City Commission to look further into St. Armands Circle amphitheater proposal

City commissioners discussed the possibility of adding an amphitheater to the center of St. Armands Circle on Monday, which ended in a decision to further research the idea and the legality of adding an attraction to the circle.

The amphitheater proposal, designed and presented by Tom Leonard, a St. Armands resident and property owner, would be placed in the same location Ride Entertainment has asked to build a circus-themed carousel. Leonard, however, said the amphitheater is the best use of the space.

“I try to think of St. Armands holistically, not just for my personal gain,” Leonard said. “St. Armands is a jewel of Sarasota, and this amphitheater falls in line with the master plan. It would be an attractive placeholder for events, spill over dollars to merchants, bring tax dollars to the city and revenues from parking.”

Leonard labeled the design as “mid-century modern.” The amphitheater would be elevated to assist with stormwater and drainage issues in the park, while giving guests seated in the back a view over those in front of them.

In addition to being a venue for events, the amphitheater would provide additional city bathrooms and an area dedicated to honoring the Circus Ring of Fame. While it would maintain the cultural theme of Sarasota, the amphitheater would also solve problems already noted by the commission, according to Leonard.

“It’s going to create shelter for special events, it’s going to create less work for the Parks Department, it will widen sidewalks, and it will increase property values,” Leonard said. “I think it will also help with traffic. My goal is to make St. Armands self-sustaining, and I think that’s what the amphitheater will do.”

Several members of the St. Armands Merchant’s Association and the St. Armands Condominium Association voiced support toward the proposed amphitheater, some of whom spoke dismissively of Ride Entertainment’s previous pitch for a carousel. Leonard also spoke when Ride Entertainment discussed the carousel idea in February.

Leonard said the carousel would damage the current atmosphere around St. Armands Circle. The carousel’s music and general out-of-place feel would be damaging and a near-permanent decision, according to Leonard.

“The Business Improvement District is looking to add condominiums on the Circle, and I think that’s going to be approved,” Leonard said in February. “If you put a carousel in the park, who is going to want to listen to that through their windows?”

“The problem is that this isn’t something we can try for a year and give it back,” Leonard continued. “This carousel is a multimillion dollar investment that could be there for 50 years. We’d have to live with this thing.”

The carousel would operate on a set schedule and would be available for private parties to rent. A system informing riders the time of which their ride will begin would be put into place to minimize traffic congestion and parking issues.

Ride Entertainment has developed similar attractions in other cities. The high-end carousels made by Ride Entertainment cost as much as $5 million.

“Our goal with this project is to create a wonderful entertainment opportunity that complements the city and brings awesome entertainment to all parties,” Jen Harvat of Ride Entertainment said in February. “It would extend the stay of visitors to the Circle and to activate a beautiful park.”

Commissioner Hagen Brody said on Monday that he found the amphitheater idea interesting, but also reminded the other commissioners of his support for the carousel. He said that even though he supports the carousel, he does not see it as an opportunity for a carnival ride but for a way to preserve Sarasota culture.

Similar to the action made towards the amphitheater, commissioners decided to further evaluate the carousel idea and what the construction of it would entail. Brody said that he has wanted to continue building Sarasota as a tourism destination but there are also historical values to be respected.

“I’m interested in the historic preservation issue,” Brody said. “The commission needs to see where we need to be cognizant of historical designations, because sometimes that can limit you so much that you can’t make additions that the community agrees would enhance the experience.”

While the amphitheater’s design proposed that it would assist with stormwater control, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch raised the question of whether the commission had the authority to build on the property, as it has already acted a stormwater control entity. She said that the legality of construction should be reviewed before any entertainment options for the center of the circle are decided upon.

Commissioner Liz Alpert seconded Ahearn-Koch’s point and said more information is needed to make the best decision. Alpert then made the motion to gather more information.

“I feel the same about the amphitheater as I do about the carousel and that’s that we don’t have enough information to make a decision,” Alpert said. “We don’t know the size, we don’t know a lot of things. And the most important factor is can we do anything at all?”