Wheeler District

[Praedura]

Concert venue is set to open along Oklahoma River | News OK

Interesting sketch included with the article:



Wished it was bigger so I could make out more details.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Wished it was bigger so I could make out more details.

[BoulderSooner]

that could be a great concert venue

[Praedura]

Awesome. Thanks!

Well, since you are granting wishes, I have a list for you. I'd like the following items....

[Praedura]

Seeing the list of company names along the bottom of the rendering led me to investigate them for any further info. However... not much luck.

* Johnson & Associates (there are several -- I'll assume that this is the OKC based company)
Johnson and Associates

But it's just a mainly empty stub.


* Howard Fairbairn Site Design
www.hfsdinc.com

Which is also a largely empty stub. Sigh. But they also have a facebook page:

Howard-Fairbairn Site Design - Oklahoma City, OK - Local Business | Facebook

Which does have some interesting stuff on it, but nothing about the proposed riverfront concert venue. And the last entry is from about a year ago.


* Studio Architecture
Home - Studio Architecture

Well, at least there's actual stuff on their site. But nothing about the concert venue that I can find.

[UnFrSaKn]

I looked up all those links too but didn't see a larger version so I didn't post the links.

[Larry OKC]

Are those Airplane movie posters flanking the stage...LOL

[jn1780]

Are those Airplane movie posters flanking the stage...LOL

I guess someone typed airplane theme into a search engine and that is what came up. lol

[rlewis]

I think that it is a really neat location for an amphitheater, but I'm skeptical that Howard Pollack can get this project done. There seems to be more showmanship rather than substance behind this announcement.

I believe the city will ultimately decide where the eventual replacement for the ZooAmp goes.

[warreng88]

There are a bunch of little shotgun houses to the west the downtown airpark, I am curious how the residents feel about an amphitheatre being built next door.

[Rover]

I think that it is a really neat location for an amphitheater, but I'm skeptical that Howard Pollack can get this project done. There seems to be more showmanship rather than substance behind this announcement.

I believe the city will ultimately decide where the eventual replacement for the ZooAmp goes.

This isn't meant to be a replacement for the Zoo Amphitheater is it? It's just a private endeavor. Any reason why the city won't permit it? This could be very cool.

[OKCPhotog]

The article says that they'll be having concerts starting in June. I hope they come through with that because that would really be awesome for Downtown OKC

[soonerguru]

Not to be a cynic, but since this is a Howard Pollack production, we can expect "WORLD CLASS ENTERTAINMENT" like REO Speedwagon and Steve Miller Band. Blah.

[bluedogok]

Seeing the list of company names along the bottom of the rendering led me to investigate them for any further info. However... not much luck.

* Johnson & Associates (there are several -- I'll assume that this is the OKC based company)
Johnson and Associates

But it's just a mainly empty stub.


* Howard Fairbairn Site Design
www.hfsdinc.com

Which is also a largely empty stub. Sigh. But they also have a facebook page:

Howard-Fairbairn Site Design - Oklahoma City, OK - Local Business | Facebook

Which does have some interesting stuff on it, but nothing about the proposed riverfront concert venue. And the last entry is from about a year ago.


* Studio Architecture
Home - Studio Architecture

Well, at least there's actual stuff on their site. But nothing about the concert venue that I can find.

Johnson & Associates - Civil Engineer - They did the canal in the California Street area, I had to coordinate with them on the JDM Place project since they did that section.

Howard & Fairbairn - Landscape Architecture - I worked with Scott Fairbairn at Benham and kind of knew Scott Howard. They have been in the OKC market for a long time and are very good landscape architects.

Studio Architecture - Architecture - Started by some ex-FSB and Benham people, I worked with one of the principals when he was at Benham and worked with the other one who was at FSB at the time on the Henderson Hills Baptist Church new campus master planning charrette. They ended up forming Studio Architecture and did the Henderson Hills campus project. It looks like the one at FSB is no longer there but the one that I worked with at Benham is still there, he was one of the sharpest people that I ever worked with in my professional life. If I were to move back to OKC they are probably one of the first firms that I would talk to.

I would be surprised if they had anything on their sites about the venue since it seems that it just became public which to me would mean that the Humphrey's people just gave it the go ahead.

[jn1780]

I think that it is a really neat location for an amphitheater, but I'm skeptical that Howard Pollack can get this project done. There seems to be more showmanship rather than substance behind this announcement.

I believe the city will ultimately decide where the eventual replacement for the ZooAmp goes.

The Zoo Amphitheater is still there and is being run by someone else. The ZooAmp entertain group that use to run the Zoo Amphitheater currently presents concerts and fights to several casinos throughout Oklahoma. I think the city tried/is trying to get the name ZooAmp for obvious reasons.

This new venue will ultimately be competing for the same old geezers and barely out of the their garage bands that will play at the Zoo Amphitheater. lol

[rlewis]

I'm not saying the city will try and block it; unless, of course, there are issues with the noise, code violations, crime, etc.. I guess what I was trying to say is that I think that Howard Pollack wants to put the ZooAmp out of business, and I don't think he'll be able to pull it off with this shoddy-looking place.

The city owns the ZooAmp through the Zoological Trust, and they don't seem to be eager to get out of the outdoor concert venue business. In a few years, I think it's their intent to build a replacement somewhere else in the city. Hard to say when and where.

This place looks like a state fair or music festival-type setup. I like the idea of having an outdoor venue on the river; but it should be a nicely constructed, permanent facility that will attract quality acts that appeal to all different age groups.

[ljbab728]

This place looks like a state fair or music festival-type setup. I like the idea of having an outdoor venue on the river; but it should be a nicely constructed, permanent facility that will attract quality acts that appeal to all different age groups.

As has been mentioned, this is only a temporary setup. There is already a proposal to have an outdoor facility on the south side of the river directly south of downtown.

[OKCPhotog]

As has been mentioned, this is only a temporary setup. There is already a proposal to have an outdoor facility on the south side of the river directly south of downtown.

Directly south of downtown would be ideal for the access to bars, restaurants, etc. in Bricktown. This temporary set up could be a great stepping stone for this to happen though!

[OKCPhotog]

Not to be a cynic, but since this is a Howard Pollack production, we can expect "WORLD CLASS ENTERTAINMENT" like REO Speedwagon and Steve Miller Band. Blah.

Whats wrong with REO Speedwagon and Steve Miller Band?? Those type of acts sell out HUGE venues like Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver all the time. Don't forget that Pollack also brought in bands in the last two seasons like Phish and The Flaming Lips, both shows drew a massive crowd.

[BDP]

Not to be a cynic, but since this is a Howard Pollack production, we can expect "WORLD CLASS ENTERTAINMENT" like REO Speedwagon and Steve Miller Band. Blah.

That was my first thought. Nothing wrong with having those types of bands in the mix, but they always seem to dominate the bookings at the Zoo. There's usually maybe only 1 or 2 acts a year that don't get heavy rotation on KRXO and/or the KATT. Granted, most of the relevant new acts play smaller theater venues for a single or double bill, but the amphitheater circuit generally tries to leverage the draw of a handful of bands for one show to get it full.

And to really compete, any permanent venue will need a sloped viewing area with seating down low and an elevated lawn in the back. In addition, most major amphitheaters today have permanent open air structures covering at least the lower seating.

A few examples:













Of course this won't happen, but something like this would be cool on the river:

[CuatrodeMayo]

And to really compete, any permanent venue will need a sloped viewing area with seating down low and an elevated lawn in the back. In addition, most major amphitheaters today have permanent open air structures covering at least the lower seating.

Like was pointed out above, the airpark stage is only a temporary venue until a permanent amphitheater can be constructed. I can tell you a structure like you are suggesting is what is being seriously considered for the permanent facility.

[BDP]

Like was pointed out above, the airpark stage is only a temporary venue until a permanent amphitheater can be constructed. I can tell you a structure like you are suggesting is what is being seriously considered for the permanent facility.

Yes. I was talking about a permanent structure. They're obviously not doing that now.

[BoulderSooner]

new zoning for the temporary concert venue was approved yesterday at council ... it allows 12 events a year for 3 years .. and then the PUB expires

[bombermwc]

new zoning for the temporary concert venue was approved yesterday at council ... it allows 12 events a year for 3 years .. and then the PUB expires

until they just renew it because no one has come up with a permanent solution. Please forgive my cynicism, but nothing at the airpark has seemed to have moved at all....ever. The last thing i went to there was 4th of July fireworks likst 6 years ago. The place is just as empty as it was then.

[HangryHippo]

until they just renew it because no one has come up with a permanent solution. Please forgive my cynicism, but nothing at the airpark has seemed to have moved at all....ever. The last thing i went to there was 4th of July fireworks likst 6 years ago. The place is just as empty as it was then.

Yeah, I'm quite surprised that there's been absolutely no movement on this project. I thought it was a wonderful idea, but it's just never going to happen. Which is too bad, because I really do think it would be successful.