Clearwater Amphitheater Topping Out Ceremony Set For Friday

CLEARWATER, FL — Clearwater city staff, construction crew members and dignitaries will be on hand Friday at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the topping out of the amphitheater for Coachman Park's Imagine Clearwater renovations.

The ceremony will culminate with the placement of the highest canopy piece on the project's new bandshell. The milestone will mark progress on the $84 million redevelopment of Coachman Park.

The amphitheater will accommodate 4,000 seats with additional space for 5,000 more attendees on the bandshell lawn.

The ceremony will take place on the north bluff walk of the construction site, adjacent to the Clearwater Main Library, which overlooks the bandshell. Attendees will have the chance to sign the canopy piece before it is placed on the highest point of the structure, honoring construction workers who have logged more than 150,000 work hours on the project.

"We're proud to work collectively with the city of Clearwater and Stantec (design consultant) to bring Imagine Clearwater to life. Our dedicated tradesmen and women are ecstatic to support shaping the future of our community through transformative public spaces such as this incredible project," said Chuck Jablon, vice president of construction for Skanska Inc., the construction contractor of the project.

He said the topping out ceremony will be a celebration of the progress made on the park by city staff, Stantec and the Skanska construction team.

Imagine Clearwater construction is expected to be completed in July. The 19 acres of redeveloped park will include 4 acres of flexible event space, new bathrooms, a splash pad, a playground with $1.2 million in equipment, a lake with a pedestrian bridge and picnic pavilions, among other amenities.

Designed to connect the waterfront with downtown Clearwater, Imagine Clearwater includes an expansive park and recreational spaces, a gateway plaza and bluff walk that connects the park to downtown, a bay walk promenade overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, a lake area with picnic shelters, and an ocean-themed play area with an interactive pop-jet water feature.

The amphitheater will accommodate a year-round performance schedule of diverse live entertainment.

Last month, the Clearwater City Council voted unanimously to award Ruth Eckerd Hall the contract to operate the amphitheater in downtown Clearwater. The contract requires Ruth Eckerd Hall to book at least 35 events a year beginning in 2024, manage the food and beverage services and provide staffing for the amphitheater.

The city will receive $5 per ticket sold and $1 for each complimentary ticket. Additionally, the contract gives the city all naming rights for the amphitheater.

“Ruth Eckerd Hall has been in the community for 40 years, growing the hall, the Capitol Theatre and education programs in 28 schools," Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard said. "That’s a track record of enduring many ups and downs in our economy to include the great recession and COVID. These folks aren’t going anywhere. They’re the fabric of our community.”

“Ruth Eckerd Hall has been a great community partner in the arts and I remember years ago fighting for the need of a waterfront amphitheater and it was REH’s then-CEO Zev Buffman who helped lead the charge to make it happen," City Councilmember David Allbritton said.

“We have always believed that this venue can be both community-oriented and financially successful," said Ruth Eckerd Hall President & CEO Susan M. Crockett. "We have decades of experience not sacrificing one for the other. As unique as the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre is, this too will have its own energy and be an iconic venue authentic to Clearwater. The new programming opportunities it provides will further cement our city’s national reputation as a destination for live music and entertainment.”