New Preservation Plaza attracts large crowds for family friendly entertainment

The new stage on which to host outdoor concerts and entertainment has completed construction at Preservation Plaza, along with a permanent concession stand, a "Concert Viewing Deck" and restrooms.

Concertgoers can park their lawn chairs in front of the stage and enjoy the music. A variety of bands have already performed on the new stage, drawing large seasonal crowds.

"It has been awesome. People love the new stage and the new concert deck," said Paul Plumb, marketing director for the historic amusement park. Construction on the stage was completed in May. The venue can hold around 7,000 people and the larger stage can attract big-name artists, Plumb said.

Ted and Tami Woodroof are Spirit Lake natives. They said the new stage is amazing and offers a unique, family-fun opportunity. Olivia and Orla Stodghill were visiting the Okobojis for the weekend and decided to check out the venue. Orla Stodghill said the venue was beautiful and appreciated the history of the facility.

The massive stage has a unique design, with each piece representing different aspects of the region.

The Iowa Great Lakes, blue waters of the Okobojis, history of wooden boats, Iowa prairies and wetlands, and existing architectural and lighting aesthetics from the State Pier, Promenade, Boardwalk and Arnolds Park Amusement Park Legend rollercoaster are all represented in the new stage, according to a Preservation Plaza handout.

The roof of the venue is shaped like waves, representing the waters of the Iowa Great Lakes and the white canopy fascia is intended to symbolize white caps from the waves.

The roof also has built-in LED lights that are programmed in conjunction with the stage lights, meant to represent the lights on Arnolds Park's wooden roller coaster.

The wood underside of the canopy is meant to represent the wooden boards that can be found on the Lakes and the vertical masts that support the canopy represent the sailboats that can be seen on West Lake, according to the pamphlet.

Both the stage and the new concession stands feature stone and wood, which are meant to blend into the natural setting of the green space.

Plumb said these are "huge improvements" that were made possible by a donor.

Every Saturday night during the summer, Arnolds Park Amusement Park offers a free show and fireworks. Concert-goers can place lawn chairs or blankets on the sprawling lawns near the stage, or get an up-close experience standing right in front of the stage.

"We are able to have a venue that is world-class and top of the line," Plumb said. "When bands are looking at the venue they can see great facilities in a great setting."

In mid-July, JUMP, a Van Halen cover band drew a massive crowd to the stage. Following the performance, the park hosted its delayed Fourth of July fireworks show on the lake. More than 5,000 people attended the performance, packing the lawn and stage front.

Arnold's Park was been operating since 1889. In 1999 the owner at the time accepted an offer from a development company to use the site for residential condominiums, according to a Preservation Plaza sign. The whole site was set to be razed.

A public "Save the Park" campaign raised $7.25 million in six weeks to save the park. A non profit called the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum was formed to manage the park. The park began to struggle financially again, but another public campaign called "Sustain the Park" raised enough funds to rid the park of its $2 million in debt in 2005.

A specific donation from the Iowa National Heritage Foundation allowed the park to secure a conservation easement for the Preservation Plaza land, preserving the space and preventing it from being developed on, according to the sign.