Gorge Amphitheatre founders plan two new music venues above the Columbia River
The founders of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic music venues are returning to the Columbia River…
The founders of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic music venues are returning to the Columbia River Gorge with plans for two new performance spaces.
Vince and Carol Bryan, who created what became the Gorge Amphitheatre in the 1980s, are behind the new project.
“The Hilltop” is set to become a new performance venue next to the Gorge Amphitheatre and the family’s Cave B Estate Winery near George, Washington.
The project will feature two new performance spaces overlooking the Columbia River, reminiscent of the setting that helped make the Gorge Amphitheatre one of the Pacific Northwest’s most recognizable concert venues.
Here’s what to know about the plans.
What is planned for The Hilltop?
The Hilltop will feature a smaller indoor theater known as The Grotto and a larger outdoor venue called The Terraces.
The Grotto will seat between 1,000 and 1,200 people and will be built into the site’s existing rock formations.
The venue is designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, drawing inspiration from the basalt cliffs and open skies above the Columbia River.
The Terraces will be an outdoor venue with room for about 2,000 people. The naturally formed seating area is already covered in grass, and plans call for a band shelter large enough to accommodate a full symphony.
Another outdoor space called The Perch will sit between the two venues and serve as a gathering area.
How will the new venues fit into the Columbia Gorge landscape?
Much like the Gorge Amphitheatre, the surrounding landscape will play a major role in the design.
The Bryans originally purchased the property more than 45 years ago to grow wine grapes, according to The Seattle Times.
Vince Bryan told The Seattle Times that the family quickly realized the land was something special and has since felt a responsibility to share the area with others.
ZGF Architects will design The Grotto, with a focus on incorporating the building into the existing environment.
Renderings show a modern structure tucked among the natural rock formations, with solar panels lining the roof.
The project aims to become one of the most sustainable performance venues in the country, with a focus on energy, water, materials, and long-term use, according to The Seattle Times.
What kinds of performances could come to The Hilltop?
While the nearby Gorge Amphitheatre regularly welcomes some of the biggest names in pop, rock, country, and electronic music, The Hilltop is expected to have a different focus.
Classical music and the fine arts will play a major role in the programming.
The Bryans hope to work with symphonies from the Seattle area and bring opera, ballet, jazz, and other types of performances to the venues, according to The Seattle Times.
The smaller size will also offer a much different experience from the 22,000-person Gorge Amphitheatre, with both venues designed for more intimate performances.
How does the project connect to the Gorge Amphitheatre’s history?
The Hilltop is, in many ways, a return to where live music at the Gorge began.
The Bryans started hosting concerts on the property in the mid-1980s while operating their Champs de Brionne Winery.
During their first year, they built a stage, landscaped the area, and booked the Dixieland Jazz Band of Wenatchee to perform at what was then known as the Champs de Brionne Summer Music Theater.
The venue grew over the following years and eventually became the Gorge Amphitheatre.
The Bryans sold the Gorge in 1993, and Live Nation has owned and operated the amphitheater since 2006.
Now, about four decades after those first concerts, the Bryans are returning to the idea of hosting smaller performances against the Columbia River Gorge landscape.
When could The Hilltop open?
The Hilltop is an ambitious project despite its smaller size.
The project is expected to cost between $35 million and $40 million, according to The Seattle Times.
The Terraces could be ready for performances as early as 2028 because the site requires less construction. The Grotto is expected to open by June 2029.
The project will be funded in part through fundraising efforts, including the new “Soar Festival” at Cave B.
The inaugural festival was held Aug. 22 and featured Grammy-winning producer and composer David Foster, singer and actor Katharine McPhee, and the Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra.
According to The Seattle Times, the long-term goal is to eventually grow Soar into a festival lasting 10 to 14 days.
The event also offered an early look at the types of performances that could eventually come to The Hilltop.
Bryan told The Seattle Times that the goal is to create a place where people will want to spend time, experience performances, and find inspiration along the Columbia River.
It is also an opportunity for the Bryans to bring people together in the same landscape where their original music venue began more than 40 years ago.
