The aftermath of Merriweather Post Pavilion's roof collapse is seen in a photo provided by I.M.P.
Merriweather Post Pavilion’s recent construction accident won’t slow the venue down or change its seasonal lineup, according to venue officials.
The pavilion, in Columbia, Md., has over the last three years moved 569,733 tickets and grossed $33,478,109 in sales. But beyond being busy, the venue, which opened in 1967, is one of the nation's premier historic amphitheaters.
The 19,316-capacity outdoor amphitheater's roof, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, was being raised as part of a five-year, $55-million renovation project when it collapsed Jan. 13.
Venue officials and I.M.P., the amphitheater’s promoter, are looking on the bright side.
“Thankfully no one was injured, which is the most important thing of all,” said I.M.P.’s Seth Hurwitz, who operates the venue. “The roof was being hydraulically lifted 20 feet over a period of months. … The roof was in its near-final position and the next anticipated step was to secure it permanently. However, at around 2:30 Saturday morning, the roof unexpectedly fell. There is a team of experts assessing why the roof fell. Of course we will rebuild — and the 2018 season will start as planned.”
Hurwitz also said that it’s easier to build new than to renovate.
"It looks like there's enough wood left from the original Gehry roof to make the iconic façade salvageable,” he said. “Various things had already been done to the structure before, but the original Gehry shape will be rebuilt and recovered with the original wood. But right now, it's shot and needs to be rebuilt.”
The cause of the collapse is under investigation, according to the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, which owns the property.
Hurwitz, who also runs Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club, The Lincoln Theatre and the newly opened Anthem, was ultimately philosophical about the roof's collapse. "It's one of life's fascinating twists and turns, but it's nothing we can't deal with," he said. "Nothing else was harmed.
"It's an inconvenience — not a small inconvenience, but it sets us back in that I'd rather spend that time working on other things at the venue. There's no question it sucks. But the important thing is that nobody was hurt, and that’s not the usual mandatory statement. It’s really all that matters. Everything else is just construction.”
I.M.P. has not yet announced a summer schedule, and the only concert on its calendar is a July 14 show with Sugarland, Brandy Clark and Clare Bowen.
Merriweather Post Pavilion celebrated its 50th anniversary last summer, opening a new backstage village including a pool and artists lounge area, as well as a massive new stagehouse, as a second phase of the renovations. The Chrysalis, a 7,000-capacity facility, also opened last summer on the adjacent Symphony Woods property.
The venue and I.M.P. staff celebrated the anniversary with a birthday party and concert featuring Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Father John Misty and Grace Potter.