GEORGE, Wash. — Danny Wilde, general manager of The Gorge, said the change in zoning turned the amphitheater into a master planned resort. That will lead to improved facilities that include everything from sewer upgrades to new fences to a proposed zipline to take patrons from the campground to inside the venue, Wilde said. There are also plans for new retail space and many more campgrounds, with improved campsites.
But a major issue remains getting in and out of The Gorge from Interstate 90, he said. "We've got to get traffic off the road a little quicker," Wilde said.
Gorge officials have taken steps to address neighbors' concerns. That includes issuing vehicle tags intended to allow neighbors to more quickly move through concert traffic; a hotline for residents to report trespassing or vandalism; a newsletter to inform residents about concert developments; and private security to patrol nearby homes and farms during concerts.
To bolster their case for rezoning and expansion, Gorge officials in August issued an economic impact statement that showed almost $56 million was spent on concerts in 2013 by about 400,000 people who attended events. That includes spending on tickets, food, merchandise and camping, according to the report issued by Live Nation. The study also found that $22.7 million was spent in surrounding communities.
The Gorge paid $1.5 million in taxes to Grant County last year, as one of the county's largest taxpayers. It employs more than 1,500 on concert weekends, most living in Grant County, the study said.
Grant County officials say the single-night concerts are not the major source of problems. Multinight music festivals, such as Paradiso and Watershed, cause many of the problems, Carter said.
Damien Hooper, planning director for Grant County, said county officials expect The Gorge to apply for expansion soon. "Our position is their impacts are going to be met with mitigation," Hooper said.
But Hooper also said that adding 1,000 campsites to a venue that already seats more than 27,000 people is not really that big an expansion. "It's not necessarily a massive increase," he said.
KIRO
