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Lakeview Amphitheater Gears Up for Concert Season with $1.25 Million in Improvements

John Smith/WAER News

Lakeview Amphitheater Concertgoers in Syracuse will notice some improvements this year and more is on the way.  All of the internal walkways and a centrally located A.D.A. parking lot with 125 spaces have been paved to allow for a better experience for those who have mobility issues.  Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney says a select number of boaters will be able to arrive to the shows and dock.

“We’ve built a docking system that accommodates 25 boats and one of the spots is big enough so that if we get a water taxi service, then we’ll be able to accommodate people coming by boat, perhaps from Onondaga Lake Park in the future.”

A new dedicated concession stand has been added on the grounds.  State D.O.T. Commissioner Matt Driscoll says long-term projects to extensively improve and pave the Orange Parking lot will begin after this concert season.

Credit John Smith/WAER News
New boat docks to access the amphitheater and park.

“… but, before we even get to that, they’ll be a lot of grading done, a lot of drainage done, the area ponds heavily, so we want to make sure that doesn’t happen going forward.  It’ll be completely paved, a ring road will be installed, it’ll be striped to hold 7,500 vehicles and we’ll also begin building a westbound ramp so that people will have direct access westbound to I-695 once they leave the Orange lot.”

Driscoll says his office has also been in prior discussions with the State Fair to possibly build an eastbound on-ramp from the upper parking lots to Interstate 690.  However, funding would need to be secured for that proposal.  20 concert acts have been booked this season.  Mahoney says there could be one more act left to be announced at a future date.

Credit John Smith/WAER News
A view from the trail that leads from the boat docks to the amphitheater and overlooks Onondaga Lake.

“This is a public park and we’re a diverse community and we want to attract a diverse crowd to the amphitheater.  So, we’re working together (with Live Nation) to identify those artists.”

A $500,000 dollar State grant was secured by Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli to cover the paving projects and to build the new concession stand.  The Governor secured $750,000 dollars for the boat docks at the Amphitheater and on the Seneca River with access Onondaga Lake.  Centro is offering express service shuttles two hours prior to each concert from the Centro Transit Hub to the concerts from Downtown Syracuse.  For parking information click here.  To use the boat docks you must make reservations at dockwa.com.

Credit John Smith/WAER News
(L-R) State D.O.T. Commissioner Matt Driscoll, Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.