Members of the public came out in droves to voice their opinions on a proposed 14,000-seat amphitheater in Great Park — but Irvine councilmembers decided to punt the deliberations to the end of the month.
The City Council was set to discuss on Tuesday, Feb. 14, whether Irvine should proceed with an agreement with concert promoter Live Nation for the large concert venue or move for a scaled-down 8,000-seat amphitheater. But after more than three hours of public comment, Councilmember Mike Carroll asked to postpone the discussions because he had a prior commitment, and enough councilmembers agreed to the request.
Construction workers, stagehands, union representatives from the hospitality and music industries, publicists, hotel workers, concertgoers and food truck owners, among others, including one musician who played his guitar, spoke out in favor of the 14,000-seat amphitheater. Some wore white shirts emblazoned with gold lettering proclaiming “Save Live Music Irvine.”
Many spoke about their memories of Irvine Meadows, which for 36 years was Orange County’s largest music venue, and how this new amphitheater is an opportunity to continue the musical memories.
However, a handful of Irvine residents, including Great Park Residents Council member Camiar Ohadi, spoke out against the large venue, citing traffic and noise concerns. Ohadi also pointed to a petition started by residents that had garnered more than 120 signatures by Tuesday evening.
In September, the City Council approved an agreement with Live Nation for the design, construction and operation of a permanent outdoor 14,000-seat amphitheater in Great Park, replacing the temporary FivePoint Amphitheatre. The total cost of the project at the time was estimated at $130 million, with the city contributing $110 million and Live Nation $20 million.
But Live Nation wanted an “extensive reconfiguration of the deal,” according to city manager Oliver Chi, that included increasing the total cost…
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