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Aug 07, 2023

Grand Rapids amphitheater on track to break ground in spring 2024

A 12,000-capacity amphitheater planned along the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids is slated for a spring 2024 groundbreaking that would conclude by the 2026 season. Until then, a local

A 12,000-capacity amphitheater planned along the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids is slated for a spring 2024 groundbreaking that would conclude by the 2026 season.

Until then, a local entertainment authority, the city of Grand Rapids and amphitheater developer Grand Action 2.0 are navigating several moving parts that include property sales and a phased relocation of city services off the project site at 201 Market Ave. SW. As that occurs, construction crews will begin preliminary work on the outdoor amphitheater that’s expected to drive additional mixed-use, riverfront development.

“I don’t see an obstacle that would keep (the amphitheater project) from happening,” Grand Rapids Deputy City Manager Kate Berens told Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. “We have all the things in place we need to map this out and execute the plan. Both (the relocation and amphitheater) projects are going through their permitting and bidding work, and we’re pushing both projects forward in parallel.”

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The city-owned Market Avenue property currently houses a range of city services, including public works, parks and recreation, forestry, and fleet and facilities management. Some of these services will stay on the property as amphitheater construction starts next spring, Berens said.

The first set of city services will relocate from the 201 Market site to an interim location in May 2024, and city officials expect operations to be fully off the property in November 2024, Berens said.

The city approved a $2.2 million contract at the end of March with Bergmann Associates Inc. to create a site plan for the city to move operations from Market Avenue to 1500 Scribner Ave. NW on the city’s north side. The city also is now working with Clark Construction Co., which is authorized to do pre-construction services and put early bid packages together for the relocation, Berens said.

The city anticipates closing in September on 1500 Scribner Ave. NW, which previously housed Kent County Road Commission offices and facilities. The Grand Rapids City Commission approved an amended option agreement in 2021 for the city to purchase the Scribner property from Kent County by Sept. 30, 2023 for $7.45 million, which remains on track. The road commission recently opened its new location at 1900 4 Mile Road NW at the WalkerView Industrial Park in Walker.

Meanwhile, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) also has a $24.3 million option agreement with the city to purchase the 201 Market property. The CAA and the city have agreed to allow construction work to start on the site before the property deed is officially transferred, Berens said.

The CAA agreed to allocate $5 million in reserve funds to eventually be counted toward the purchase of 201 Market. This allocation would be reflected in a budget amendment the CAA board of directors will consider in October.

Rich MacKeigan, regional manager of ASM Global, which manages multiple venues in downtown Grand Rapids owned by the CAA, said the design process and fundraising progress “continues to look good for the amphitheater.”

The lead donor for the amphitheater will be announced in September, which will move the plan “from an idea to a project,” MacKeigan told the CAA board today.

As the anticipated spring 2024 groundbreaking for the amphitheater nears, the CAA needs to take on a more active role in the amphitheater as well as a proposed soccer stadium that Grand Action 2.0 is also leading, said CAA Chairperson Richard Winn.

Winn proposed the formation of a CAA development committee that would include himself, along with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and Birgit Klohs, who serves as the building committee co-chair for the amphitheater and formerly led The Right Place Inc.

“The CAA needs to take a bigger role and actually at some point the lead role and Grand Action 2.0 will back off, as they did with the arena and DeVos Place projects,” Winn said.

More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:

Mixed-use project at vacant Grand Rapids corner lands $3.5M in state loan, incentives

Nonprofit receives $10M state loan to invest in West Michigan housing projects

Developer to scale back Walker townhomes project to address concerns

‘We need help,’ Latino business owners tell West Michigan lawmakers