East Providence Celebrates Grand Opening of New Concert Hall

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A NEW CONCERT HALL is being built on vacant land near Bold Point Park on the waterfront in East Providence. / COURTESY OF ROBERTO L. DASILVA

EAST PROVIDENCE — A new waterfront concert hall is being built in the city as part of a $30 million redevelopment near Bold Point Park, where concert organizers, the mayor, the governor and other officials recently gathered to celebrate an inauguration.

The still unnamed outdoor amphitheater is being developed on a plot of public land known as the “Bowtie” by Rhode Island Waterfront Enterprises LLC, which is led by concert promoter and president of Live Nation New England, Don Law. The seated venue will have a capacity of 5,000 guests, he said, adding that it is expected to be completed in 2024.

The nearby park has hosted several live musical performances in recent years, including some hosted by Live Nation New England, according to city officials.

Law said the amphitheater would be similar to the Leader Bank pavilion in Boston. The outdoor facility will provide overhead cover to keep performers dry in the event of rain, according to the developers.

The park redevelopment will also include a new kayak launch, walking paths and light fixtures in the park, Mayor Roberto L. DaSilva said.

The waterfront lot where the concert hall is planned has been vacant since 1984, when it was last occupied by the Union Oil Co. of California, Law said.

Rhode Island Waterfront Enterprises purchased the 45-acre property for $4.5 million in June 2019 from Providence & Worcester Railroad Co., according to PBN reports.

Before groundbreaking could take place, DaSilva said Law and his partners worked with the city to overcome remediation issues in what was considered a brownfield due to pollution left in the ground. by its former occupants. He also said the announced development of the Bold Point Park area comes on top of the recent unveiling of a $120 million plan to build 392 residential units as part of a mixed-use development at 300 Bourne. Ave. in the East Point area, as planned by Churchill & Noble Development LLC, a subsidiary of Banks Co.

“Residents who occupy these homes and housing units, as well as visitors to our city, will not have to travel far to enjoy the amenities and recreation this property will bring here,” DaSilva said.

Governor Daniel J. McKee said he is confident the Concert Hall and the rest of the revitalized waterfront park will attract visitors from near and far.

“Bold Point Park will be an economic engine for live entertainment in the Ocean State,” McKee said. “The Bold Point project will connect our tourism, entertainment and natural resources, uniting some of our state’s strongest assets to attract thousands of people for shows from spring through fall.”

Marc Larocque is a contributing writer for PBN.

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