Renovations cap yearslong effort to save Merriweather Post Pavilion
May 21—As concertgoers file into Merriweather Post Pavilion, seeking a good lawn seat for the best stage view, the performers they've come to see are probably lounging backstage on the pool deck, soaking in the hot tub or enjoying a catered meal in one of several spacious dressing rooms, outfitted with all the amenities of a posh hotel room.
The pool and other backstage luxuries are just some of the renovations that have been made at the storied Columbia amphitheater during seven offseasons and finished earlier this month.
Merriweather's management team celebrated the upgrades during a behind-the-scenes tour for members of the media, as staff worked feverishly to finish last-minute projects in time for the concert season to officially kick off May 4 with the two-day M3 Rock Festival. A summer full of big names will fill the amphitheater this season, including Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Hootie & the Blowfish, Dierks Bentley, New Kids on the Block, and Imagine Dragons, as well as several festivals.
Saving Merriweather
The 57-year-old venue's future was not always so bright — in the early 2000s Merriweather faced permanent closure, until some visionaries, political and musical, stepped in.
Merriweather Post Pavilion was built in 1967 as one of Columbia's first amenities. The second public building to be constructed in Columbia, it was designed by architect Frank Gehry, known for his design of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. It took eight months and $1 million to build the simple pavilion amid towering beech trees adjacent to the Symphony Woods park in Columbia. The amphitheater was created to be the summer home of the National Symphony, and it was named for one of the group's key patrons, Marjorie Merriweather Post.
But after two seasons, financial problems forced the symphony to end its relationship with the pavilion. The venue started seeking groups that would draw crowds, moving toward rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and The Who. The Nederlander Organization managed the pavilion from 1974 to 1999 and focused again on rock, pop and folk acts. The 1980s were more successful, with 30 to 40 bands on stage each season and most security problems under control. The Grateful Dead anniversary concert in 1985 included thousands of fans camping in Symphony Woods, descending on The Mall in Columbia for food and bathing in a Columbia fountain. Phish fans clogged traffic in Town Center in 1998.
Around 2003, the Rouse Co. started publicly stating that it was not happy with the venue's financial performance, and during discussion of zoning changes to Columbia Town Center, Dennis W. Miller, a Rouse vice president and general manager of Columbia, talked about plans to change the pavilion, eliminating up to 10,000 lawn seats, making the venue significantly smaller, enclosing it for year-round use, and changing the types of events held there.
In October 2003, Rouse replaced Clear Channel Entertainment, Inc., with a new management company that would prove to be the amphitheater's savior — I.M.P. Inc., the Bethesda-based owner of two D.C. venues, the 9:30 Club and the Lincoln Theatre. In March 2017, I.M.P. announced a 40-year lease deal to continue operating the historic venue, alongside a major renovation plan that began three years earlier and brought facility upgrades, art installations, improved concessions and bathrooms, and environmental features.
From the beginning I.M.P.'s owner, Seth Hurwitz, believed in Merriweather and his ability to bring in big acts to Columbia. "Merriweather has been portrayed as outmoded," Hurwitz said in October 2003. "That couldn't be further from the truth."
Hurwitz and others at the May 3 celebration credited Ken Ulman as being integral in saving Merriweather. First elected to Howard County Council in 2002 at the age of 28, Ulman, a West Columbia Democrat, was the youngest county executive in the state's history when he was elected in 2006 at the age of 32. Among other progressive moves for Columbia during his eight-year tenure, he made it his personal mission to save Merriweather from closure.
"Maybe because I was so young, maybe I was a punk a little bit at the time, and I said, 'Hell no, you're not closing Merriweather Post Pavilion,'" Ulman said May 3. "The reason that I felt so strongly was I was born and raised here and Merriweather Post Pavilion was part of the fabric of growing up here. It also spoke to our values. It speaks to the heart and culture. ... It speaks to a place that brings our community together. Twenty years ago we didn't have enough of those places and certainly today we don't have enough of those places. And it also was something that made us different than any other generic suburb. You don't get rid of the places that make you unique and special and interesting. You build on them."
Youth and boldness
Then-County Council Chair Calvin Ball, a Democrat from East Columbia, started on the council just as Ulman was starting as executive. Together, the two were the youngest chair and the youngest executive in Howard County history.
Ball, now a second-term county executive, celebrated on Merriweather's stage with Ulman on May 3, and said their youth and boldness was part of the Save Merriweather grassroots effort that included dozens in the community.
"Seeing the fruition of this vision, seeing all of the hard work so that the next generation is able to enjoy shows just reminds us that we can make a difference and we can make things better for future generations," Ball said.
Ulman said 20 years ago he supported more development in Columbia, but not without Merriweather as a central part of the plan. Though he had the vision to save the place, he needed help to make it viable, and that's where Hurwitz stepped in. Hurwitz contacted Ulman and assured him he could bring big acts to the amphitheater and make it viable for years to come, "and he did exactly what he said," Ulman said.
"Saving an empty place, that doesn't do anybody any good, so the fact that Seth Hurwitz lived up to his word and for 20 years has booked shows to generate revenue to put back into renovations, he deserves an enormous round of applause."
In March 2013, Ulman proposed legislation to hasten redevelopment of the concert venue, and force Columbia's master developer, Howard Hughes Corp., to turn Merriweather over to a county nonprofit up to 10 years earlier than originally planned. Howard Hughes transferred ownership on Nov. 30, 2016, to the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission.
The commission, a nonprofit that aims to promote arts and culture in Columbia, worked to add more community-based programming, including shows by local artists and partnerships with local organizations to bring a local vibe to the pavilion. In early November 2016 the County Council passed a $90 million tax increment financing deal to fund public infrastructure, including a $51 million public parking garage for Merriweather, which helped it survive as well.
The renovations
Brad Canfield, now vice president of operations, helped oversee the transformation, which began with 10 years of brainstorming to make Merriweather the best venue in the country, he said.
"For 10 years we came up with all sorts of crazy ideas, never before thought of things, and after 10 years we were able to start implementing them," Canfield said.
In June 2014, musician Jack Johnson helped Hurwitz and local officials to announce a $19 million improvement program, including significant environmentally conscious upgrades, such as adding a solar array system, which powers house and backstage lighting for 70% of shows; composting facilities; and bringing a new concession stand and restroom to LEED standards.
Final site development plans for Merriweather's makeover were approved by the Howard County Planning Board in January 2015, and the first phase of construction began that year. The project manager and architect at the time said they were focused on preserving the "extraordinary park-like" setting, working around existing trees and green space.
The venue never shut down during the renovations; instead, improvements were mostly made during the offseason each year for about seven years. Originally planned to take five years and cost around $50 million, the timetable stretched, thanks to the pandemic and other delays, and increased in cost, ultimately totaling about $65 million.
Renovation highlights included raising the stage via a 62-foot-tall stage house with advanced rigging, upgraded power, and installation of an 82-foot-wide Brazilian Redwood floor with a 48-foot spinning turntable insert, enabling 5-minute set changes. These upgrades allowed the venue to book bigger touring artists whose stage setups required them. Merriweather also added a first-of-its kind SkyLawn, with an elevated option for first-come, first-served lawn seating, on the venue's grass-covered roof.
The pavilion's roof was also made 20 feet higher in a monthslong effort in 2018. When the roof was near its final position in January 2018, it collapsed, but it was rebuilt and renovations continued.
Throughout the project, Howard County officials stayed involved and supportive, according to Ball, providing critical funding, including more than $17 million in nonprofit funding to Merriweather Post Pavilion and the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission during the past 20 years.
"Additionally, we took important actions to support the performing arts in Downtown Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many arts organizations had to shutter," Ball said in a May 8 statement. "This included directing more than $1 million in pandemic relief funds to Downtown Columbia Arts organizations, which included Merriweather Post Pavilion."
County government has partnered with Merriweather to support community events, such as free Teen Movie Nights and annual graduation ceremonies for all of the county's public high schools.
"Merriweather Post Pavilion has had a profound impact on our community over the last two decades, and we look forward to many more years of partnership with them," Ball stated.
In 2023, Pollstar magazine, a concert venue industry publication, ranked Merriweather Post Pavilion as the No.1 amphitheater in the world, in gross sales ($34 million), a designation that thrilled Audrey Fix Schaefer, communications director for I.M.P. and the venue.
"I get chills thinking about it because it could've gone under," Schaefer said.
Ulman echoed her enthusiasm, saying that the renovations "feel authentic" and stayed true to venue's historic treehouse-like feel.
"How many times did this place almost die in the process? The fact that we are here celebrating ... this is a damn good story," he said. "This place is owned by a nonprofit; no one will ever threaten this place again. Merriweather will always be here. ... This just makes me really gratified and really happy and feel somewhat old, too."
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Brad Canfield, VP of Merriweather Post Pavilion leads media members on a tour of the concert venue on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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Beer garden seating during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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Media members view walls of murals depicting past concerts, called Merriweather Past Pavilion, during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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Brad Canfield, left, vice president of Merriweather Post Pavilion, and former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman talk during a tour of the concert venue this month. (Brian Krista/Staff)
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I.M.P celebrates its 20 years of operating Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday as I.M.P. Communications director Audrey Fix Schaefer, former Howard County executive Ken Ulman, current county executive Calvin Ball, , I.M.P. owner Seth Hurwitz, Merriweather Post Pavilion VP Brad Canfield and Merriweather Post Pavilion GM Jean Parker pose for a group picture. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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An abstract sculpture of Jimi Hendrix seen through a viewfinder following its unveiling during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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A sign on the artists' pool deck during a behind-the-scenes tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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The skylawn and sky suites overlook the amphitheater seating and stage during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion.
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Concert footage is played on a screen during a program celebrating 20 years of collaboration between I.M.P. and Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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A view of the general admission Skylawn area during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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MVP deck suites overlook the amphitheater and stage during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion. (Brian Krista/Staff)
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A view of the artists' pool during a behind-the-scenes tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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Inside a backstage dressing room during a behind-the-scenes tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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An abstract sculpture of Tina Turner following its unveiling during a tour of Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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I.M.P. owner Seth Hurwitz speaks while joined on stage by former Howard County executive Ken Ulman during a program celebrating 20 years of collaboration between I.M.P. and Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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I.M.P celebrates its 20 years of operating Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday. (Brian Krista/staff photo)
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