By Tyler Rothbauer
A new amphitheater is currently being planned for downtown.
The location and project timeline will be disclosed during the Youngstown City Council Meeting on Oct. 6.
First Ward Councilman Julius Oliver believes the creation of this amphitheater will liven up downtown Youngstown.
“I expect new developers to come in and capitalize on the potential,” Oliver said. “This will make downtown a new destination.”
New restaurants and the Doubletree Hotel are scheduled to open in late December 2017.
Michael McGiffin, who is currently involved in the project design committee, said he believes the new outdoor component will balance out what the Covelli Centre cannot provide.
The amphitheater will profit in the summer season, while the Covelli Centre will continue to make more money in the winter portion.
“Creating this venue gives us the framework for what we want to do,” McGiffin said.
The approval for this framework will be determined at the upcoming council meeting. McGiffin and two architecture firms have been working on the design.
There is support city-wide for the initiation and completion of this project.
“The mayor is behind this project 100 percent,” Oliver said.
Oliver also added at the previous council meeting that new legislation was passed to take care of the city-wide loitering epidemic. He intends for this new amphitheater and recreational area to be well monitored at all times.
“A new food pantry on Marshall recently opened,” Oliver said. “That should take care of the situation.”
The amphitheater will complement the success of some of the restaurants that have opened up downtown. The addition of outdoor music will hopefully set up countless venues, and according to McGiffin, most artists are looking for outdoor shows. The amphitheater will draw attention to irregular city-goers, such as Youngstown resident Madeline Hiner.
“Live music is really nice, and I really believe that I will attend shows in the future,” Hiner said. “I think it will draw in a different crowd of people much like myself.”
Oliver believes the project could possibly be completed by summer 2017. However, McGiffin could not comfortably agree with that, as there as numerous challenges in every project.
He said there will be a full understanding of the timeline for this project once the final design plans are approved.