Woo hoo!
It looks like the Arkansas Music Pavilion is moving to Rogers.
Woo hoo!
It’s about time we get a “cultural” venue.
The AMP is Walton Arts Center’s outdoor venue. You know – the one that used to have a big hat over it?
Well, the hat blew away, and the facility had to move. It has been temporarily at the Washington County Fairground, but officials have been on the lookout for a new permanent site.
We have been hearing for months Rogers was the preferred site. No one would admit it until now.
Access to the interstate and amenities abound, so it makes sense Rogers would be given close scrutiny. In all such cases, however, if someone donates land, a facility is likely to go there.
It appears someone did.
A site plan shows The AMP going to an area just south of Embassy Suites on land owned by Hunt Ventures.
I like the AMP. We saw Alan Jackson there last fall. Despite the miserable weather — cold with a steady mist — it was great to see A.J. in concert. And I only had to drive 30 minutes to get there, not several hours.
Peter Lane, the arts center’s chief executive officer, told our editorial board earlier this year operating the AMP had been eye-opening. It is clear, he said, there is a demand for acts like Jackson that require a bigger venue than the WAC’s theaters can host.
I couldn’t agree more. I know I would go to more concerts if they were close to home.
It looks like a new AMP would seat 5,400 — that’s a healthy crowd, and would likely draw some of music’s top acts.
So, woo hoo!
Where do I get a ticket?
The shrimp was tasty, the sausage spicy and the beer was cold.
That was the menu at the first 3rd Friday of the year in downtown Rogers.
The food was an extra added inducement, but the truth is, I wanted to be part of a historic moment: drinking a beer, in the open downtown, and not having to hide it in a red Solo cup.
Wait a minute. Did I write that part about a Solo cup? Just forget you read that.
Anyway, it was a historic moment, and darn sure about time.
I love the beer garden, and am glad Main Street Rogers representatives have indicated there will be one at all 3rd Friday events.
That said, it really lacked in ambiance that no number of Chinook helicopters flying over in formation could make up for.
Ten-foot fencing thrown up on the asphalt parking lot kind of gave the feel of what I would think a prison exercise yard would be. Thank goodness there was no razor wire topping the fence.
And it was the 3rd Friday in May. Here’s two things you generally know about that day: It is either hot or snowing. In this case, it was hot.
So there we were fenced in like zoo animals, eating spicy food with the sun beating down on us. Yep, not much ambiance there.
I don’t know if there are silly state laws/regulations that say beer gardens have to be surrounded by 10-foot fencing — I wouldn’t doubt it — but surely there are options. I suggest moving the beer garden to the shady, grassy area near Poplar Street. Erect fencing there and at least it would be pleasant.
Of course, you couldn’t hear the music from Frisco Stage as well, but I think we need to add more speakers. We were over on Walnut Street and if you didn’t know something was going on downtown, you wouldn’t have known anything was going on.
Some business people complained about the lack of customers. May I suggest advertising?
And with a little planning, periodic announcements could be made from the stage about stores that are open and the specials they have. Heck, why not give anyone wearing a beer garden armband 20 percent off purchases? Ten percent might not be worth the walk, but 20 percent probably would be.
Here’s the thing about 3rd Friday: Without the food and the beer and the music, there’s little reason to go, and not everyone is into the food, the beer and the music, especially in the heat of July.
I miss the early days of 3rd Friday events when artists and craftspeople lined the walks with their wares. You never knew what special treat you would fine.
Let’s find a niche and fill it.
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Leeanna Walker is local editor of the Rogers Morning News and Springdale Morning News. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NWALeeanna.