Changing Of The Gorge -- Construction, Landscaping Will Make A Spectacular Concert Site Even Better

GEORGE, Grant County - The Gorge is blooming.

The dramatic, breathtaking concert site here near the center of the state is undergoing a transformation that will make it even more spectacular.

Already a grand, sweeping natural amphitheater on the edge of the precipitous Columbia Gorge, it will be a world-class outdoor venue by the time all the changes are in place. Workers still were swarming over the grounds last week, rebuilding the stage, constructing a new food court and plaza area, and landscaping the broad sweep of lawn where a jagged cliff used to be before it was blown away by dynamite charges.

The Gorge Amphitheater is getting ready for its free open house Saturday, starting at 1 p.m., as well as for its most ambitious lineup, a 16-concert season. Next up are Michael Bolton and Celine Dion July 2, and James Taylor on July 4.

The first thing you notice about the new Gorge is the color change. Because it's in a dry, desertlike part of the state, shades of brown used to dominate, typified by the clouds of dust you'd kick up driving in the parking lot or walking to the seating area.

But now the overwhelming hue is green.

The parking lots have been planted with a hardy type of grass that Gorge owners say will withstand the crunch of thousands of car tires. New irrigation systems are in place to keep the grass growing, and to water down dust-ups that may occur. The lots are now lighted, too, and parking areas are numbered, which will end the after-concert ritual ("Where the heck is our car?") played amid pitch darkness and clouds of dust that made the game particularly challenging.

A brighter, welcoming shade of green now fills the seating area. Land reclaimed where the blasted-away hill once stood has been planted with thick, inviting grass, the kind you want to stretch out on on a warm summer day. The expanse of green is gently sloped to facilitate sightlines to the stage.

The tiered seating in front of the new grass area is greener, too, since it has been reseeded.

The relatively small reserved-seating area directly in front of the stage, the only area with chairs, now is blocked off with two rows of ominous-looking wire fencing, with enough space between the two fences for security personnel to roam.

The new permanent fencing is designed to prevent a recurrence of what happened at the Pearl Jam/Neil Young concert last year, when general-seating patrons knocked down temporary fencing and swarmed into the reserved area. Several people were hurt in the melee, and MCA Concerts Northwest, new owners of the Gorge, are determined that nothing like that happens again.

The rebuilt stage is longer and deeper, with new ramps on both sides to facilitate loading and unloading. That should lessen the time between bands during concerts, because equipment will be able to be moved more quickly. A new road to the backstage area will get performers in and out of the site more efficiently, and also allow emergency vehicles quick access.

The changes at the Gorge are apparent even before you arrive. New directional signs on Interstate 90 now say "Gorge Amphitheatre" rather than "Champs de Brionne," the old name, which hasn't been used for several years.

The walkway to the Gorge entrance has been widened to almost twice its former size, and the entrance is closer to the parking area.

Plaza and Food Court

Inside the gate is the new Plaza area and, farther on, the Food Court. The Plaza will include a variety of food and beverage outlets operated by Ogden Entertainment Services, which now handles all food services at the site. Among the offerings: ribs and chicken, burgers and corn-on-the-cob.

The Plaza will also have a permanent stage, which will offer free entertainment prior to the opening of concert seating. This is to encourage patrons to arrive early to minimize congestion on the roads leading to the site.

The Food Court, with a half-dozen speciality stores, is closer to the seating area. It will have a fry stand, deli, sausage grill, beverage station, and pizza and ice cream stands. There will be two more food service outlets in the seating area, and portable locations with beverages and frozen treats.

A big new convenience store is up and running on the site. It is now open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will open earlier and stay open later on concert days.

On concert days, the gates are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The parking lots open at 10 a.m., and the Plaza opens at 2 p.m. Camping is improved, with showers for overnight campers, evening campground food service, and the convenience store.

All these improvements came about after MCA Concerts Northwest purchased the Gorge Amphitheatre last December. MCA, which says it is the largest concert company in the world, hammered out an agreement with Grant County officials to address local residents' concerns about traffic, security and safety.

Almost all the workforce and supplies for the improvements, and most of the seasonal employees, come from Grant County. MCA held job fairs at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake and the Valley Community Center in Quincy to find the workers. Contractors from Grant County are doing most of the work.

A big leap forward

The improvements mark the biggest leap forward for the amphitheatre since the Champs de Brionne Winery first started using the natural amphitheater for community concerts in 1986 (the winery's vineyards still surround the concert site). Media One, the now-defunct concert-promotion company, purchased concert rights the following year, and in 1988 constructed a stage, expanded the seating and presented several popular acts, including Bob Dylan.

In 1989, seven concerts were held, attracting some 50,000 people. By 1989, it was eight shows and 80,000 people. By 1992, with 116,000 fans attending 12 shows, there were huge traffic jams. When MCA first promoted concerts there last year, traffic and parking were better handled, and the concerts started and ended on time.

The Gorge always has been a wonderful place to see a concert. The traffic jams, choking dust in the parking lots and long lines at the entrance were forgotten once you arrived at the performance area, with its view of the deep Columbia Gorge and the varicolored slopes and gentle hills beyond. The sunsets at the site are beautiful, and the stars twinkle in the clear twilight. It is a beautiful place to hear music.

And the improvements suggest the Gorge's unparalleled concert experience will continue for many summertimes to come.

---------------- GORGE OPEN HOUSE ----------------

The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Grant County, will hold a free open house at 1 p.m. Saturday to show off its improvements. Free hot dogs, popcorn and soda.

The Gorge is about 160 miles from Seattle. Take Interstate 90 East to Exit 143, just after crossing the Columbia River bridge at Vantage. Watch for directional signs to the Gorge. Allow about three hours for the trip.

---------------- THE GORGE SEASON ----------------

July 2: Michael Bolton and Celine Dion, 7 p.m. ($26.25-$50.40).

July 4: James Taylor, 6 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

July 9: Crosby, Stills & Nash and Fleetwood Mac, 7 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

July 10: Yes, 6 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

July 17: Dwight Yoakam and Joe Diffie, 6 p.m. ($21-$31.50).

July 23: Harry Connick Jr., Funky Dunky and the Leroy Jones Quintet, 7 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

July 30: Stone Temple Pilots, Meat Puppets, Red Kross and Jawbox, 6 p.m. ($21).

Aug. 5: "The Third Annual George Washington Blues Festival" with Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Taj Mahal, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings and the Lloyd Jones Struggle, 3 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

Aug. 14: Janet Jackson, 6 p.m. ($28.90-$49.90).

Aug. 20: Meat Loaf, 7 p.m. ($26.40-$82).

Aug. 31: "Lollapalooza '94" with Smashing Pumpkins, the Beastie Boys, George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, the Breeders, A Tribe Called Quest, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, L7 and Green Day, 2 p.m. ($31.50).

Sept. 3: The Steve Miller Band, 7 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

Sept. 5: Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, Cracker and Vinx, 6 p.m. ($26.25-$31.50).

Sept. 9: John Mellencamp, 8 p.m. (Tickets go on sale at 9 p.m. Saturday.)

Sept. 10-11: Steely Dan, 7 p.m. Sept. 10, 6 p.m. Sept. 11 ($28.90-$49.90).

Sept. 17: The Moody Blues with 60-piece symphony orchestra, 7 p.m. ($26.25-$41.50).

Tickets available at Ticketmaster outlets: 628-0888.