GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids officials have taken the first steps on an $18.6 million project to move a sanitary sewer on 201 Market Ave. SW in the hopes of creating an amphitheater.

The Community Development Committee approved Tuesday a memorandum to move the sewer on the 15-acre site along the Grand River.

The sewer, which has stalled developments for years, would be rerouted to Market Avenue.

Most recently, the sewer derailed a deal between the city and an Indianapolis-based developer to redevelop the site. City officials said the cost of cleanup and needed infrastructure improvements made it too expensive for the developer to move forward.

Amway Hotel Corporation and 63 Market Avenue Holdings would invest $7.3 million in the project under the agreement. The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority and the city would cover the rest of the project.

The map of a an $18.6 million project to move a sanitary sewer on 201 Market Ave. SW. (Courtesy of the city of Grand Rapids)
The map of a an $18.6 million project to move a sanitary sewer on 201 Market Ave. SW. (Courtesy of the city of Grand Rapids)

The City Commission gave approval to the project during its 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting.

Once the sewer is removed, the memorandum calls for a 14,000-seat amphitheater to be built on the site. However, the amphitheater hasn’t been approved yet.

Executive Director of CAA Richard MacKeigan said the city has been looking into the possibility of an amphitheater for more than a decade. 

“The authority feels that live entertainment will come back and outdoor live entertainment may come back even quicker,” MacKeigan said. “Many have theorized a full return, not partial return, but a full return to where we were pre-COVID (and) it’s in that two, two-a-half-year time frame and that’s about how long it takes for these things to get built, so to the timing could be really, really good.” 

Though Grand Rapids is already home to a number of music venues, MacKeigan said an amphitheater like this would be the first in the area. 

“Our initial studies have identified that you need north of 10,000 seats to make sure you have the major outdoor tours interested,” MacKeigan said. “If you become smaller than that, there is potentially a market, but it’s not the market that we’ve identified as the one that’s not being served in West Michigan currently.”