The Woodlands, Texas – Celebrating its 20th season, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion opened its doors after seven and half months of extensive renovation to nearly sold-out crowds this past weekend with performances by the Dave Matthews Band May 1 and Kenny Chesney May 3. Nearly 30,000 concertgoers turned out to see the new and improved venue after it underwent a $9.5 million renovation and expansion following damage sustained from Hurricane Ike in September.
“The reopening of The Pavilion and kick off of our 20th season could not have gone any better. With near capacity crowds over the weekend, we are definitely back in the game bigger and better than ever,” said Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO of The Pavilion. “Everything ran well and our guests noticed and enjoyed the improvements. This renovation and the expanded covered seating capacity have made The Pavilion more attractive for the artist and our guests and makes us more competitive in the Houston market.”
With three sell-outs already on record – Buzzfest XXII May 10, No Doubt May 31 and Coldplay July 22 – more are expected throughout the season. Other concerts slated for 2009 include the Houston Symphony’s Four Italians May 15, Rascal Flatts June 14, Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd June 30, Aerosmith with ZZ Top July 17, Rod Stewart July 24, The Fray July 25, Def Leppard Aug. 19, Incubus Aug. 21, Nickelback Sept. 12, Creed Sept. 25 and Houston Ballet’s Swan Lake + Two Oct. 9. For a complete list of upcoming events, see the attached Calendar of Events or visit www.woodlandscenter.org.
“The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion unveiled its most recent renovation and expansion on the grand reopening weekend of its 20th season, revealing to the community and touring industry why this amphitheater is one of the most coveted bookings for so many tours,” said Bob Roux, president of Live Nation for Houston, Dallas and New Orleans. “This venue is truly special in so many ways, from the one-of-a-kind design and perfect acoustics to the work ethic of the staff. It is a true privilege to have the continued opportunity to present world-class entertainment at The Pavilion.”
In September 2008, The Pavilion was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike, ending the season early and causing more than $3 million in damage. Pavilion management and its Board of Directors decided to rebuild the venue, adding additional covered seating and purchasing a new state-of-the-art lawn sound system. The $9.5 million renovation included construction of approximately 2,000 new reserved seats and a larger canopy structure to cover all 6,387 seats. Lawn capacity is now 9,653, giving The Pavilion a total capacity of 16,040. Internationally acclaimed architect Horst Berger, designer of the original structure, designed the new tensile fabric canopy making The Pavilion even more beautiful than before.
“It was a pleasure for the Dave Matthews Band to be part of the reopening of the greatly improved Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion,” said Hank McHugh, production manager for the Dave Matthews Band. “It was hard to believe that in such a short period of time after the hurricane, they could rebuild the Pavilion and be ready for our May 1 performance. From the higher proscenium opening of the stage to the new lawn sound system, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience of performing at the newly improved venue.”
If you would like more information about The Pavilion and its 20th season, please visit www.woodlandscenter.org or look for The Pavilion on MySpace and Facebook.
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Photo by Ted Washington
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion reopened its 20th season May 1 with the Dave Matthews Band to a near sell out crowd. The Pavilion reopened after closing its doors for seven months to renovate and expand after damage sustained by Hurricane Ike in September 2008. The construction included the addition of 2,000 new reserved seats and a building a larger canopy to cover all the seats.
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Photo by Ted Washington
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion reopened with a bang for its 20th season May 1 with the Dave Matthews Band. The Pavilion underwent a $9.5 million renovation and expansion after suffering damage from Hurricane Ike in September 2008. The Pavilion still features its famous peaks, but now six peaks.
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Photo by Ted Washington
The Dave Matthews Band performed to a near sell out crowd for the reopening of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion May 1. Over 30,000 concertgoers attended Dave Matthews on May 1 and Kenny Chesney on May 3. The Pavilion is celebrating its 20th season in 2009 along with the new and improved Pavilion.
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Celebrating its 20th season in 2009, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is part of The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides diverse, high-quality performing arts events for the entertainment and enrichment of a broad regional audience. Through numerous educational and community outreach programs, The Center is a catalyst for attracting new audiences to the performing arts and building strong ties between the arts and educational institutions. |
