Final Costs, Designs To Be Presented Next Month on Waite Park Amphitheater Project

WAITE PARK -- Waite Park officials continue to discuss the best way to move forward with the proposed amphitheater project.

City officials held a work study session Monday and Tuesday to discuss several key issues such as operations, maintenance, and designs for the project.

Mayor Rick Miller says they gained a lot of knowledge over the two day discussion.

We learned a lot about the little things. We've always had the architects and engineers provide details, over the last two days we had the production people in town and there is a difference between the two.

Preliminary plans for the project called for seating capacity of 4,000 people and 400 parking stalls, fixed or open seating near the stage, lawn seating, sound system and the use of visual display boards.

Miller says the amphitheater could be the gem of the city, but it needs to be done at the right price.

That is the key to this. If the dollars go too high it's just something that isn't even feasible for us. We're hoping to keep the project in a budget where we can proceed with this.

The council wants to keep total project costs under $7-million.

Miller say from here the architects will start designing a master cost plan, which is expected to be finished by March.

The proposed amphitheater site will overlook a piece of quarry land along 17th Avenue and Parkway Drive.