City explores amphitheater project

The City of Sisters has taken the first steps toward purchasing approximately 11.5 acres within the city limits for a city amphitheater and parking.

The property is located in two places: on the southwest corner of Locust Street and Barclay Drive, extending west to Larch Street and separately, immediately north of Barclay Drive and west of the former Conklin House.

The City plan is to create a space that can hold up to 3,500 people, while being flexible enough to accommodate many community needs and events. The venue should also include parking for up to 450 cars.

In a prepared release, the City stated that, "As a gateway to Central Oregon, Sisters has a unique opportunity to design and construct this amphitheater as a representation of our region and all that it has to offer. Funding for this project will be raised from a variety of sources including sponsor donations, urban renewal funds and financing."

Mayor Brad Boyd explained the financial arrangements currently in place.

"The property is under contract," he said. "The City has put up a $25,000 deposit. That deposit is fully refundable for the first 150 days (starting November 1) - call it five months. We have five months to do our due diligence - sharpen our pencil on design/construction costs and, most important, fundraise."

City Manager Andrew Gorayeb remarked, "This is a good first step on a long road towards building what could be an amazing community asset. We need to engage the community in designing something everyone can be proud of. But first, we need to raise a whole bunch of money to pay for it... I'm committed to working hard to pursue this council goal and help make this a reality."

Boyd noted that "there will be a decision point in about 140 days saying 'can we do this?'"

The release notes that, "The community asset will be managed by the City through a number of to-be-formed community partnerships. The City has engaged in discussions with several concert promoters and intends to maximize the utility and community benefit derived from this community asset by attracting many high-quality performers."

Jim Cornelius, co-founder of the Sisters Folk Festival, said, "A dedicated, purpose-built performing arts facility has been on the community wish-list for a long time. This site offers a lot of exciting possibilities for events like the folk festival and others."

Boyd said he considers the amphitheater a tool for building cultural tourism and economic vitality in Sisters, much as Jacksonville has benefitted from the Britt Festival.

"We're looking at what's working in other communities," he said. "If we want this town to be economically viable, we have to up our game. We need to give people more reasons to come here."

Cultural tourism has knock-on effects for the lodging industry, for restaurants, retail establishments and other recreation-based businesses, Boyd noted.

"Bringing more commerce to town is a good thing," he said.

Boyd acknowledged that there will likely be significant interest from citizens regarding the scope of the project.

"We're looking at an informational workshop," he said. "We need to get a little further down the road in terms of our design and what our fundraising plan is going to be."