Amphitheater site work moves forward, operator wants more parking

By John Dobberstein, Editor

The Broken Arrow City Council approved an agreement with Crossland Heavy Construction Tuesday for infrastructure projects supporting the Sunset Amphitheater to be constructed on the city’s southeast side.

As part of the development for the 12,500-seat outdoor venue, the city agreed to provide surrounding infrastructure for the project. Tuesday’s action sets a total “guaranteed maximum price” at $17.7 million, including $511,920 in contingency.

Engineering and Construction Director Charlie Bright said consultant Kimley Horn and city staff have been working on an accelerated deadline to get the necessary improvements designed for the $71.5 million project announced last year by Colorado Springs developer Notes Live.

“It’s going to get more real to the public. In the next couple of weeks they will see a whole lot more workers out there,” Bright said.

The list of projects includes construction of three parking lots, roads and road extensions, Events Park entry improvements, sidewalks and lighting, a pedestrian bridge, highway access from the amphitheater to the Creek Turnpike and widening of New Orleans Street on the south end of the site.

Bright said the city is still discussing how many lanes to add to New Orleans Street, as well as right-of-way acquisition, and the turnpike access is still being designed by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

To pay for the improvements, the city is borrowing funds against anticipated revenue from a TIF district approved by the City Council for the project.

The city did apparently receive a surprise recently as Live Nation, which was chosen to be the amphitheater’s operator, requested the availability of onsite or offsite parking to accommodate 4,400 vehicles – which exceeds the previously agreed-upon 3,360 spaces in the city’s agreement with Notes Live and Sunset at Broken Arrow LLC.

The development agreement called for the city to build 2,360 parking spaces within the project site or within the Events Park, and for the city to lease 1,000 parking spaces from Northeastern State University’s Broken Arrow campus. 

The City Council authorized Spurgeon Tuesday to send a letter to Notes Live stating city staff will, “diligently explore additional locations for parking expansion, considering both onsite and offsite shuttle parking options.”

Spurgeon wrote that the city is “fully committed” to making the project succeed.

“To ensure transparency and alignment with our budgetary constraints, we will provide you detailed estimates for the various parking expansion options,” Spurgeon wrote. “Any proposed adjustments beyond the initially budgeted scop may necessitate a cost-share arrangement or an increased payment to the city per vehicle utilizing parking.”