In February of this year, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb announced plans for a major renovation of Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. The project would address major deferred maintenance items such as structural damage to the Amphitheater caused by years of water penetration, replacement of outdated water and sewer lines and restoration of the Amphitheater's splintered bench seating. Amenity enhancements, including additional restrooms and concession areas, modification of the existing stage cover, and development of a major new Hospitality Center at the top of the Amphitheater were also proposed. Revenues to pay for the $22 million renovation were to be raised, in part, by converting the Amphitheater's sandstone planter boxes containing 60 year old juniper trees into reserved corporate box seats and by selling advertisers the rights to project corporate logos onto the Amphitheater's sandstone monoliths, Ship Rock and Creation Rock.
Public reaction was immediate and unanimous. The idea that preserving this magical and beloved landmark required a major corporate advertising campaign struck people as the wrong approach. Media[Link-Post editorial, Ditmer DPO piece and perhaps Kenny Be's Westword Cartoon] and citizens[Link-the Letters reprinted in Media section] throughout the country weighed in against the commercialization of Red Rocks and a new web site appeared overnight which generated thousands of petitions to City Council in opposition.
On March 2, many concerned citizens turned out for the Landmark Preservation Commission's(LPC) final hearing on the proposal. Since Red Rocks is both a Denver and National Historic Landmark, all substantive changes are subject to LPC review. While approval had been all but finalized during previous hearings, passionate and informed public testimony convinced the commissioners to reverse course and reject the City's box seat/ corporate logo proposal as too compromising of the Park's historical integrity. Humbled and moved at having witnessed the "system" work so well, those who testified felt challenged to explore how they might become involved in helping find positive solutions to the problems at the Park.
