EPHRATA (CelebrityAccess) – Planned upgrades at the Gorge Amphitheatre may be pushed back to 2016 after general manager Danny Wilde said they plan on prioritizing building a security fence, studying traffic concerns and keeping neighbors happy over expansion plans.
Wilde's comments came during a meeting with county commissioners, local fire departments, sheriff's office, planning director, and health officials over signing a concert management agreement with Live Nation for 2015, the Columbia Basin Herald reported.
Live Nation had sought a zoning change in March, 2014, seeking to make The Gorge into a master planned resort. Grant County signed off on the plan in August, despite strong public discontent with the plan. Proposed upgrades included 1,000 camping spaces, a café and bar, recreational improvements such as a volleyball court and outdoor cinema.
However, during the meeting, Grant County Commissioners noted that the venue drew substantially more complaints in 2014, more than the previous four years combined. As well, nearby medical services such as the Quincy Valley Medical Center complained that communications with Live Nation were underwhelming and that events at The Gorge had placed a financial burden on the facilities. – Staff Writers
