Work at Columbus’ new amphitheater is moving along smoothly, officials say.

Robyn Eastman, senior project manager for J5 Broaddus, the company overseeing the project, said foundation work for the theater is under way.

“We made our first concrete pour (Tuesday),” Eastman said. “Gregory Construction put in 87 yards of concrete for the foundation. Some of the retaining walls around the border are completed. It’s a really good looking project.”

Eastman said Perma Corporation has installed a wet well for the amphitheater’s sewage lift station and will return to the site in the next few weeks to begin laying water and sewer lines. Once that is complete, Eastman said, Webster Electric will begin installing the electrical system. “It’s going to be an exciting time here in the next four to six weeks,” he said.

The city is building the first phase of the Sen. Terry Brown Amphitheater. The venue, which is named for the late District 17 state senator, is located on the Island. Construction on the $3.2 million project started earlier in the fall and is expected to finish in the spring.

The project has been split into four contracts that were awarded to three firms: plumbing to Perma Corporation for $189,420; the stage to Gregory Construction Services for $1.39 million; civil site work to Gregory Construction for $1.31 million; and electrical to Webster Electric for $393,696.

While a drought gripping the southeast has caused trouble in several ways throughout the Golden Triangle, Eastman said the dry weather is helping construction move briskly forward.

“If the weather holds and we can keep progressing, it’s really going to give us a leg up in the winter,” he said. “When those wet months come, we’ll have plenty to do if we can get up and out of the mud.”

Next steps

As work on the project’s first phase continues, officials will soon turn their attention to getting money for the second phase. The project is funded through money the Mississippi Legislature appropriated to the city. Legislators pitched in $2.25 million in 2015 and $1.1 million this year for the venue.

Neel-Schaffer vice president and city engineer Kevin Stafford said the city had enough funding to partially construct the amphitheater. The first phase includes the stage, utilities, grass seating and a concrete walkway from the Riverwalk’s pedestrian bridge to the stage.

It will ultimately seat 3,500 people, according to current plans. 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.

Stafford said the project will be usable once the first phase is complete. However, it will be missing amenities such as concessions, restrooms and hardback seating.

Those will be added in a second phase, Stafford said, which would take roughly $2 million more.

Mayor Robert Smith said he’ll seek funding for the amphitheater’s second phase once the Mississippi Legislature starts its next session in January.

Stafford said there have been some informal discussions about hiring a third party promoter for the venue. However he said the facility won’t be at the point where most promoters would work it until the second phase is finished.

“With just a stage, it’s hard to police until you have fencing, hard seats you can sell, restrooms, gates and so on,” Stafford said. “They’re planning to talk or listen to some promoters to see what we can do. That hasn’t started yet because it’s putting the cart way before the horse.”

Smith said the city will begin looking to hire a promoter once funding for the second phase is in-hand.

Columbus Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Nancy Carpenter said the CVB will assist whoever the city ultimately hires with promoting the venue.

“Certainly we will assist with marketing and advertising efforts,” Carpenter said. “We’re very excited about it. When you look at what’s being built in Brandon, what Meridian will have, what Tuscaloosa has, we need something in Columbus that will host all genres of music. I go often to check on the work that’s been done, and it’s very exciting.”

For now, Smith said the city will just wait until both phases are complete before opening the amphitheater for events, though he noted it’s possible that plan could change.

Stafford said the amphitheater could host typical events, such as concerts, but is also small enough to be used for large community events, such as graduations, concerts for the Market Street Festival or church gatherings.

Still, he said the facility will be a welcome quality of life improvement when it’s complete.

“I think it’s going to really enhance the Riverwalk area,” he said. “I think citizens are going to enjoy it once it’s finished.”

Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.