SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Now we know what the amphitheater at Isla Blanca Park will look like.
Cameron County commissioners yesterday unanimously approved the site plan for the project.
The venue is projected to hold about 4,000 guests.
“We are making sure we’re going to build a good facility that is multi-use that can be used for music, dance, theater and more,” Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. said.
The Commissioners Court decision to go with design concept Option E will allow for about a 730-seat capacity for small events. The green space area will allow about 3,200 people to attend larger events.
The design concept allows for small events for off-peak times.
The court gave the authorization to move forward with the design. Final plans will be set in about a month.
At a previous meeting, multiple site plans were recommended to the commissioners.
Yesterday, the final options were presented to the court by Robert Saenz with Halff Associates.
The Option E design will utilize the entire area available for the future amphitheater.
At this time, the price tag for the project has not been announced.
The amphitheater will be located at Isla Blanca Park overlooking dolphin cove and the ship channel.
“It’s going to be very nice,” said Joe Vega, Cameron County Parks director. “It’s also going to be a great location to view SpaceX launches, as well.”
He said there will be performing arts and concerts and people could even have weddings there.
The amphitheater was one of two projects that appeared on the November ballot and approved.
It included the Sea and Air Amphitheater at Isla Blanca Park and the South Texas Ecotourism Nature Center on the Bahia Grande.
Venue tax projects similar to the county’s amphitheater have been done in San Antonio, El Paso and Houston to different degrees to fund different projects in those areas.
This project was originally voted on in November and approved to draw funds from the venue tax.
The venue tax draws a percentage of hotel tax for the county to fund venue projects.
“We will look forward to begin the development stages of the amphitheater,” Vega said.
