The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall’s grand reopening Aug. 1 launched its new era with a sold-out show headlined by Grammy Award winner and bluegrass legend Dan Tyminski and his band.
Visitors turned out in force to see both the show and the venue’s brilliant new lobby, merch store, outdoor terraces and enormous gallery of past concert posters. They patronized the onsite Kookaburra Coffee Café, sampled the new concessions menu, featuring locally sourced fare, and enjoyed specially crafted cocktails at any one of four bar areas.
“This night was years in the making and the result of an incredible amount of hard work by a lot of dedicated people,” said Gabe Pellicer, CEO and president of venue operator SJC Cultural Events Inc. (SJCCE) “The new Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is a game changer for artists, fans and our entire community.”
Though Tyminski gave the first official performance of this new era, another performance actually preceded it, albeit unofficially: four students from Apex Theatre Studio near World Golf Village took the stage Wednesday, July 30, to perform “Up on the Roof” from “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” during an inaugural “load in” to anticipate the re-opening.
The “load in” — traditionally, a term for the arrival of a band’s equipment at any given venue — gave invited guests a first look at the results of a transformative $12.9-million renovation that took place over 14 months, during which the concert hall had been closed.
Jerry Wilson, Friends of Ponte Vedra Concert Hall president and a founding member of the SJCCE Board of Directors, presided over the “load in” festivities.
“This is what can happen when a local community comes together,” Wilson said as attendees took in the details of the transformed venue.
To illustrate the cooperative aspect of the project, Wilson placed a stool center stage.
“This stool has been used by hundreds of artists over the years, some of the best performers in the business,” he said. “But it actually symbolizes our operating model.”
The building at 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach, constructed in 1980, was originally a Baptist church. Pastor Gregg Bennett, who had served the church at the time the county purchased it in 2006, returned Wednesday to offer his thoughts as well as an invocation.
“I’ve offered a whole lot of prayers in this room,” he remarked.
Bennett said he hoped the land and building would continue to be “a blessing to the community.”
‘A true legacy project’
Observations by local officials followed. St. Augustine Beach Mayor and SJCCE Board Chair Dylan Rumrell spoke via video because he was out of town.
“We’re making history as the first public-private partnership in St. Johns County,” he said, referring to the county’s arrangement with SJCCE. The partnership was first announced in September 2023. (The building remains county property.) “We’ve been laser-focused on creating unforgettable experiences, boosting tourism and bringing authentic culture to locals and visitors alike … the best is yet to come.”
St. Johns County Commissioner Clay Murphy remembered attending the “Cross and Sword” outdoor drama at St. Augustine’s original amphitheater and praised Pellicer and his team for their work on both venues.
“The fact that you can take the old and transform it into the new and keep that spirit, keep that feel, keep that vibe — it’s nothing short of a miracle,” he said. “I am honored to be here.”
“This elegant, sophisticated and smart building that we stand in today is going to be a venue for decades where loved ones come to share experiences,” said St. Johns County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst. “This is a true legacy project that will benefit St. Johns County for decades to come.”
Added County Administrator Joy Andrews, “What you see today is a promise into a future that is going to be filled with happiness, laughter, music, togetherness, collaboration and connection.”
Attracting top talent
The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall’s first renovation followed the county’s purchase of the property. That was in 2009. The first show was a sold-out performance by The Artie Shaw Orchestra on March 20 of that year. Even then, there was insufficient seating: the venue had to borrow chairs from the local senior center to ensure everyone had a place to sit.
The venue officially opened Feb. 13, 2011, and since then has hosted nearly 1,100 shows and more than 480 unique artists, including Art Garfunkel, David Crosby, the Indigo Girls, Lindsey Buckingham, Wynonna Judd, Jose Feliciano, Don McClean and many, many more major personalities. People are frequently surprised by the quality of performers that have taken the venue’s stage, a testament to its desirability among the acts and agents.
To date, the concert hall has attracted more than 400,000 music fans from all 50 states and Canada. This benefits local businesses, particularly those that rely on tourism such as hotels, but also restaurants and retail shops.
“Everything’s great about this (project), because it’s actually bringing revenue to our county and tourism to our county,” said St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Joseph.
County Commissioner Sarah Arnold noted that this venue and The Amp combined represent an annual return of $54 million.
Going forward, the concert hall is planning an active schedule; the goal is to host 180 shows annually.
Bigger and better
The recent renovation is rooted in upgrades supported by the Friends group over the years, culminating in plans for a $5.4-million “balcony project” announced in July 2022. Funding would come from federal, state and local sources, as well as a portion of $8.9 million in grants from the Small Business Administration designed to help the live entertainment industry through the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the announcement of the public-private partnership between the county and SJCCE, the stage was set to embark upon this latest transformation.
Over the past 14 months, the venue saw upgrades in sound, lighting, artist amenities, seating, concessions and infrastructure.
Capacity was increased by more than 20%, and the concert hall can now seat 615 with enough standing space for 1,100. Wider seats with armrests were installed and aisles were also made wider.
High-quality sound was a priority from the start. Pellicer said everything was planned so the acoustics took that quality to the very back of the room.
“Our job is to make sure the artists can connect with everyone in the room,” he said.
Even the ever-so-slightly angled custom-wood paneling along the balcony by Rulon International contributes to that.
The quality of the sound system is immediately evident to the visitor. The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is one of only three venues in the country to have installed the L-Acoustics L2D Audio system, purchased from AVL Productions. Additionally, the concert hall partnered with Walter-Storyk Design Group for acoustic engineering design.
Beyond sound, the venue now has LED lighting throughout; a wider, deeper stage; first and second floor terraces; renovated restrooms with a dedicated family room; Kulture City Sensory Training and dedicated Quiet Zone; and an expanded lobby and entrance area.
Local, local, local
The project was community-led, with work performed by local architects, contractors, tradespeople and supplies. Boston Painting, for example, painted the interior and exterior, and Chancey Metals installed custom-built handrails.
The architect was Fisher | Koppenhafer. The contractor was DiMare Construction.
With so many aspects of the project handled by so many people, teamwork was essential.
“We worked really hard from every tile choice to every paint sample,” said Michael Livingston, senior production manager with SJCCE. “We have made those decisions as a team, and I wouldn’t be here without my team.”
According to St. Johns County Commissioner Ann Taylor, Southern Horticulture planted 39 full-sized native trees and nearly 1,500 Florida-friendly plants. She noted other environmental high points, as well: a parking lot designed so as to preserve mature oaks and the use of porous asphalt to better manage rainwater.
Whitehurst also noted that the project upgraded existing drainage systems.
“Today isn’t just about bringing music back to the stage,” Taylor said. “It’s about recognizing the care, thought and shared effort that went into making this project something we can all be proud of.”
Community outreach
A portion of the “load in” festivities was devoted to the Friends of Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Music Therapy Program, which uses evidence-based research to test the benefits of music therapy among children ages 5 to 8. The program is a partnership with Florida State University certified music therapists.
“Our vision is to go beyond these four walls and bring the power of music into the lives of people right here in St. Johns County and beyond,” said Wilson.
A video featuring therapists working with children from West Augustine was shown, and Wilson noted that a grant from the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra funded the purchase of musical instruments for each of the children.
In a surprise announcement, the Friends of Ponte Vedra Concert Hall presented a $25,000 check to FSU Provost Dr. Jim Clark to fund music therapy for teens.
“That video of our students and professors working with kids from this area brought tears to my eyes,” said Clark. “It made my heart sing to watch the first fruits of this amazing partnership.”
He recalled first meeting with former County Commissioner Henry Dean, Pellicer and Wilson concerning the possibility of launching the program.
“Within five minutes, I realized whatever we all did together was going to move at warp speed, which is very unusual in a university situation,” Clark said. “The alliance that we developed exemplifies what can happen when there’s a shared commitment to the arts, education and community wellbeing.”
To learn more about Friends of Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, go to friendspvch.org.
‘Load in’ complete
As the “load in” drew to a close and people began to anticipate the Dan Tyminski show, it was perhaps Taylor’s words that most resonated with the spirit of this re-opening.
“The lights are back on, the doors are open and the stage is set, not just for performances, but for a new chapter in St. Johns County,” she said.
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Coming Soon
Here’s a look at upcoming shows at the newly transformed Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. For upcoming performances and ticket information, go to www.pvconcerthall.com.
