WTOL asked members of the social media community what questions and concerns they have for the developer. Weighed people who are for and against the amphitheater.
WATERVILLE, Ohio – proposed amphitheater in Waterville continues to be a controversial topic. Residents and neighbors are debating whether it should be built at all.
WTOL 11 asked members of the social media community what questions and concerns they have for the developer.
Hunter Brooks is president and CEO HB Concerts Inc. and Management of housing stockone of two groups working to create an outdoor music venue in Waterville.
Of the nearly 60 comments and questions posted on social media, top questions include:
- sound cabinet and outdoor amphitheater noise
- what activities and music will be there
- if the community will be able to use it
- parking and traffic
The main problem is whether the developers did thorough research.
“We’ve done our own internal research, which we’re ready to make public,” Brooks said. “We did have a third-party study done by a Fort Wayne DBA. I wanted an objective opinion, so we got it. We’re fully prepared to take it to the board for research, and I think we’re in good shape with that.”
People also want to know what the developers plan to do with the noise.
Some are even asking to put it underground more than already planned, but Brooks said that’s not possible.
“Going down 30 or 40 feet, I hear, something like that. We are reaching groundwater, we have big problems with drainage,” he said. “You add another 10 to 15 million to the project, now we’re north of 20 (million).”
Brooks said people in Mill Creek will be able to hear the events, but they have plans to help minimize the volume with landscaping, concession stands and other ways to distort sound to reduce the impact on those who live nearby.
Aside from the noise, people are concerned about how it will affect parking and traffic, especially since it will bring more than 9,000 people.
“You’re off the highway, you’ve got two lanes, and we’ll do a reverse after the show,” Brooks said. “So you’ve got three lanes on Prae Boulevard. There’s two lanes going south, that’s the inbound. It’s the same with the southbound reverse on Prae, two lanes inbound and three lanes continuous all the way out.”
And what events will there be and will the community be able to use the amphitheater?
Brooks said there will be a variety of activities ranging from country music, comedians, magicians and more.
He also said he would like to see community events there, but they are in this business to make money.
“It won’t survive and it won’t succeed if we don’t have the space,” he said. “That’s not to say we can’t support a 501(c)(3), we can’t let a high school graduation or a big community celebration be part of it and come for almost nothing. We have to run this as an operation.”
The Waterville City Council will hold a second reading of the proposal at its next meeting on Oct. 10, meaning a third reading and possible vote will take place on Oct. 24.
The board is expecting a large turnout for the Oct. 24 meeting, so it has been moved to 6 p.m. to allow time for public comment and will be held at Waterville Elementary School.
https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/waterville-amphitheater-developer-answers-community-questions/512-d26ff590-811b-451b-ba58-b9e63cb6691a
