City officials Wednesday unveiled renderings for the Sen. Terry Brown Amphitheater during a groundbreaking ceremony on The Island.
The amphitheater, named after the late District 17 state senator, is an approximately $3 million project. It will seat 3,500 people. Capacity will be split between space for 1,750 people in lawn and general admission seating, 1,083 permanent chair back seats, and room for 615 people in a flexible seating area in front of the stage.
The facility will also feature a 42-foot by 56-foot stage and seven food/beverage windows for concessions. It will have three entry gates, including ADA ramps and administrative facilities will include security, two ticket windows, first aid and event and janitorial staff facilities.
The amphitheater is located near the end of Old Tombigbee River Bridge on The Island.
City engineer and Neel-Schaffer vice president Kevin Stafford said he hopes to advertise for construction bids in January and to have the facility completed by the end of next year.
Columbus Mayor Robert Smith said the amphitheater is the continuation of a number of improvement efforts around the Riverwalk to coincide with the city’s planned Riverwalk extension to the Columbus Air Force base.
Smith said the theater is also a way to show the city’s appreciation to Brown for his contributions to the community.
“Representative Brown, along with other local legislators from within the Golden Triangle, as we all know was responsible for numerous economic projects coming to Lowndes County and the city of Columbus,” Smith said. “There is no better way to show our appreciation to Senator Brown, his wife and their kids, to say thank you for Terry Brown and the great job he did while serving as a legislator for the state of Mississippi.”
Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Nancy Carpenter also said the amphitheater is a fitting tribute to Brown’s memory.
“Terry Brown loved Columbus and Lowndes County and we’re really thrilled to be in a position to name the amphitheater after him,” Carpenter said. “He was a champion for tourism in Columbus and Lowndes County, so I can really think of no better way to honor him today.”
Earlier this year, the state Legislature approved $2.25 million for the city to use for the trail extension and amphitheater. Since then, the city has designated $150,000 for a master plan for the trail extension and amphitheater, $75,000 to the U.S. Corps of Engineers to review the master plan and $300,000 for design, construction administration and project management fees.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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