Two weeks ago, City Council voted to turn over the downtown amphitheater to Coran Capshaw (DMB manager, local real estate guy, etc.), loaning him $3.4M to overhaul the current amphitheater layout and create a covered venue, as a part of the redesign of the east end of the Downtown Mall. Capshaw has agreed to hold 50 events there each year, which the city estimates will fatten city coffers by $150k-$200k each year. Notably, there is no requirement that the amphitheater continue to be available to the Charlottesville Downtown Foundation for Fridays After Five, but instead stipulates that some sort of a cheap or free weekly event take place each week. Finally, Capshaw has been given naming rights, so the downtown amphitheater could become “The MusicToday Pavilion,” if he saw fit. Lisa Provence has the story in the current Hook.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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"Cox likens the structure, designed by FTL Design Engineering Studio, to a sail that will make people think of the Monticello hillside in the distance"
Holy Toledeo!
amount of loan from city to capshaw to revamp amphitheater: $3.4 million
annual revenue expected to be generated by capshaw events: $150-200k/year
at that rate, it will take 17-23 years for the amphitheater to make back the $3.4 million original investment.
i wonder how much i’ll be paying to toss a bag of garbage in this town by then.
At least the Mall will be in balance, with albatrosses on either end!
Actually, I’m a little concerned about the sudden competition for performers and, more importantly, for consumers. With the Paramount reopening soon, the new UVA concert hall in the works, and the redesigned amphitheater, that’s going to be a lot of seats to fill. While the UVA concert hall won’t be under the same economic pressures as the Paramount and amphitheater, it may be hard to sell that many tickets during the course of a year to all three venues. Will be interesting to watch.
One hope is that none of the venues will have anything to do with Ticketbastard!
than anyplace i can think of.
the chances of seeing a decent band in c’ville died the day trax closed its doors. and even then, they hadn’t had a big-name band come through in quite some time.
i’m sure the new amphitheater will bring to c’ville the best that VH1 has to offer. and i’m sure coran realizes that he can make much more money if he avoids having to split his rake with ticketbastard.