Rockin' in the Free World (Merriweather)

The Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland seems to have a future. Liz Farmer reports in the (Baltimore) Daily Record June 1, 2009:

For years, waiting in line at the restroom and potentially missing out on seeing your favorite song performed was just a part of the Merriweather Post Pavilion experience.

But on Monday, promoters of the Howard County outdoor concert facility said that’s all in the past as they unveiled more than $1 million in renovations — including three times as many restrooms — as part of what they hope will a multimillion dollar overhaul to cement the pavilion as one of the region’s premier concert venues.

“Just a few years ago, people were calling me and asking about the pavilion closing,” said County Executive Ken Ulman. “So today is not just about the new amenities, but it’s about rebuilding the Merriweather Post Pavilion.”

Ulman said that with a County Council vote on downtown Columbia’s master plan expected in the next five months, he and the pavilion’s promoters hope to pump “tens of millions” of dollars into the facility in the coming years with the goal of making the venue a seamless part of the new downtown.

This year’s new amenities include more restrooms (with a two-to-one women’s-to-men’s ratio); a concessions facility with new menu items like crab cakes, pita sandwiches and quesadillas; a pinball arcade; and new sculptures including a 7,500-pound, 15-foot chicken crafted from old farm equipment.

Read the rest of the article at: Merriweather Post Pavilion plans for future.