The Youngstown Foundation has given the city of Youngstown $3 million toward the construction of a new downtown amphitheater. The gift is the first donation toward the riverfront project.
As part of the gift, The Youngstown Foundation will receive naming rights to the new facility for 20 years and will be recognized as a founding sponsor of the project in perpetuity.
The amphitheater is expected to break ground this spring with construction bids opening in January 2018. The amphitheater’s projected grand opening is set for spring of 2019. The total cost for the project is estimated to be $9 million.
At a press conference today, The Youngstown Foundation announced its gift and unveiled the new name of the facility — The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater.
The amphitheater has a planned seating capacity of up to 4,500. The proposed facility includes a state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting; multiple concession areas; flexible hard seating in front of the stage; a grass lawn; and a V.I.P. area.
The amphitheater will be located within a riverfront park spanning 12 acres from the Covelli Centre and the Front Street corridor to the Spring Common Bridge at Mahoning Avenue. Plans call for the amphitheater to host community events as well as national and regional touring acts.
“As The Youngstown Foundation prepares to commemorate its 100th year in 2018, we are thrilled to play a part in a project that will transform the future landscape of downtown Youngstown and the quality of life for many years to come,” said Jan Strasfeld, executive director. “We could not think of a more fitting way to kick off our centennial year than with the announcement of this gift to the city of Youngstown.”
“The city of Youngstown is truly grateful to The Youngstown Foundation for helping turn this dream of a new downtown venue into a reality. Through this generous gift, we’ll be able to bring to life this vision of creating an even more vibrant downtown Youngstown in a new outdoor facility that embraces the arts, culture and the community,” said Youngstown Mayor John McNally.
“My team has been working on this project for the better part of five years and to see what was once a dream become a reality is truly indescribable,” said Eric Ryan, chief executive officer of JAC LIVE and one of the leading partners in the amphitheater project.
For more information on the amphitheater, contact Adrienne Sabo at 330-707-2088 or
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…. For more information about The Youngstown Foundation, visit youngstownfoundation.org….
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