Steve Clark, an Indian Village board member, said the organization may focus on building an American Indian cultural center near the amphitheater before attempting to build a performance facility in the amphitheater. It appears that more funding sources are available for the cultural center than for the performance facility.
"We're still working on some future plans," Clark said. "Which direction we're going to go hasn't been established yet."
One year ago this month, Indian Village officials went public with a proposal to install a performance facility in the grassy, half-bowl-shaped area known as the amphitheater, a city-owned parcel of land located just south of the Indian Village alongside Lake Mitchell. The proposal included a stage and fixed seating for hundreds of spectators, and it became a point of controversy when some local residents complained about the potential loss of wintertime sledding in the amphitheater.
The Mitchell City Council authorized the Indian Village to conduct a concert event in the amphitheater featuring the Indian-influenced band Brule on July 3. The event was viewed as a test of the Indian Village's amphitheater concept, and officials hoped to get an indication of whether the amphitheater could handle large concert events.
The event, called the Gateway to the West Fest, was postponed due to rain. When the event was finally held Aug. 8, it was moved to the top of the amphitheater because of wet conditions at the bottom.
It wasn't the test that had been envisioned, but City Council President Jeff Smith said some things were learned nonetheless. Smith said he has not been informed of any parking or noise complaints stemming from the Aug. 8 event.
"I honestly think it was a fairly decent test, and now it's basically back in their court to say what they would like to come forth with, and what they would like from the council and the city, if anything," Smith said.
Clark said Indian Village board members will meet soon to discuss their plans.
"I think we'll have some sense of direction probably sometime in October," he said.
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