Second Brevard grant sought for Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater on Merritt Island

Dave Berman, Florida Today
Updated ·3 min read

Brevard County commissioners have been asked to consider approving a second grant for the proposed Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater on Merritt Island.

The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center and the Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency are seeking a $1.23 million grant for the project. That's on top of a previously awarded $1.27 million grant, and would cover escalating construction costs, which now are estimated at $7.9 million.

The grant money would come from Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms, vacation rentals and other short-term rentals.

The Brevard County Tourist Development Council, an advisory board to the County Commission, on Feb. 28 voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the second grant.

This artist's rendering shows the proposed 6,000-square-foot amphitheater stage that would be built inside the 82-acre Veterans Memorial Park on Merritt Island. The facility also would have a 1,721-square-foot bathroom/concession building as part of an overall $7.9 million facility.
This artist's rendering shows the proposed 6,000-square-foot amphitheater stage that would be built inside the 82-acre Veterans Memorial Park on Merritt Island. The facility also would have a 1,721-square-foot bathroom/concession building as part of an overall $7.9 million facility.

State funding approved: Funding in place for Merritt Island amphitheater at Veterans Center complex

The County Commission also is being asked to extend the deadline for groundbreaking of the amphitheater to April 6, 2025. The deadline currently is set at April 6, 2024.

The project would take 12 to 15 months to build.

Other funding sources for the project include $4.4 million from the Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency and $1 million from the state.

The proposal for the second county grant had been on the County Commission agenda for Tuesday evening's meeting. But it was pulled off the agenda after Commissioner John Tobia raised questions with MIRA about information he was provided ahead of the meeting, including related to attendance estimates.

Other concerns include the need to wait for a parking study that's now underway for the amphitheater project, as well as the possibility of further cost overruns.

The grant proposal could be considered at a future commission meeting.

The 6,000-square-foot amphitheater stage would be built inside the 82-acre Veterans Memorial Park. The facility also would have a 1,721-square-foot bathroom/concession building.

The plans include a tiered lawn viewing area with a capacity of 2,350 people, and an additional lawn area for events, with the potential to accommodate over 5,000 people in all.

MIRA Executive Director Larry Lallo said, with this capacity, the venue has the potential to host a multitude of veterans' celebrations, festivals, community events and concerts. He said it could be the best amphitheater venue on Florida's east coast from south of St. Augustine to north of West Palm Beach.

Lallo said the proposed amphitheater has the potential to "further elevate our destination as a prime tourist attraction and contribute significantly to the economic development of the region."

A economic impact study related to the project estimates that the amphitheater would host 19 concerts a year averaging 1,500 to 5,000 attendees each, with ticket prices averaging $40 to $80 apiece. In addition, the site would host 15 weddings and other ceremonies with an average of 100 guests each.

The total 40,500 attendees of those events would generate 11,550 nights of room rentals. They would spend a total of $6.91 million on tickets, lodging, meals and other items, the study estimated.

The project in 2020 was estimated to cost $2.3 million to build. But, as the scope of the project increased and construction costs rose, the total price tag increased to $7.9 million.

Tourist Development Council Vice Chair Tom Hermansen said he experienced "severe sticker shock" over the cost increase.

But he supports using the tourist tax money to help pay for the amphitheater.

"It's beautiful project," Hermansen said. "I think it will be a great community asset for the entire county. I think it's centrally located. I think it can draw large amounts of people. I think it will be a great asset. And I think it will be meaningful to the overall tourism offerings here in Brevard County," as well as benefiting local residents.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater seeks second Brevard grant