Mayor proposes adding outdoor sound and lighting to amphitheater

Jan. 15—A proposal last week by Mayor Tab Bowling to install a $631,561 outdoor sound and lighting system at Daikin Amphitheater in the downtown Founders Park has received a lukewarm reception from council members, but performers embrace the idea.

Core Construction Group created a plan of potential improvements for Bowling using a design by Barnett Landscape, Architecture + Planning. The proposal includes outdoor sound and light, construction, power upgrades and engineering, and project management.

"Sound and lighting at the amphitheater have been a challenge. The amphitheater just isn't used very often," Bowling told the City Council.

The proposed project would include $142,500 remaining from money donated by Daikin America. This would reduce the city's cost to $508,008.

"We got a very nice donation from Daikin and the amphitheater has been underutilized, so this is a chance to improve it," Bowling said. "We are wanting to find ways to improve the city's quality of life, and this project would allow us to hold more events there."

Brian Leighton, of Southern Sound, said "one of the glaring reasons" the amphitheater at the park in front of the Old State Bank doesn't get a lot of use is it has to be used during the day because there's no outdoor lighting.

Leighton said it's also not used because performers have to bring their personal sound systems and lighting.

He said the sound system for the proposed project would be easy to use with a controller that's under lock and key. He estimated the lifespan of the sound and lighting equipment would be 10 to 15 years.

Leighton said the sound system would meet 90% to 95% of the needs of regional performers.

"People could just hook up without having to lug in a bunch of gear," Leighton said. "It would also allow larger groups to do a show like they want. A regional band usually requires a certain quality, which is different from what someone like Taylor Swift would want."

It's not the first time Bowling has proposed the upgrades. In 2019 he proposed that the council use a $160,000 Daikin donation for sound and lighting systems at the amphitheater. He made the recommendation again in 2020, at which time he estimated the city would have to cover $30,000 of the cost in addition to the $160,000 Daikin donation.

His proposals did not get traction with the previous City Council, and it's now being met with skepticism by some current council members.

Councilmen Kyle Pike, Carlton McMasters and Hunter Pepper said they are having trouble with the proposed cost of more than $500,000.

"It's too big of a number for me," McMasters said. "Quality-of-life projects are important but I have a lot of questions."

Leighton said he believes Founders Park could hold "a crowd of 5,000 to 8,000" with a popular but older group like .38 Special or the Marshall Tucker Band.

Pike and McMasters said they doubt Founders Park could hold 5,000 to 8,000 people and, if it did have an act that attracts a large crowd, they questioned how it would be managed, how the perimeter would be secured and where attendees would park.

Pepper said he's grateful for Daikin's help in improving Founders Park. However, he said he's against spending any more city money on the amphitheater.

"I don't want to spend a penny of my constituents' money (on the amphitheater)," Pepper said. "That's $508,000 of taxpayers' money that could go to a lot of other needed projects in the city. I will vote no and I hope the other council members vote no along with me."

Pepper suggested the money could be used to replace the roof at the city's Fire and Police Training Center on Old Highway 31 in the Flint area of the city. Fire Chief Tracy Thornton said the roof has major leaks and the council is considering a proposal to pay Johns and Kirksey Inc. $283,400 to replace it.

Pepper also said he doesn't believe the amphitheater will bring in an artist that would attract 5,000 to 8,000 people.

"If we ever brought in 5,000 people, I will give every bit of my money to the project," Pepper said.

The city revamped its outdoor concert series, now known as Decatur Park Concerts, in 2022 and began holding it exclusively at the amphitheater in the spring and fall. The series of musical performances was previously known as Concerts by the River and based at Rhodes Ferry Park, but the last three concerts of the season from 2016-19 were held at the amphitheater.

The COVID pandemic canceled the series in 2020 and shortened it in 2021, but each concert at the amphitheater last year typically attracted several hundred people.

Benefits

Local playwright, director and actor Chuck Puckett, retired from Bank Street Players, has long advocated for installation of lighting and sound systems at the amphitheater and on Friday he reiterated that it would dramatically increase the venue's utility.

"Not to belabor the obvious, but you've just doubled the amount of things you could do there," Puckett said. "You could put in nighttime performances. You could bring in more bands."

He said an example of the benefit can be found in Decatur Park Concerts.

"They go on until after dark, but when it gets past dark you can't see crap. A lighting system would extend that. Here they have this incredible stage at the amphitheater with a slope where people can put their blankets or chairs. It's the perfect place to have it, but if you have that kind of facility and you're not utilizing it to the maximum, it's just a shame."

Puckett said he's directed and played in some productions at the amphitheater and it placed a huge strain on volunteers because of the requirement that they set up and take down portable sound and lighting systems after each practice and performance. That's a burden, he said, that would dissuade many productions from choosing the amphitheater as a venue.

Councilman Billy Jackson said he's always been supportive of things like the concert series, but in this situation he's concerned the city hasn't done its due diligence on amphitheater improvements.

"I am not aware of any conversation with the surrounding neighborhood regarding increased volume, hours or additional traffic. We have not addressed important issues such as bathroom facilities," Jackson said.

Jackson said he doesn't think the council should move on the project now because it's not in the fiscal 2023 budget.

"This project will cost our citizens $508,000 and unless there is a reason that we have to address this immediately, it should be addressed at the mid-year budget revision or at budget time," Jackson said. "I am aware that state code requires that we adopt a budget, but if we are going spend regardless of budgetary considerations, then a budget has no meaning for the city."

Councilman Jacob Ladner said he thinks it's important that the amphitheater have a sound and lighting system that's easily used by local musicians and theater companies, although he agrees there would be major challenges for an act that attracted a large crowd.

"I'm OK with making it easier for local bands and theater companies," Ladner said. "One of the complaints I've heard is about the lack of lighting and sound at the amphitheater."

Bowling said he's heard the concerns about the cost from the council members. He said he's been working on the project for a couple of years and, unfortunately, inflation pushed the cost up from early estimates.

"We will be looking for ways to offer the project in alternates," Bowling said. "Maybe we can put the lights in first and do the sound system at another time."

The City Council approved construction of the amphitheater in September 2013 and it opened in May 2015. The $385,000 amphitheater began with a $100,000 contribution from Daikin. The city also received $125,000 in state grants. The initial estimate for the construction cost was $200,000, but costs increased in part as they sought to dampen the traffic noise from Wilson Street Northwest. A dirt berm was added as a noise buffer.

Hugh Long, a drama professor at Athens State University who works out of the Alabama Center for the Arts and artistic director of the Athenian Players, was on the original design committee for the amphitheater. He said sound and lighting systems were part of the long-term plan then, and he thinks they are needed to fully utilize the venue and to maximize its benefit for Decatur.

"You can't have a performance that doesn't direct the sound to the audience," he said, and that's especially important in an amphitheater that is next to Wilson Street and its noisy truck traffic.

By adding lighting, Long said, evening performances would encourage attendees to patronize nearby downtown restaurants.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.