By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer
PELHAM
– One of Pelham’s most iconic landmarks is at the heart of a bold new vision for the future, and the city is calling on residents to help shape what comes next.
The city of Pelham has launched ReAmp: Reimagine OMA, a three-day community design initiative aimed at gathering ideas and feedback about the future of the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre site. Set to take place Tuesday, July 22 through Thursday, July 24 at the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena Banquet Hall, the event will serve as a unique opportunity for the public to help reimagine a space that has long been part of the city’s identity.
“The Oak Mountain Amphitheatre has played a big role in Pelham’s past,” a release read. “Now, it’s time to look ahead, and we want your input as we explore what’s next for this iconic location.”
The ReAmp project was announced at a Pelham City Council meeting on Monday, June 16 by Gretchen DiFante, Pelham’s city manager.
“We’re very excited and this brand effort reflects the roots of (the area),” DiFante said during the meeting. “It matters because this is arguably the biggest development that the city has had since we began in 1964.”
The process began when the city of Pelham approved the purchase of a 43-acre property that included Oak Mountain Amphitheatre from Live Nation at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 17. Demolition began on the property in May, and the council met with Williams Blackstock Architects on Monday, June 2 to begin preliminary discussions on the ReAmp project, including introducing the method by which the city would implement the redevelopment of the amphitheatre.
The method at the heart of the initiative is a charrette—an intensive, collaborative planning session that brings together residents, stakeholders and design professionals to explore creative possibilities for the site. Over the course of the event, attendees will be able to share ideas, priorities, and memories of the amphitheatre while a team of planning experts works behind the scenes to craft early design concepts that reflect the community’s collective vision.
The process begins with a public workshop on Monday, July 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., where residents can speak directly with the planning team in an open, interactive setting. On Wednesday, July 24, the team will host a final presentation, unveiling the first set of concepts inspired by community feedback gathered during the week.
For those unable to attend in person, an online survey will launch on July 18, giving residents five days to provide their thoughts digitally.
“This is a rare opportunity to reshape one of Pelham’s most visible and well-known properties,” the release stated. “We want the site’s next chapter to serve the community in fresh, meaningful ways, and your perspective will help guide that vision.”
The city is also inviting residents to submit their personal memories and photographs of the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, recognizing the deep emotional ties many have to the venue. From first concerts to family outings and unforgettable encores, shared stories may even be integrated into the final design as a tribute to the amphitheatre’s cultural legacy.
“The Oak Mountain Amphitheatre was more than a place—it was a memory for tens of thousands of people,” the release noted. “We want to preserve those stories as we reimagine what comes next.”
With the amphitheatre’s future wide open, city leaders hope the ReAmp event will spark meaningful dialogue and creative solutions—ones that honor Pelham’s past while unlocking new possibilities for its future.
For more information, updates, or to share your OMA memories, visit Pelhamalabama.gov/1316/ReAmp-Reimagine-OMA.
