After hashing out cost issues Monday, the Woodstock City Council is directing city manager Jeff Moon to move forward with the long-discussed downtown amphitheater project.
Bids for the project came in far higher than anticipated earlier this year. The lowest was $4.2 million, well above the city’s estimate of $2.4 million. City manager Jeff Moon said the major factor driving up cost was masonry and concrete, pricey right now with two major sports stadiums, interstate toll lanes and other projects underway.
The council signed on to Moon’s plans to “value engineer” the project to cut masonry/concrete usage and make other changes to save roughly $1 million, and to designate around $1.2 million from city impact fees and other sources to up the money committed to the project to $3.4 million. The city would then meet with the low bidder to work out a contract.
Amphitheater plans include grass terraced seating for some 5,000-6,000 people, a bandshell, retaining walls and restrooms. Moon told council members that if work gets underway in September, it could be ready for the city’s summer 2016 concert season.
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