Arts Center and Arkansas Korean War Memorial.

Officials recently broke ground on a $3 million, 5,000- to 6,000-seat amphitheatre development at Riverfront Park in Mankato, Minn., according to the city’s Free Press. The shed is expected to open next August.

In Mitchell, S.D., the city council is looking into leasing land near the Prehistoric Indian Village for a 3,000-seat privately funded amphitheatre.

Finally, the football-field sized Camp Dodge pool in Johnston, Iowa, which was built in 1922, has been filled to make way for an amphitheatre site.

Costs to develop the shed and restore the buildings in a nearby pavilion are expected to hit $1.7 million, according to the Des Moines Register.