Years in the making ”” thanks to construction delays, the need for additional funding from the city of Bridgeport, and of course Covid-19 ”” it is finally full speed ahead for the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater.
Well, more or less.
“We made a big entrance,” developer and principal Howard Saffan told the Business Journal, referring to the $30 million-plus, 5,700-capacity facility at 500 Broad St. The amphitheater officially opened on July 28 with a concert by REO Speedwagon and Styx. “Most importantly, people are really enjoying it.”
The venue has recorded several sold-out performances, Saffan said ”” including, it need hardly be said, a Sept. 17 show by the Foo Fighters, who normally play arenas ”” on its way to hosting 20 concerts and 11 graduations in its inaugural year, along with a number of other events.
Not that the coronavirus isn”™t still a factor. The Foo Fighters have mandated that all concertgoers provide proof of a Covid vaccination or a negative test result within 48 hours of the show, and on Aug. 25 country act Little Big Town canceled its concert the following night due to several members of its crew having been exposed to the virus.
“We”™re an outdoor venue, much to our advantage,” Saffan noted. “Having said that, we abide by the city of Bridgeport”™s, Connecticut”™s and the CDC”™s guidelines.”
That means that masks are required in all of the amphitheater”™s indoor settings ”” including, bathrooms, elevators, VIP lounges and the like ”” per Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim”™s recommendation. Masks are not required in the facility”™s outdoor area, 92% of which is covered by its roof structure, made of a combination of two lightweight fiberglass materials.
Saffan expressed the same sort of surprise that most rock fans did when the amphitheater landed the Foo Fighters. “That was all Jim (Koplik, president of Live Nation Connecticut, which programs the venue). But they”™re one of those bands that don”™t care about the dollars and cents. We”™re so honored that they”™re playing here.”
Tickets, priced at $79 to $129, were gone within two minutes, Saffan said. “Word has gotten out about our back of house, which is pretty special. There are six dressing rooms and 4,000 square feet of space. The Brothers Osborne put up a small clip about the venue, Harry Connick did a tour of it, the Kings of Leon thought it was just incredible.”
The site”™s groundbreaking took place in July 2018, by which time its planned opening had already been pushed back from spring to summer of 2019. Retrofitting what had been the home of the independent Bridgeport Bluefish baseball team proved to be more complicated than had been thought, however, with Saffan eventually going back to the city for $4.5 million, which brought Bridgeport”™s total investment to $12 million.
2019 turned into 2020, and an announcement that Deftones would be its first concert at a date that, thanks to Covid, was never finalized. Hartford HealthCare landed naming rights to the venue this past February.
All things considered, Saffan said he”™d like to host “in excess of 75 events” next year, including some 40 concerts; 13 have already been booked, he said.
Asked if there was anything he”™d change, Saffan said that adding more food trucks would be a good idea but that, “All in all, we”™re really, really happy with how things have gone.”
