Mountain Laurel Rebirth

A once-popular amphitheatre in Pennsylvania’s Poconos Mountains, shuttered because of financial problems in 2007, will reopen this summer under new management and with a solid concert lineup.

David Rodriquez and Marc Jason of The Total Concert Team of New Jersey are handling day-to-day operations at the 10,000-capacity Mountain Laurel Pocono Mountains Performing Arts Center in Bushkill. Rodriguez is also executive director for the 1,365-capacity Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, N.J.

The shed, featuring 2,500 covered seats and room for 7,500 on the lawn, is scheduled to kick off its season with KISS July 13 followed by Larry The Cable Guy Aug. 6, ZZ Top Aug.20 and Frankie Valli and the Beach Boys Aug. 25.

The $35 million facility opened in 2003 but quickly developed cash-flow problems. It reopened in 2005 but still didn’t reach attendance goals, leading to more canceled shows. The venue was sold in 2006 to private developers John Wolfington and J. Brian O’Neil of Wolfington and O’Neil Property Group. However, it shuttered again in 2007 amid a state auditor’s claims of mismanagement and other problems against previous PAC officials.

Video available here.