Riverfront Park, particularly the park’s centerpiece amphitheater, would undergo $3.6 million in improvements in a plan being developed by the city of Mankato.
The Vetter Stone Amphitheater — a popular spot for large concerts in the warmer-weather months — would receive a stage roof, some permanent seating and other upgrades under a project aiming to make the venue more attractive both for the biggest nationally-known performers and more usable for smaller-scale local events.
In addition, the park’s decrepit boatlaunch, which has been heavily damaged in times of high water on the Minnesota River, would be replaced.
Many of the improvements were being pursued four years ago but were put on hold during the pandemic and resulting economic uncertainty.
While cost estimates are still preliminary, the current plan is to seek $1.8 million in state financing in next year’s legislative session to be matched with $1.8 million in local funding, according to Parker Skophammer, director of administrative services for the city.
“The specific improvement to the Vetter Stone Amphitheater would include a permanent roof, rigging system and approximately 700 permanent seats,” Skophammer said.
The city relied on a seasonal roof over the stage since it opened in 2010, and portable chairs are hauled from the city-owned downtown arena for large concerts. Having some of the components required for a concert always in place would allow for additional smaller-scale events on the stage because the set-up and tear-down work would be limited.
“The rationale is that certainly Vetter Stone Amphitheater is a tremendous regional draw for events and acts of 2,000 to 3,500 attendees,” Skophammer said in a written statement. “However, because of the lack of a permanent components, the space is not feasible for smaller events of 500 to 1,000 spectators. Therefore, by adding the permanent roof, rigging system and seating it would expand the usability of the park for more people and organizations in the region to enjoy.”
The stage would offer more of a “plug and play” set-up for musicians, according to Eric Jones, who manages ticketed events at the downtown arena and Grand Hall as well as the amphitheater. The 700 permanent seats would also be in place for those attending the smaller community events.
Jones and Brian Sather, who serve as co-directors of the civic center, talked about the potential improvements during a City Council tour of civic center facilities earlier this month.
If the permanent improvements at the amphitheater included backstage bathrooms, showers and space for laying out some catered food, the amphitheater would also become viable for a larger list of national musical acts, Jones said.
He mentioned Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne as examples of performers who don’t consider holding concerts at venues without air-conditioned space and locker rooms for their crews. And a solid roof would provide protection from rain for the sound equipment used for top-notch concerts, which Jones said can have a value of as much as $250,000.
The permanent seats at the amphitheater, along with being ready for use during smaller events, would also bring operational efficiencies for large concerts.
Pointing at the stacks of hundreds of portable chairs at the civic center, Jones said the seats age more quickly when they’re used outdoors, and it requires a lot of labor to transport them to and from Riverfront Park for larger concerts.
“We’re doing that 10 times this summer,” Jones said.
For the bigger national acts, temporary seats would still need to be set up to supplement the permanent ones that would be added.
“We have to bring in some seats, but it’s not a large number,” Sather said of the post-improvement future of the venue.
The legislative request is likely to include at least one component not related to the amphitheater — the boat launch.
“As the launch sits today, it has fallen into a state of disrepair,” Skophammer said. “We are looking to replace the boat launch, allowing for a continued opportunity for the public to enjoy the Minnesota River via access from Riverfront Park.”
The message to the Legislature will be that Mankato’s growth as a major regional center — one that is increasingly contributing to the Minnesota’s economy — should be supported with state investments in quality-of-life amenities here, according to Skophammer. The funding would be proposed for inclusion in legislation financing statewide construction projects, known as a bonding bill, that is typically the focus of legislative sessions held in even-numbered years.