Local

I'm all for local investment in Dayton, but two years ago we had one outdoor music venue in the county. Now they're planning a third? Sounds like a bubble. I'm also skeptical this will be voluntarily funded. The Huber venue cost $20 million. $500,000 isn't much of a seed. From email:
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Dayton Announced as Site for Ninth Levitt Pavilion

Release Date:  Monday, December 14, 2015 Contact:  Toni Bankston, 937-333-3616

Dayton has been selected by the national Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation as the ninth city across the nation to join an esteemed network of outdoor Levitt performance venues, collectively presenting America's largest free concert series. The Foundation has pledged $500,000 in seed funding to partially fund the construction of a permanent, state-of-the-art music venue at Dave Hall Plaza, at Fourth and Jefferson Streets in the heart of downtown Dayton. As all Levitt creative place- making projects, Levitt Pavilion Dayton is community-driven and depends on the support of the local community to become a reality.  For this reason, the City of Dayton will solicit feedback from the community to gauge public interest in the project.  Initial feedback has been positive. "I have been working in downtown Dayton for decades and I feel the Levitt Pavilion will complement the vibrancy we are seeing  from new housing, new restaurants, young people and diversity," said Jeff Ireland   The venue, known as the Levitt Pavilion Dayton, is slated to open in 2018. It will present 50 free concerts each summer, featuring acclaimed, emerging talent to seasoned, award-winning artists in a wide array of music genres-everything from Latin to blues, rock to country, children's to jazz.  "We have always believed in the ability of art and music to transform and energize people in the most positive ways. We can't wait to see if Levitt Pavilion Dayton does just that," said Michael and Sandy Bashaw, Dayton musicians and community volunteers. Through the free concerts, Levitt Pavilion Dayton will inject new life into Dave Hall Plaza (originally constructed in the 1970s), bringing people together of all ages and backgrounds to experience the family-friendly shows and welcoming atmosphere. As part of the capital project, Dave Hall Plaza will be renovated with new landscaping and amenities. In addition, Levitt Pavilion Dayton will serve as a catalyst for further development and growth in the surrounding area, similar to other cities with permanent Levitt venues, including Los Angeles and Pasadena, Calif., Memphis, Tenn., and Arlington, Texas. When the Levitt concerts aren't in season, the Levitt Pavilion will be available for use by other local organizations for a range of performances and events. "Enhancing downtown Dayton with a place-based amenity like the Levitt Pavilion is extremely exciting," said Mayor Nan Whaley. "The Levitt mission couldn't be a better fit for Dave Hall Plaza and the Greater Downtown Area." "Dayton-and Dave Hall Plaza in particular-is an ideal setting for the power of free, live music to bring people together and invigorate community life," said Sharon Yazowski, executive director of the Levitt Foundation. "We're impressed with the visionary leadership of the City, and the displayed community support for the project to date." While the Levitt Foundation has pledged seed funding, as well as annual operating grants and support resources to the project, additional funds must be raised to balance the difference. A local non-profit organization, Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton, has been created to manage, program and raise funds for the venue.  Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton is scheduled to launch its official fundraising campaign in January 2016 but is already welcoming donations. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to:             The Dayton Foundation 40 S. Main Street, Suite 500 Dayton, Ohio 45423 Account #7769 About the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation is a private family foundation that exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. Through its support of creative placemaking projects, the Foundation empowers communities to transform neglected public spaces into welcoming destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together and invigorates community life. The Foundation's primary funding areas include the signature Levitt program of permanent outdoor music venues and the Levitt AMP Grant Awards, an annual grants competition. The Levitt network of permanent outdoor music venues and AMP concert sites collectively presents the largest free concert series in America, serving more than half a million people annually through 450+ free, family-friendly concerts. As an example of the caliber of talent presented across the Levitt network, the 2016 GRAMMY nominees include 21 artists who have performed on Levitt stages in recent years. The signature Levitt program includes cities as diverse as Los Angeles and Pasadena, Calif.; Westport, Conn.; Bethlehem, Pa.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Arlington, Texas. Each signature Levitt venue is its own 501(c)(3) Friends of Levitt nonprofit organization, presenting 50+ free concerts every year featuring acclaimed, emerging talent to seasoned, award-winning performers in all music genres. Due to accelerating interest from cities and engaged citizens, the signature Levitt program is growing. Developing Levitt locations across the country include Denver (opening 2017) Houston (opening 2018), Dayton (opening 2018), and Sioux Falls (opening 2019), among other cities. In 2016, the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards will provide matching grants to 15 small to mid-sized towns and cities across America to transform neglected public spaces into thriving destinations through free concerts. Learn more at http://www.levitt.org.

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Yep. It's socialist.