FAYETTEVILLE — Members of the Walton Arts Center’s board could decide to pull the plug on the Arkansas Music Pavilion in Fayetteville on Tuesday.
A special meeting is scheduled to discuss moving the concert venue to Rogers, across Interstate 540 from Pinnacle Hills Promenade.
“Our goal is to approve the project so that we can begin large scale development next month, start construction later this summer and open by June 1, 2014,” Peter Lane, arts center CEO, said in a email to board members Tuesday.
Lane declined to discuss details about the Rogers location Thursday, citing his desire to protect donor confidentiality. But, he added, a “multicampus,” regional approach has long been part of the arts center’s goals.
“Our mission for a long time has been to serve all of Northwest Arkansas,” Lane said.
A May 7 site plan from Rogers-based Core Architects identifies land owned by Hunt Ventures, south of Embassy Suites for the outdoor amphitheater. The plan shows a nearly 5,600-square-foot stage with fixed seats and a sloped lawn capable of accommodating about 5,400 concertgoers.
When the pavilion was in the Northwest Arkansas Mall’s parking lot, it had a 4,200-square-foot stage with a 6,000 capacity.
The venue, which has been in Fayetteville for nine years, opened its 2012 season at the Washington County Fairgrounds after arts center administrators and mall management failed to work out terms of a lease agreement.
Fayetteville planning commissioners earlier this year extended the pavilion’s permit at the fairgrounds for its 2013 and 2014 seasons. Brian Crowne, general manager, said at the time he and arts center staff were committed to the fairgrounds this year, but would explore options for a more permanent venue in 2014 and beyond. The latest announcement of a concert at the fairgrounds is ZZ Top on Oct. 4.
Arts Center officials have said a permanent venue must be on donated land easily accessible from I-540 with streets, parking and utilities in place.
Steve Clark, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and a member of the arts center’s board, questioned Thursday why other sites, including Fayetteville’s planned regional park, on roughly 200 acres off I-540 and Cato Springs Road, weren't being considered.
“(The AMP) has been continually supported by the city, and a site the city is willing to offer could be available for development,” Clark said.
Clark, in a memo Wednesday to fellow board members, also asked how arts center staff had been authorized to contract with architects and engineers and develop a budget for the pavilion without board approval.
Meeting Information
Walton Arts Center Council
When: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Starr Theater, Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St.
On the Agenda: A permanent location for the Arkansas Music Pavilion
Source: Walton Arts Center
Lane said Thursday some board members are more “engaged” than others.
“By and large, we work on a lot of issues,” he said.
Raymond Burns, president and CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, didn't return a phone call Thursday. Messages left with Rogers Mayor Greg Hines also went unreturned.
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan said he first heard about a proposal for a permanent venue in Rogers through Clark’s memo.
Jordan said he hasn't put together a formal offer for the pavilion at the proposed regional park. But, he added, he’d support donating land and building streets, sewer lines and other infrastructure for the concert venue there. The Parks and Recreation Department estimated earlier this year infrastructure for phase one of the $27.7 million park would cost about $2.4 million.
Jordan said he hoped Walton Arts Center board would give Fayetteville officials an opportunity to weigh in before making a decision Tuesday.
“I don’t know what can be worked out until I’ve had a chance to see the (Rogers) proposal and match it or do better,” Jordan said.
John Gore contributed to this report.