Thursday, February 8, 2007

Lynchburg News and Advance

Amphitheater in Moneta?

By Justin Faulconer

MONETA - The stage is being set for a 7,000-seat amphitheater off Virginia 122 in Moneta.

A community meeting was held at Moneta Elementary School on Wednesday night to discuss the project that Darrin Snyder has been thinking about ever since he was in high school.

Snyder, a Franklin County native, and wife Holly Sweet, of Bedford, are proposing to bring “Sweetwater Amphitheater” to a 56-acre parcel of land near Hendricks Store Road.

The couple currently lives in Nashville and plan to move back to the area once the project is under way.

“We went to Nashville to chase our dreams,” said Snyder. “Now we’re coming home and bringing those dreams back with us.”

About 50 area residents attended Wednesday’s meeting and none objected to the proposed entertainment center, which would be a private operation.

David S. Anderson, a managing principal for Timmons Group in Richmond who is designing the amphitheater, said the project’s goals are to provide quality entertainment and economic impact for Moneta.

Anderson also touched on possible concerns - traffic, lighting and noise.

Anderson said the vast majority of visitors to the site would use a main entrance on Virginia 122, which is a two-lane road.

Turning lanes into the entrance are needed, Anderson said, and there would be four lanes from the entrance going back out onto Virginia 122.

During events, off-duty police officers could control the traffic, Anderson said.

The amphitheater is designed to have a roof over the stage that provides a good bulk of its lighting, Anderson said. 2,500 fixed seats will be directly in front of the stage with an open lawn behind. Caterpillar-shaped speakers that are designed to shoot speaker noise to fixed locations close to the amphitheater will keep performance volume from reaching areas near the amphitheater, he said.

Forty acres of the proposed area has to be rezoned from residential to commercial.

That request will come before the Bedford County Planning Commission in March and the Board of Supervisors in April. The meetings will be public hearings, said Bedford planner Mary Zirkle.

The proposed land is suitable, he said, because of its sloping topography and surrounding trees, which should make it nearly invisible from Virginia 122.

“This property almost designed itself out,” said Anderson.

Snyder said the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a perfect backdrop. “Outdoor shows are my favorite,” said Snyder. “There’s just a vibe.”

Snyder and Sweet are to oversee the amphitheater’s daily operations. Sweet said it could be a great facility for the county to take advantage of.

“We want it to be available to the community,” said Sweet.

The couple wants it to draw attraction from people visiting nearby Smith Mountain Lake. Nationally known music artists are also a target.

“We have set up this venue so it’s attractive to promoters,” said Sweet. “We have very high expectations for this venue.”

Sweet also wants to attract a local market of talented musicians from Lynchburg, Bedford and Roanoke. She mentioned Liberty University as a great source for acts.

Other local benefits the couple and residents discussed were the amphitheater serving as a start for local youth pursuing music careers.

Local businesses would have the opportunity to sell concessions, Sweet said.

One issue the couple does take seriously is alcohol consumption. Sweet said she put more thought into it than any other concern. She said she wants the staff to closely monitor it so it would never detract patrons from having a bad experience. “It’s not only a safety issue, it’s a business issue,” said Sweet.

Anderson hopes to have the project under construction later this year. The first concert is planned for early 2008. It would operate from April to October, Anderson said.

Zirkle said it’s unusual to have positive community reaction to proposed local development.

“It’s very exciting to see something like this,” said Zirkle. “This was refreshing to see something people are interested in.”

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