New renderings give most detailed look yet at Grand Rapids amphitheater

Jun 08, 2023

A proposal to build a 12,000-seat amphitheater at 201 Market Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids is set to go to the city planning commission for consideration on June 22. (Rendering by Progressive AE)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Bathed in purple light, a band performs on stage of the proposed 12,000-seat Grand Rapids amphitheater at 201 Market Ave. SW as fans watch from chairs, stretched out on the lawn, or gathered on a deck for drinks.

On the west side of the venue, a non-motorized pathway winds alongside the Grand River, crossing through greenspace and other natural features. A sleek pedestrian plaza with greenery, fountains, and concessions borders Market Avenue to the east.

Those scenes, the most detailed look yet at one of the city's biggest projects, are depicted in new renderings unveiled as the proposal to build the venue heads to the Grand Rapids Planning Commission for consideration June 22.

"As a riverfront location, I love the increased greenspace," said Kara Wood, executive director of Grand Action 2.0, a private economic development group working with the city of Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) on the project.

The renderings were created by Progressive AE, a Grand Rapids-based architectural, design and engineering firm.

The amphitheater is the first piece of a large-scale, planned redevelopment of a 31-acre stretch of land along Market Avenue between Fulton and Wealthy streets. The area is now home to surface parking lots, the former Charley's Crab restaurant, and industrial buildings owned by the city of Grand Rapids, and there is no public access or walkway along the river.

Before construction can begin, the project must first receive special land use approval from the planning commission and clear other hurdles as well.

The city must also relocate its public works operations from 201 Market Ave. SW, the site of the proposed amphitheater, to the Kent County Road Commission complex at 1500 Scribner Ave. NW. Purchasing and renovating the complex could cost the city $58 million.

If all goes well, officials hope the venue can be open for the 2026 concert season.

Related: Making room for proposed riverfront amphitheater could cost Grand Rapids $58M

Documents filed with the city in advance of the planning commission meeting, where commissioners are expected to consider how the venue would affect noise, traffic and other elements in the area, spell out in detail the operations and specifics of the venue.

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

A proposal to build a 12,000-seat amphitheater at 201 Market Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids is set to go to the city planning commission for consideration on June 22. (Rendering by Progressive AE)

The venue

The venue would have 7,000 fixed seats and 5,000 lawn seats. Its main entrance would be along Market Avenue, and its pedestrian plaza would be open to the public during events and non-events.

In addition to 201 Market Ave. SW, the venue would also occupy 225, 233 and 301 Market Ave. SW. The site is bordered by the Grand River on its west, by Market Avenue on its east, by U.S. 131 on its north and railroad tracks on its south.

An entranceway along a walkway near the Grand River would serve as a "future entry point." In addition, a building attached to the venue would be two-stories, with a roof-top deck on the third floor. There would also be concessions and a food and beverage plaza along Market Avenue.

Richard MacKeigan, regional general manager of ASM Global, the company hired by the CAA to manage Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall, has been one of the officials leading the push to build the amphitheater.

He said the renderings "look great."

"I know a number of our promoters have seen them and are also excited by them," MacKeigan said. "I think it does a great job providing an experience for the fans as well as the employees but also creating an iconic venue."

The budget for the project is still being finalized, but it's expected to be more than a previous estimate of $116 million that was included in a city memo last year, Wood said. A timetable for construction has not yet been set, but officials hope to have the venue open for the 2026 concert season.

"We haven't finalized the project budget, but we do know that costs are increasing as a result of the current economic environment," Wood said. "We’re continuing to monitor those and estimate as we move along in our design process."

Previously, the city indicated the venue's price tag could be covered by $81 million in donor, state and private investment, as well as $15 million generated from the sale of property along Market Avenue by the CAA to private developers. In addition, the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority or the city of Grand Rapids Brownfield Authority would also borrow $20 million to finance the project.

The state allocated $30 million for the project in a budget signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last July.

A proposal to build a 12,000-seat amphitheater at 201 Market Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids is set to go to the city planning commission for consideration on June 22. (Rendering by Progressive AE)

Parking

There is not any large-scale parking addition planned as part of the amphitheater, planning documents show.

There is a proposed 116-space parking lot, but that would be reserved for "premiere guests and staff." Instead, visitors would be pointed toward other public options, such as surface parking lots, garages and meters, documents say.

Grand Action, in its submission to the city for the project, says there are roughly 18,500 parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the amphitheater.

In addition to those options, "select lots owned by educational institutions and major corporate and hospitality organizations in the city may be available for evening or weekend use," according to Grand Action.

Grand Rapids Planning Director Kristin Turkelson says there is no parking waiver required for the project because there is no parking requirement for new, downtown projects.

Economic impact

With an estimated 50 concerts and community events per season, the amphitheater is expected to result in a significant boost for the region's tourism and hospitality economy.

An initial estimate from the consulting firm CSL, which previously completed a destination asset study for Grand Action, indicates two years of construction on the venue and 30 years of operations would generate $475 million in net new economic impact to the city of Grand Rapids and 345 full-time equivalent jobs, Wood said.

She did not elaborate on what types of positions those jobs would include. A full copy of the economic impact study was not available because it's still in draft form, Wood said.

The development of the amphitheater is seen as the catalyst for a larger development vision along Market Avenue between Fulton and Wealthy streets.

The area along that stretch south of U.S. 131 is largely owned by the city of Grand Rapids. The area north of the highway incudes a 500-space parking lot owned by the Amway Hotel Corporation, and the former Charley's Crab restaurant owned by a limited liability company connected to the DeVos family.

In addition to the amphitheater, future phases of the development are expected to include mixed-use development with between 1,500 and 1,700 housing units. There could also be retail and other businesses present too depending on how that development shakes out.

A proposal to build a 12,000-seat amphitheater at 201 Market Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids is set to go to the city planning commission for consideration on June 22. (Rendering by Progressive AE)

Events

The venue is expected to host an estimated 50 events per season, with a projected 300,000 visitors. In addition to concerts, the venue is also expected to host community events, cultural festivals, movie screenings and more. Cultural festivals using the venue could include ArtPrize, for example.

The Grand Rapids Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, which oversees Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall, would manage the amphitheater. The CAA is a seven-member board whose member are appointed by city, county and the governor.

The CAA contracts with ASM Global, a venue and event management company based in Los Angeles, to operate its venues.

Documents submitted to the city say the amphitheater would be open seven days a week from April to October from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For traveling shows, the sound check will be performed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the events will be planned to end by 11 p.m.

MacKeigan, the general manager of Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place, said the 50 projected events at the amphitheater each season would likely consist of 30 touring concerts and 20 smaller, community events.

Looking forward, he said concert promoters are "excited."

"They hear about this, and they start salivating," MacKeigan said. "They know what a good market we have. They’ve seen how strong the concert activity is here, and when they have an outdoor tour, they can't take advantage of Grand Rapids. This will allow them to take advantage of Grand Rapids."

Sound

One thing the planning commission will evaluate when considering the request to build the amphitheater is sound. The amphitheater is across the street from an apartment building at 234 Market Ave. SW, and about a half-mile south of Plaza Towers apartments.

Wood said elevated land at the rear end of the lawn complete with pine trees "acts as a natural barrier" for the venue's sound. That elevated land, also known as a berm, would be at the same height as U.S. 131, which is immediately north of the venue.

"So, it contains the sounds, not entirely, but certainly mitigates a significant amount of sound traveling beyond the site itself," said Wood, who added that Grand Action hired a firm to conduct a sound study for the venue.

Documents provided to the city also say the "bulk of the noise generated by the venue will be directed upwards by the lawn seating berm and dissipate over the river." In addition, U.S. 131 also "acts as a noise buffer for areas north of the project."

Wood added, "the decibels are like 67 to 77 decibels, which is a washing machine or a noisy restaurant."

Next steps

In addition to seeking planning commission approval, other steps for the project include completing more community engagement with the neighborhood and business district where the amphitheater would be located, Wood said.

In addition, the CAA still needs to purchase the property where the amphitheater would be located. The CAA would purchase the property from the city, which has previously said the property would be valued at roughly $23.4 million.

The city also needs to vacate its property at the site and move to the Kent County Road Commission complex at 1500 Scribner Ave. NW.

"All of that has to happen before we can begin construction," Wood said.