Rosemary Beach will soon join the ranks of Seaside and Alys Beach with its own amphitheater.
The long-time plan is finally coming to fruition, with the groundbreaking tentatively set for April 1.
“We have greens, but we don’t really have a venue,” Rosemary Beach Town Manager Jim Bagby said of the need for an amphitheater.
The idea was hatched about 10 years ago as a shared facility between Rosemary Beach, Seaside and Alys Beach. The thought was to build a multi-million dollar performing arts center to host productions by the Northwest Florida Ballet and Sinfonia.
“All of South Walton needed a performing arts facility,” said Kathy Kemp, marketing director for Rosemary Beach.
“When we did our feasibility study, it was going to be a performing arts” space like the Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville, Bagby said of what was to be a $20 million state-of-the-art facility. “Things were roaring along.”
But when the housing market tanked, the partnership and plans were scaled back to the current design — a multipurpose amphitheater and pool space for Rosemary Beach owners and guests.
The indoor-outdoor space will be built on the St. Augustine Green abutting U.S. Highway 98.
With preliminary plans in place, Rosemary Beach asked owners for their input at the annual town meeting last July 4.
“We got lots of comments, most of them very positive,” said Bagby.
But there were some criticisms, and the town board took those into account in the subsequent designs.
“You get one shot at it … to make it a very inclusive project,” Bagby said.
The planners replaced the bocce ball courts with a lawn, simplified the pavilion area and came up with the final plan by DAG Architects that was approved Dec. 17.
“It’s been a very collaborative effort,” Kemp said. “I think we have come out better.”
Roger Godwin of DAG and Carey McWhorter of McWhorter Architecture designed facility.
A terraced lawn will lead up to the performance space, which will be a covered platform designed to heighten acoustic quality. Louvered doors from the main and side stages will open onto the pool area and, when opened, the performances will be back-dropped by a water wall.
The pool will have a zero-edge entry, a sun shelf and a 25-meter lap section. The deck will include a large dining area and cabanas.
An upstairs bar complete with a Juliet balcony will overlook the pool.
The entire area will be anchored by a Rosemary Beach tower.
The cost will be about $3 million.
“It will enhance everyone’s experience,” Kemp said of the center, “another layer of a way to enjoy this town.
Walton Sun Staff Writer Molly Mosher can be reached at 850-654-8445 or mmosher@waltonsun.com. Follow her on Twitter @WaltonSunMolly.