The Osmonds announced a concert venue in Provo Canyon. Will it actually happen?

PROVO — While the Osmonds made it seem as though building a large concert venue at the base of Provo Canyon was a done deal, the controversial development still faces many legal approvals.

Vesper Amphitheater is a proposed "entertainment and hospitality development" on the south side of Provo Canyon Road right at the entrance to the canyon. In a press conference last month, David Osmond announced the venue would be built at the site of a mining facility, 6622 N. Highway 189, across the street from Mount Timpanogos and Canyon View parks.

"The opportunity to reclaim, restore something that has been deeply altered, as you can tell — mined for over a hundred years — and transform this into something that reconnects us all to the canyon experience," he said.

The proposed project would include a state-of-the-art music amphitheater along with resort-style hotel villas, trail connections, retail space and dining. In the May announcement, Osmond said the max seating capacity would be 20,000, but planning applications submitted to the city state the max would be 25,000 seats.

Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said the project would "transform this area into something that will be not only an economic driver for Provo, but also just an amazing, beautiful, wonderful venue for fantastic musical events." Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran also expressed his approval for the "spectacular project."

Social media, however, showed a different response, with hundreds of comments against the idea and several posts on local Facebook pages asking how to stop the development.

A petition argues Provo Canyon is "simply not the right place" for a large-scale commercial endeavor. The proposed plans will "fundamentally alter" the character of the area, disrupt traffic, create a "logistical nightmare" for local law enforcement, and place a financial burden on taxpayers by upgrading the property's infrastructure to handle the proposed facilities, it claims.

"Increased human activity, noise pollution, and light pollution will all contribute to the degradation of this critical environmental sanctuary that local recreationists love," the petition says. As of Wednesday morning, almost 4,000 people have signed it.

Vesper leadership, however, affirms that the project is not intended to harm the environment but is designed to allow guests to "interact meaningfully with the unmatched natural beauty" of the canyon. More than 50 acres of the project will also be put into a conservation easement, according to application documents.

Osmond says the goal is not to overwhelm the canyon with a new development but to "transform it from an existing gravel pit into something more beautiful, more useable, more stable, more thoughtfully planned — a gateway to the Provo Canyon."

What will the development look like?

Bryan Bayles, on behalf of Vesper Amphitheater, submitted three planning applications to Provo on April 21. All three applications were filed together in a 48-page document detailing an "envelope-based concept plan" that allows for flexibility on some aspects, such as site-grading, utility strategies, road access and geotechnical conditions that still need to be studied, while also asking the city for approval on intended land use.

The "transformational" project will "establish a new benchmark in adaptable entertainment architecture in the Mountain West," the application states. Vesper plans to use native vegetation and water-wise principles throughout the development and minimize the need for regrading by using existing slopes and landforms when possible, according to the application.

The concept plan is split into three overlapping "envelopes": the amphitheater, the hospitality and retail area, and parking. The envelopes dictate general primary uses in each area of the development, but said details are subject to change based on engineering, technical reviews and architectural decisions.

The "energy-efficient" amphitheater will have architecture that is integrated into the natural landscape and oriented for views of the canyon. The building will use a retractable roof system and operable enclosure walls to transform from a massive outdoor venue to a smaller indoor version for winter.

The hospitality area will have a hotel with a maximum of 75 rooms. The retail space is designed to be walkable with dining and shopping options that connect to the hotel and amphitheater.

In the parking area, the application details a plan of both structured garage parking and surface parking to create up to 10,000 stalls. The parking areas are designed for quick loading and unloading "to minimize impacts to the existing canyon road" while people enter and leave the venue. The surface parking will provide public access to surrounding parks and trails.

The project site has four existing access points, but Vesper said it will work with Utah Department of Transportation to create "safe and efficient" access to the site. A traffic impact study will be conducted to look at potential roadway infrastructure improvements, the application says.

One such proposed improvement is a pedestrian and vehicle bridge across Highway 189 to increase access to local parks and trails. Vesper has said it also aims to increase connectivity between the Provo River Trail and Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

"While the current site area is not publicly accessible, the proposed plan will incorporate public trails and connect existing trails to open space and trail hubs," the application says.

Vesper's website says it is a "privately led and primarily privately funded project," but Vesper did not respond to KSL's further questions about who will be paying for the infrastructure and utility improvements.

What legal hurdles does the project still face?

The development's 100.7 acres encompasses three parcels of land, one formerly owned by Provo Canyon Mining Company, and two adjacent parcels owned by Provo city, sized 40 acres and 34.48 acres.

Approximately 26.17 acres owned by Provo Canyon Mining Company were conveyed to TLS Entertainment Company in March, according to a deed filed in Utah County property records. While Vesper did not answer how it's connected to TLS Entertainment, the application lists TLS Entertainment as one of the entities requesting the changes.

Vesper told KSL it hopes to do a land swap with Provo City for the remaining acres, but did not expand upon what that deal would entail.

Vesper is requesting to amend the zone map for the land — which currently covers three zones of open space, preservation and recreation; public facilities; and agricultural — to the SC3 zone, or regional shopping center zone. The application also requests amending the general plan's designation of the proposed project area from agricultural and parks, recreation and open space to a commercial designation.

The project will be, at most, 30% developed to comply with the regulations of the regional shopping center zone, the application says.

"The design for the project, including the structure locations, sizing and massing is not yet finalized," the application states. "All undeveloped areas, including those within the envelope left open, will be either landscaped or preserved as open space."

Provo is hosting open house meetings on Wednesday, June 17, and July 8 to inform community members about the proposal, let the public ask questions, and provide the opportunity to speak with the project team and design consultants.

Provo City Councilman Jeff Whitlock posted a video on June 1 emphasizing that the Vesper project is still just a proposal.

"It's not a done deal. The developers have a concept. They're sharing the concept, but there are several steps the city has to take before that concept can become a reality," Whitlock said, explaining that the developers still need to buy city property, which requires a City Council vote on approving a sale.

"For me personally, it's a question of what the citizens of Provo want Provo Canyon and the mouth of Provo Canyon to be. What is our vision for that part of our city?" Whitlock said.

The Provo Planning Commission will make a decision on Vesper's concept plan approval and give recommendations on the zoning and general plan amendments on June 24 at 6 p.m. The City Council will then make final decisions on the proposed map amendments at a hearing on July 14 at 5:30 p.m. Public comment will be heard at both meetings and additional information on the items can be found on the city's website.

Vesper's website, which touts 94% community approval, has a phone number that goes to nowhere and an email address that, when messaged multiple times by KSL, never responded. Vesper has posted an online survey to gather feedback on the proposed project.

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