Like the first composition by an omnificent maestro, the Huntsville Amphitheater is rising from the firmament at MidCity with its own unique structure and harmonious arrangement – a masterpiece of design, acoustics, provision, and intimacy.

Going up so fast its benefactor Ryan Murphy of Huntsville’s Venue Group could barely contain his giddiness in the recent update to the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce. There he planted a flag of assurance that the first sounds of music will rise from its stage in May 2022.

“I’ve never seen anything of this scale go up so fast so after looking at drawings of it for 3 years, seeing the real thing is exciting and absolutely incredible,” said Murphy whose company will manage the Amphitheater and all its activities for the City of Huntsville.

He showed images of the venue’s steel structure firmly planted; the bowl taking shape surrounded by prefabricated seating and some of the archways that lend itself to the coliseum-type design.

“We’ve been holding a lot of hard hat tours, bringing in local organizations that want to see it under construction,” said Murphy. “Even at this point in the construction, you can feel the intimacy of the venue and sense the presence of someone onstage as you walk the site. Eight thousand people is not a small venue, but this amphitheater is designed so there is not a bad seat in the house, even in what can be called the ‘nosebleed’ section, you will be able to see the whites of the performer’s eyes. People can already feel the density of the venue’s footprint and experience its awesomeness.”

Visitors will have what Murphy calls an ‘immersive experience’ created by the designers, Matheny Goldmon Architecture + Interiors, along the concourses where many of the food and beverage vendors and merchandise vendors are located.

“It will be different from the cookie-cutter beer and hotdog concessions you see in many outdoor venues,” said Murphy. “We are leaning into a lot of great stuff, for instance, you will be able to order a special cocktail, a glass of wine or a beer, a cup of kombucha or a cup of coffee; and we are trying out some food ideas that will ensure an elevated experience for visitors on the F&B side.”

Earlier this year, the Huntsville Business Journal discussed the importance of the food element with Venue Group owner and Grammy award-winning Mumford & Sons musician Ben Lovett.

“The food experience is very important to us, but probably not something people deem as important across the industry,” Lovett said. “Most venues see the show as the main event, but if you go beyond the show, those people are going to want to park efficiently. They will want to have dinner and some drinks. We see these things as a kind of equal match to the main event itself.”

According to Lovett and Murphy, many impressive public venues open only to discover drastic traffic and parking problems getting in and out of the venue before and after a show. For that reason, the Venue Group is building a main parking lot, plus several smaller lots, while offering multiple parking options throughout the site that will accommodate a full capacity of 8,000 people.

“We are consulting with logistics experts about traffic and discussing the phasing of ingress and egress parking, while working with rideshare companies about other options. We are saying with confidence we will nail it,” said Murphy.

The Huntsville Amphitheater is a city entity, a facility funded by the taxpayers. Bringing in 20 to 30-plus big-name artists from around the country and around the world is only a piece of the economic strategy behind the amphitheater.

“The Huntsville Amphitheater will provide cultural programming and support the local music scene and all types of community engagement,” said Murphy. “We will support the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library’s new music streaming platform, Blast, and give the more than 40 local musicians from around the Tennessee Valley plenty of opportunities to celebrate the platform’s music catalog live on stage.

“We will also work with local organizations to put together a night market and a farmer’s market.”

Aerial view of the progress and construction of the Huntsville Amphitheater

The Huntsville City Council voted to give the Venue Group a ground lease to a parcel of the new West Huntsville Park adjacent to the amphitheater, so they can elevate and invest in a Food Village. In turn, the Venue Group is investing millions of dollars into it to solidify the longevity of their relationship with the community.

“We want it to be very clear in everyone’s minds that the Huntsville Amphitheater is an extension of the new park,” said Murphy.

It also opens the door to something bigger – festivals.

Murphy said the Amphitheater campus and park can accommodate multiple stages with many acts and events going on to create an amazing stretched-out regional festival like an artist’s meadow, a student Shakespeare series, and more.

The benefits to local businesses and attractions are also incalculable as they have opportunities to entertain the entertainers.

“A concert act brings an entire crew to town when they arrive, and it is important for us to have things for the entertainers and their families to do when they are not performing, so we are open to local attractions and businesses interested in engaging the artists.”

Built by Robins & Morton, Murphy said they have adjusted well to staying in sync with the timeline despite the starts and stops caused not only by the pandemic last year, but by the curveballs thrown at them this year as the virus waned and then returned.

The timeline is important because Murphy said there is a window of opportunity to book some huge artists in May and June next year, stretching into fall.

“We are going to come out of the gate really strong in May 2022,” he said. “The entire entertainment industry has faced the same fits and starts due to COVID as everyone else and many of the big acts started back touring but had to recalibrate tour dates as people again began retreating. But we are back on track and have some great confirmations I am not allowed to talk about yet.”

He expects however, to make some announcements in October this year, for next spring’s opening.

Photo credits: Sellers Photo