Donor funds new amphitheater at Granite Shoals park
The planned site for the Proton Amphitheater at Quarry Park. Image from Granite Shoals Agenda Packet.
Granite Shoals City Council recently approved a $175,000 donation that will fund the design and construction of a new outdoor amphitheater at Quarry Park, a project city officials say will enhance the park as a regional destination for events and recreation.
The council voted on Tuesday, Jan. 13, to accept the donation from the Hudson Family and approved naming rights under the city’s donation policy. The Proton Amphitheater at Quarry Park will be located immediately next to City Hall, located at 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road, on the steep south side of the property.
“The Proton Amphitheater at Quarry Park promises to bring residents and visitors together through shared cultural experiences and community events, honoring our granite and quarrying roots while symbolizing the energy, connection, and forward momentum that continue to shape Granite Shoals,” City Manager Sarah Novo told DailyTrib.
The amphitheater remains in the planning stages, and city officials did not release details regarding construction timelines, design elements, or a projected completion date.
The donation allows the previously unfunded project to move forward without committing additional city dollars at this time. City officials said the donated funds will be deposited into a restricted capital project account within the city’s financial system.
A fiscal year 2026 budget amendment will be requested when the funds are expected to be expended for design or construction, and any future operational or maintenance costs will be incorporated into the Parks Department’s annual budget.
During the meeting, donor Andrew Hudson, a Granite Shoals landowner, said the contribution was intended as an enhancement to the city.
“I wanted to make a donation to the city, an investment in the city,” Hudson said in the meeting.
He also addressed the naming of the amphitheater
“So proton is my hiking name; I’m a huge chemistry nerd,” he said.
The city also shared an official statement on the amphitheater’s title.
“Its name and concept symbolize the city’s connection to both its geological past and its forward momentum,” reads a Granite Shoals city staff report. “Forged from the quarries that built our city, inspired by the elements that shape our world. The name Proton Amphitheater reflects both the natural and elemental foundations of Granite Shoals’ identity and the forward-looking energy of its community.”