Right: Joe Walsh, left,
and Glen Frey, right,
perform for fans in June at
the New Sandstone
Amphitheatre in Bonner
Springs.
Below right: Acrowd watches comedian Gallagher in June. The new amphitheater in Bonner Springs features many improvements including two 12 feet by 16 feet video screens and an upgraded sound system.
Photos courtesy of Contemporary Productions
--and Dunn, to Barry Manilow to the H.O.R.D.E. (Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere) Festival.
A 'new' look
Sandstone Amphitheatre undergoes changes
By Stacy Ashley Special to the Kansan
A "new" amphitheater hit the Kansas City area this summer. And although it may have the same name as the old, the new in the New Sandstone means a lot of big changes.
Located off State Avenue on 130th street in Bonner Springs, the outdoor theater near Kansas City attracts some of the biggest entertainment acts in the region.
Greg Hagglund, senior vice president for Contemporary Productions, the owners of the New Sandstone, said that the theater had gone through a complete refurbishing.
Because of financial problems with the previous owners and management, Contemporary Productions bought Sandstone and made the renovations, Hagglund said.
"The goal for the New Sandstone is for people to have a true concert experience," he said, "This starts the minute they pull into the parking lot and ends the minute they pull out."
Hagglund said they had hosted 33 concert events this summer. The most the original Sandstone had presented in the past few years was rine, he said.
"We worked hard on bringing diverse entertainment," Hagglund said. "Something for everyone."
He said they had tried to bring a variety of events, such as the comedy of Tim Allen and a Disney show for children and families.
"We also tried to be multi-purpose with our music," he said.
Sandstone had acts ranging from Brooks
Structurally, the amphitheater expanded and remodeled their concession service and restrooms.
They added a new concession complex in
the North Plaza including such restaurants as Pizza Hut and Subway, Hagglund said.
They also removed the chain-link fences and replaced them with wood railings.
As for the changes in the shows, Hagglund said they had added 16-by-12 feet video screens and enhanced the sound system.
"It is a more natural, relaxing environment now," he said.
"We added a separate sound system for the
lawn seats," he said, "so the people in reserved seating aren't getting blasted out and those in the lawn can still hear the show."
The amphitheater also tried to be competitive and varied with ticket prices, Hagglund said.
He cited the Planet Party concert as an example of inexpensive ticket prices with $10.50 for lawn seats and $12.50 for reserved seats. Most concerts run between
$18 and $25.
"We tried to make it appealing for a wider audience," he said. "There are different prices for different shows, though."
Shelley Groom, Overland Park sophomore, worked as a waitress for the box seats at the New Sandstone this summer and said
"The goal for the New Sandstone is for people to have a true concert experience."
Grog Hagglund
Contemporary Productions
she felt that the public's reaction to the changes was generally positive.
"A lot of people commented on the sound being better," she said. "But also people talked about the video screens not working."
sonnel attitude.
Hagglund said however that the video screens had worked great and that they and the new sound system were state of the art.
Besides the physical changes there was also a change in per-
Hagglund said the company had hired all new staff, from management to ushers and maintenance.
"The new staff caters more to concertgoers,"he said.
Hagglund called Sandstone's new ways the "Disneyland attitude" and said that the goal was to keep customers happy and give them the best show possible.
Although Groom had not heard of the Dis
neyland attitude, Brian Tamasi, Overland Park junior, worked security for the amphitheater and said that he had been trained to keep a smile on his face.
"Also we were told to lift up our sunglasses if someone was talking to us so we could make eye contact," he said.
Tamasi said that customer service was frequently stressed.
Hilarie Soloff, Overland Park junior, attended the H.O.R.D.E. Festival at the New Sandstone in July and said she had gone to concerts at the old Sandstone in past years.
Jenni Jenkins, Shawnee sophomore, said she liked the new screens and noticed that the bathrooms were nicer, she said.
"I like New Sandstone better," Soloff said, "Everything seems a lot cleaner and organized."
"I did think it was stupid that they didn't have an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) with how expensive things were though," Jenkins said.
With all the changes, Hagglund said the New Sandstone had hoped to get Kansas City back on the list for big concerts.
"Names like Rod Stewart and Van Halen have been sporadic in booking in the past," he said.
The last concert for the season at the New Sandstone is country singer Vince Gill with Patty Loveless and Larry Stewart.
Hagglund said they hoped to start next year's season in mid-May and again have between 25 and 35 events.
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ENTERTAINMENT '93 • Kyou • September 24, 1993