PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers on Tuesday morning unveiled their design for a 5,600-seat, open-air amphitheater at a vacant lot across from Heinz Field.
Construction on the $10 million, privately funded facility is scheduled to begin in the spring, and the first event could be held in summer 2004. The right to name the facility may be sold.
The amphitheater will be open during the warmer months and could hold about 50 concerts a year, WTAE's Paul Van Osdol reported. It will also include a year-round nightclub with space for smaller concerts and shows.
The lower section of the amphitheater will have fixed seating, suites and dining areas, and seating in the upper sections will be moveable. Bands will play while facing the rivers, hopefully reducing the amount noise that travels to surrounding neighborhoods.
On the west side of the complex, at North Shore Drive and Art Rooney Way, will be a 64,000-square-foot plaza for festival-type events and tailgating activities.
Mayor Tom Murphy said the amphitheater will complement the city's plans for developing the North Shore, which include shopping, dining, entertainment and apartments. He said the area will eventually become a destination that rivals those in other cities, such as Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
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