New MS Coast music venue will be ready in April. So who will be the opening act?

There’s a lot of speculation, but nobody seems to know yet who will be the opening act at the 7,000-seat Sound Amphitheater in Gautier.

Country stars Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr. and Luke Combs have been offered as suggestions and requests on community Facebook posts.

Samuel King, media coordinator for the City of Gautier, said he’s just as eager as everyone else in the city to learn who will open.

A billboard along I-10 advertising the new venue is driving interest and King, said he anticipates an announcement of the opening concerts in the next few weeks.

The news will come from Nashville-based 46 Entertainment that partnered with the city to book shows, with the aim of bringing “a stellar lineup of A-level national artists to Sound Amphitheater.”

A-level artists are “the most exceptional and renowned of the entertainment industry, representing some of the most highly acclaimed and sought-after performers in the nation.,” 46 Entertainment said in a press release when announcing the partnership with Gautier.

At least 10 of these national touring entertainers are expected to play at the amphitheater each year, with an anticipated economic impact of about $13 million. The two-year contract also guarantees the city at least $1.2 million in revenue from rental of the facility.

While many people question building an amphitheater rather than an enclosed facility in South Mississippi, others point to the amphitheaters that do well in Brandon and in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Gautier’s amphitheater is under construction along Dolphin Drive, north of Belk and where the Singing River Mall once stood.

“It’s been a quick project,” King said, with the expected completion in April coming a little over a year after the groundbreaking.

Some parking will be available right at the venue, he said, with large parking areas directly across the street in the former mall parking lots.

The Gautier Police Department is hiring certified part-time police officers to provide security and traffic control during the events. A meeting for those who are interested in the jobs will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the police station on U.S. 90.

The city also plans to develop a Town Center on the former mall property. King said when that happens, parking garages are part of the plans to provide enough space to park for the new amenities and the amphitheater.