GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — By transforming the site of several municipal buildings into the groundwork for an 85,000 square foot amphitheater, Grand Action 2.0 is drafting plans for a new development of the Grand Rapids riverfront.
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Currently, 201 Market Avenue is the home of the city's Parks and Recreation building, as well as several industrial structures and parking lots beside the U.S. 131 S-Curve. In March, city commissioners OK'd the sale of that block, a total of 11.6 acres, paving the way for an amphitheater near downtown Grand Rapids.
Grand Action 2.0, the organization leading the amphitheater’s development, has previously envisioned new concepts for riverfront development in Grand Rapids and recently submitted documents to the city, which detail the characteristics and potential impacts of the venue.
Documents submitted by Grand Action 2.0 describe the venue as a large stage with a canopy. Designed with 36.8% green space, the amphitheater will boast 12,000 seats, with 5,000 on the lawn.
A concessions building and pedestrian-friendly plaza along Market Avenue are also features of the proposed venue.
Over the next 30 years, the planned amphitheater is expected to generate $490 million in economic revenue for the city.
Plus, developers believe the venue would launch about 480 new jobs and $7 million in annual wage earnings.
Grand Action 2.0 also depicts the amphitheater as an energizing addition to the city’s downtown, drawing visitors from all across the region, boosting the downtown’s social district, spotlighting not only traveling shows but also local performers.
300,000 visitors are expected to visit the amphitheater per year, with the venue poised to open from April to October, hosting about 50 events every season.
The venue would support traveling shows, which city documents say would run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., as well as local performances, which could stage any day of the week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Grand Action 2.0 also emphasizes that plans for an amphitheater would align with the city’s Master Plan by improving riverfront access, making it easier and more enjoyable for people to walk along the Grand River.
City leaders have called the amphitheater “a game-changer" and “transformational” while also expressing concerns about inclusion.
Former Third Ward Commissioner Senita Lenear said she was "eager” for a downtown amphitheater, but also expressed concern that her ward, which is home to the city’s largest Black population, wasn’t receiving the same level of investment.
“They’re saying they want a vibrant business district and walkable business district just like downtown,” she said back in March.
READ: Grand Rapids city leaders approve land purchase for riverfront amphitheater
Developers also explore two other potential problems: parking and noise.
Grand Action 2.0 says sound studies are underway, saying the lawn seating berm could redirect the amphitheater's noise towards the river and away from the surrounding city.
As for parking, while the amphitheater comes with just 116 parking spaces, developers estimate around 18,500 parking spaces exist within a 15 minute walk to the venue.
In total, the amphitheater would cost around $116 million.
Developers are hoping to break ground this year and to see the amphitheater open by 2025. In the meantime, developers have scheduled several presentations with neighborhood associations through June.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of the article erroneously stated that 30,000 visitors were expected to visit the amphitheater every year. The correct number is 300,000. We regret this error and have corrected the mistake.
