Seeking to increase public usage of the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park, the Johns Creek City Council has approved continuing the rental program for another year and lowering the rental fee from $2,000 for certain groups.

The new base rental for Johns Creek residents, Johns Creek-based non-profits and schools is $500 for “low impact” events, defined as daytime with no amplified sound. The rental for high-impact events by these groups is $2,000. Johns Creek for-profit and commercial entities are charged $2,000 for low-impact events and $4,000 for high-impact events.

In a memo to the council, staff said the city had 42 inquiries about the facility in 2017, but only four resulted in actual rentals – a church picnic, a resident’s birthday party, an employee picnic and a Johns Creek organization hosting a concert. “The most common reason given for not renting was the rental fee,” staff said.

The 10,600 square-foot, open-air amphitheater seats up to 400 people under cover and another 1,000 on the lawn outside. Information: https://bit.ly/2KdaJnf