From the Polaris Centers of Commerce site:
"In 1995 the Polaris Amphitheater opened and provided the first Central Ohio venue devoted to presenting major music acts. Millions of people came to POLARIS to enjoy performances by various artists."
Memories
I thought 1994 was the first season of concerts at what was eventually renamed Germain Ampitheater. The last season was 2007. I thought I saw REM in concert in 1995 (the one and only concert I attended at the venue) and that 1995 was the second season of the music venue.
How I remember it... this could be wrong. You know how memories are. I remember there was going to be an outlet mall at the Polaris exit. The people who sat on a governing board ... was it the Orange Township trustees? Or was it the Olentangy School Board???? They were opposed to the development... the mall developers moved on to do a mall elsewhere... the governing board got voted out of office by the residents of Southern Delaware County.
Without the prospect of a mall suddenly there was an ampitheater opening and people were all up in arms over that... the noise... the traffic!
Early every summer there would be a brouhaha over the noise. Westerville sued the ampitheater, more than once over the noise levels, I believe.
The traffic was a pain... you'd be getting off at the exit and wondering why all the traffic and remember "Oh _ _ _ _ it's Lollapalooza" or Ozzfest....or Lilith Fair or something...
Some concerts the people watching at nearby Polaris area restaurants would be more interesting than others.
The land at 2200 Polaris Parkway Columbus Ohio 43240 got too valuable to sit idle most of the year as all the land around it sold off as office buildings and retail. It was announced in late 2006 that the Germain Ampitheater would close. The Columbus music venue along with others across the country were not doing the business they had done in the 90's and the land was just too valuable for the current use. Early on there were 38 to 40 concerts in a season... and at the end, in 2007 only a measly nine concerts. Nine concerts?
'Germain Amphitheater for sale, Tonight's concert could be venue's swan song' from the Columbus Dispatch Sunday, September 16, 2007 by Aaron Beck and Mike Pramik. The last concert was Toby Keith.
Polaris Trivia
Do you know who the very first act to perform at the Polaris Ampitheater was? I did not remember. It is posted on a long thread on UrbanOhio.com where a Columbus Dispatch Article by Mike Pramik and Aaron Beck is reposted. It gives that answer and so much more... Urban Ohio - Columbus Dispatch read down in the thread... there's a second Columbus Dispatch article reposted from September 2007 which gives who the first act 12 or 13 years earlier was... not that into trivia? I'll give you the answer. According to this I am right, Polaris Ampitheater (first called Polaris Ampitheatre?) opened in 1994 and the first act was Billy Ray Cyrus with his 'Achy, Breaky Heart.'
May the Polaris Ampitheater (renamed the Germain Ampitheater) rest in peace.
Compliments of Maureen McCabe Real Living HER Columbus and Central Ohio real estate 614-388-8249
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