A large group of city officials

and business leaders braved the cold Thursday afternoon to attend the

groundbreaking for Fayetteville's new Villages Amphitheater.

The venue, which is part of

the Villages at LaFayette Park multiuse development, will sit adjacent

to Fayette County High School after its construction, which is scheduled

to be completed in early fall.

Many of those in attendance

Thursday spoke of the project being the culmination of an idea that had

been in circulation for a long time.

"This is a grand day,"

said Councilman Al Hovey-King, who also chairs the city's Downtown Development

Authority, to the crowd of approximately 50 onlookers as construction

crews moved large mounds of dirt behind him. The amphitheater will be

located at the northeast corner of the Villages development, at the intersection

of LaFayette Avenue and Tiger Trail, and will share a parking lot with

the high school.

While the city has no plans

whatsoever to compete with the summer concert series that has become a

staple at Peachtree City's Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, the Fayetteville

facility is expected to host a wide variety of cultural and community

events. Seating capacity is expected to be about 1,500.

The first phase of construction

includes a 55-foot stage with a roof, tiered grass seating area and lawn

seating. Plans also call for a full concession building and restroom facilities.

With a price tag of about $1.25

million, the amphitheater is being financed with a 20-year revenue bond

recently secured by the DDA. A combination of impact fees, hotel/motel

tax revenues and event/user fees will likely be used to service the debt

on the bond. The city's Main Street office will manage the venue.

"The mission of the amphitheater

is to create a multipurpose venue that will represent all aspects of the

cultural, arts and educational community in a professional and esthetically

pleasing environment," according to city officials. "All events,

concerts and productions will operate within the covenants that have been

agreed upon by the city and the developer. The amphitheater will help

to reestablish the downtown Main Street district as the cultural heart

and soul of the city."

The city is currently soliciting

sponsorships from interested individuals and business. Anyone seeking

more information concerning sponsorship opportunities should contact Main

Street Manager Nancy Price at 770-461-6029.

In addition to financial contributions,

the city is looking for in-kind donations, such as a flagpole, brick accents,

benches, accent lighting, wrought iron fencing, landscaping, and sound

and lighting. The naming of the amphitheater is also considered a negotiable

sponsorship. All donations are tax-deductible and can be made to the Fayetteville

Main Street Tourism Association, which is a nonprofit corporation.

Back

to News Home Page |