Council awards Riverstone Amphitheater naming rights to ICCU
A sculpture of a grizzly watches over the Riverstone amphitheater. A new shaded structure will protect amphitheater guests this summer, thanks to a naming rights agreement between the city of Coeur d'Alene and Idaho Central Credit Union. (CRAIG NORTHRUP/Press)
Fans who visit the Riverstone Park will soon get some more shaded relief during Coeur d’Alene’s summers.
The Coeur d’Alene City Council agreed Tuesday night to a naming rights partnership with Idaho Central Credit Union for the Riverstone Amphitheater, a 10-year, $40,000 agreement that will help fund a shade structure to give visitors a break from the sun.
“When Riverstone was built, John Mueller, the architect, had envisioned a shade structure over the stage,” Bill Greenwood, director of Parks and Recreation, told the council. “We couldn’t afford it at the time, but it’s always been in our minds that we would like to do this at some point.”
Today’s Riverstone is not without shade, as the city has a shaded picnic area already in place. But the amphitheater, a draw for crowds during performances and concerts put on by the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance, has taken on an unfortunate monicker on the hotter summer days.
“The endearing term for that stage has been the frying pan,” Greenwood said. “So it needs a little bit of shade.”
The city won’t bear the burden for any of the financial costs, though it will absorb some of the installation and maintenance workloads. The project, estimated at just under $94,000 will be paid for by a $40,000 contribution from an anonymous donor, $35,000 from ignite cda, and around $11,000 in donations drummed up by the Arts & Culture Alliance, not to mention ICCU’s $40,000 as part of the naming rights deal.
“So we have plenty of money to get this done,” Greenwood said. “We’d like to go ahead and let ICCU be recognized for their contribution. The Parks Foundation would handle all of that, as far as the management of oversight, just like we have over here at McEuen [Park].”
Ali Shute, executive director of the Arts & Culture Alliance, told The Press their goal is to get the structure up in time for the first concert of the organization’s summer concert series on July 1, when The Rub will perform.
“We’re just really excited the community pulled together to make this happen,” Shute said. “It will make it way more comfortable for the fans and the musical acts. And it’s not just for the concert series: Everyone will be able to enjoy it. We just get to use it Thursday nights in the summer.”