It has been a long, hard journey for the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. It took almost 10 years from the seed of the idea to its final creation. It took multiple seat number quotes ranging from 10,000 to 6,000 to 7,000 to 2,000 permanent seats. It took the destruction of baseball fields and a location change for the farmer’s market. It took budget changes and budget cuts.
So finally, after many changes, setbacks and a lot of time and effort, the 7,470-seat Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is finally set to officially open this March.
The project was issue financed by a 2 percent increase in the city’s lodgings tax and has been in the works since 2001 when it was mentioned as a possible facet of the Riverwalk Development Project.
Now that it has finally been completed, those involved look to the future for all the opportunities the amphitheater can offer.
Gary Weinberger of Red Mountain Entertainment, a Birmingham-based concert promoter and one of industry’s promoters of the year in 2008, was leader of the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater task force and witnessed most of the process of its creation.
Weinberger said a lot of things changed, and forces outside of their control prolonged the process.
“Unfortunately there were 90-plus rain days, which moved the opening of the amphitheater,” Weinberger said. “We would’ve hoped it was in the fall but it was moved to March.”
The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is set to host two upcoming concerts, Kenny Chesney with opening act Uncle Kracker and the country duo Sugarland.
“Kenny Chesney will open, and there will be another concert on April 1,” Weinberger said. “We’re going to book as many as we can.”
Weinberger said there are 10 more pending deals with artists for potential concerts.
“I do think it will be successful,” Weinberger said. “We’ll see what happens. The advanced response has been tremendous, and we’ve had a great response from sponsors.”
Weinberger said he feels that as long as popular, relevant artists are booked, UA students will be enticed to attend.
“If UA students like [the performing artist] then they’re going to come,” Weinberger said. “We understand that we have 30,000 plus students just two miles from our entry. We’re very conscious of UA’s students, faculty and staff.”
Kelli Knox-Hall, senior assistant director of Ferguson Center operations, said the University is looking to work with the Red Mountain Entertainment and the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in order to plan future events and concerts for students.
“There are two concerts that have been definitively announced – the Kenny Chesney concert and the Sugarland concert – and we’re still working on a date in April for the RAGE concert,” Knox-Hall said. “However, there are no details for that concert yet.”
University Programs and the Ferguson Center may not be the only University establishments to get involved, Knox-Hall said. Other departments, such as Creative Campus or the School of Music, may be interested.
“Tuscaloosa City and Red Mountain will have a process where the University can request dates,” Knox-Hall said. “They want to utilize the venue as much as possible.”
Knox-Hall said the University would make sure that students have safe transportation to and from any UA-supported concerts.
“I was invited to go to the grand opening of the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, and I can say that it is a first class venue and something that students would appreciate,” Knox-Hall said. “They put a lot of thought into comfort and design, accommodations are first-class and there are lots of restrooms and refreshments. There are about 7,000 seats, but it is still an intimate setting where you can sit in the last row and it’s still a great seat.”
