Conservation, historic preservation organizations oppose amphitheater plans
A group composed of seven conservation and historic preservation organizations is opposing plans for development of a movie production studio and tourist attraction at the site of the former Great Meadows Amphitheater in Wharton Township. Last November, the Fayette County Commissioners signed a lease with Fayette Films LLC to use 6.1 acres including the amphitheater as a movie production studio. The film company would like to eventually lease or purchase an additional 120-plus acres surrounding the amphitheater site. Plans are to use the outdoor amphitheater for shows as well as making movies on the site.
The property is located adjacent to Fort Necessity National Battlefield and is encumbered with deed restrictions limiting its use. The only piece of property that doesn’t have deed restrictions on it is the 6.1 acres currently under lease agreement.
The county purchased the property decades ago using state funds under the 1964 Project 70 Land Acquisition and Development Act. The restrictions limit the use of the property covering all $70 million in state grants that were given to municipalities to purchase the land.
According to information from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, in 1967, the county obtained a $30,000 grant to purchase the land and agreed to the deed restrictions, which stipulate that the land can’t be converted to anything other that recreation, conservation or open space use and can’t be sold for other purposes.
Lifting the deed restrictions requires an act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and approval by the governor.
“The proposed development is completely out of character with the intent of the taxpayer-funded Project 70 program,” said Phil Coleman of West Brownsville, a spokesman for the alliance of organizations and member of the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter.
“With the approaching 250th anniversary of the ‘Battle of Fort Necessity’ in July 2004, and the opening of a major new visitor center at the national park, public attention will be focused more than ever on Fayette County and western Pennsylvania,” said Walt Powell of the Braddock Road Preservation Society. “Can we really afford to destroy a site that helps to remind all Americans of the sacrifices made by our greatest founding father, George Washington?”
Although the amphitheater property, which includes a 1,500-seat outdoor stage venue, is located near Fort Necessity, the two properties are separated by a steep, tree covered hillside. During negotiations for the lease, various conditions were agreed upon, including maximum building heights and preservation of the Braddock Trail. Between 30 and 50 pieces of property with Project 70 deed restrictions in place have had them lifted since the end of the program.
The alliance of organizations has delivered letters to DCNR secretary John Oliver and local legislators State Sen. Rich Kasunic, D-Dunbar and State Rep. Larry Roberts, D-South Union objecting to the county commissioners desire to have the deed restrictions lifted. To date, neither Kasunic nor Roberts has expressed an interest in proposing legislation to lift the deed restrictions.
The seven groups include the Braddock Road Preservation Society, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Kiski-Conemaugh River Basin Alliance, National Parks Conservation Association, Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, Preservation Pennsylvania and Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter.
“We are sympathetic to the concerns of the county commissioners about the need for economic development, but this is not the place to do it,” Powell said. “Instead, we wish to explore alternatives that assure the long-term preservation of this historic ground. Heritage tourism is a growing economic engine in the Laurel Highlands, and we must protect irreplaceable resources such as Fort Necessity.”
All three county commissioners are in favor of the project and have said that it will bring millions of dollars in revenue to the county and should be able to coexist with Fort Necessity.