CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Construction is rising on the former site of Coney Island and Sunlite Pool, where the new Farmer Music Center venue next to Riverbend is being built with an eye toward opening before next June’s deadline.
The venue is under construction on property purchased by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 2023 for $60 million. The project is expected to cost $160 million, including $8 million from the state of Ohio and a $60 million gift from the Farmer Family Foundation, which is receiving naming rights.
Construction is rising on the former site of Coney Island and Sunlite Pool, where the new Farmer Music Center venue next to Riverbend is being built with an eye toward opening before next June’s deadline. (WKRC, Provided)
Cincinnati City Council voted 5-4 in March to provide $8 million for the project, but Mayor Aftab Pureval recently reduced that to $2 million in the proposed budget.
Local 12 asked Michael Smith, CEO of Music and Entertainment Management, Inc., about the proposed reduction.
“Oh, you’re never disappointed when people are willing to invest,” said Smith, whose company is a subsidiary of the CSO. “And what we think is going to be an iconic facility. So, no, the city has challenges. We recognize those challenges, and we’re happy to have been part of the process.”
Venue owners say the Farmer Music Center will handle about 99 percent of the concerts previously held at Riverbend Music Center. The new venue is expected to include about 8,000 reserved seats and 12,000 lawn seats.
Riverbend is not expected to be torn down. Instead, project leaders hope it can be refurbished and used alongside the existing PNC Pavilion and the new Farmer Music Center as part of a larger, multi-venue complex that could draw major music festivals.
“This piece of property and the fixed venues—there aren’t very many festivals in the country that have three pavilions with permanent seats and roofs, concession stands, and restrooms. It’s ready-made, frankly, for festival creation. So we’re talking about it,” Smith said.
Construction is rising on the former site of Coney Island and Sunlite Pool, where the new Farmer Music Center venue next to Riverbend is being built with an eye toward opening before next June’s deadline. (WKRC)
“Ultimately, we see the opportunity to make Cincinnati extremely relevant and strategic within the national landscape in terms of creating a long-term music campus that would allow us to facilitate and stage potential. Music festivals that would benefit from permanent stages and infrastructure, including restrooms and concession facilities that would truly be distinct anywhere in the country,” said CSO president and CEO Robert McGrath.
Mayor Pureval’s request also includes the possibility of the city buying land near the area that is owned by the symphony for future development. MEMI’s Michael Smith said that could potentially involve property across Kellogg Avenue, where current parking may not be needed.
Project leaders also said they are leaving historic remnants of Coney Island intact, including the gates and the tower near the river.
The Riverbend property is set to host the Summerfair Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend in the Grove area of the property formerly owned by Coney Island. There are also possible plans to renovate Starlight Gardens, which remains standing next to the Farmer Music Center.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source local12.com ’
