CapeNews.net – An outdoor entertainment space, complete with a clamshell amphitheater, has been proposed for the former freezer building property next to the Cape Cod Canal.
Town officials began going over the proposal for 20 Freezer Road at a July 9 site plan review meeting. Artist’s conceptions of the project were provided to the Sandwich Economic Initiative Corporation at its meeting Monday.
The conceptions list a target date of summer 2015.
Mark Manning, a longtime Boston restaurateur, is the primary developer on the project, according to project spokesman Paul Cleary.
As currently conceived, the “Cape Cod Clam Shell” amphitheater would be placed on the western side of the 1.19-acre parcel that fronts the Sandwich Marina. A large bank of solar panels would be installed along the western edge.
Restaurants and bars with outdoor patios would be built on the southwestern and southern sides of the parcel on either side of a large entry plaza at the southwest corner.
A large grassy lawn would cover most of the rest of the parcel.
People sitting on the lawn looking at the amphitheater would see NRG Energy’s Canal Electric plant to the left and the Sagamore Bridge to the right.
Everyone remembers The Real Cape Fun Police test right? If it is wicked fucking awesome, then they will come out in force to stop it? Well this, my friends, could not be any more wicked fucking awesome. This would be the best thing to happen on Cape Cod since they started selling beer on Sundays so I am 197% sure the Fun Police will come out in droves to fight against this project.
When it comes time for these people to get permits, we need to rally the silent majority and fight the Fun Police like we’ve never fought them before! We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in Sandwich, we shall fight on the Canal and Bay, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Peninsula, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the bridges, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the bogs;
We shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Peninsula or a large part of it were subjugated and starving for fun, then our brethren beyond the Canal, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, younger people, with all their power and might, step forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old grumpy bastards on Cape Cod.
P.S. Free T-Shirt to the first person to comment with the name of the person I just blatantly plagiarized.
P.P.S. How awesome is going to feel when this finally opens 18 years from now and it’s nothing but Michael Bolton and Barry Manilow concerts and shit?
Facebook: The Real CapeTwitter: Hippie - Insane Tony
Churchill
Love the idea, hate the location. We have enough traffic on the bridge, now we want to add concert traffic? Mansfield gets packed for even the smallest of artists and they have multiple lanes of highway and a much larger parking area. I just saw a concert at the Melody Tent and traffic was insane. I say build a better Melody Tent first.
I live 2 miles from Great Woods, and the traffic is rarely bad before a show. After a show, well……
Drunks and 60 foot depths of strong current within barfing distance sounds perfect….why wouldn't the town want this???
William Wallace.
Because the adundunce of seaside drinking establishments, people drinking on boats, beaches and docks never happens on Cape….Get a life u whiny bitch
Fuck off Andrew the area needs more tourist attractions and less locals bitching about money coming in…..The Melody tent isn't a vibrant sea-side location and god forbid we bring any sort of economic stimulus or employment to the area god knows there is so much to do in Sandwich, wouldn't want to cut into anyone's night time heroine use……SMH
Winston Churchill
That would be amazing…..But the Cape Cod Commission would never allow it, god forbid there be some business potential here.
Brian Cusick, really? The man-made peninsula with gorgeous beaches and tons of local small businesses needs MORE attractions? Sorry you live in Southie, but on the Cape, we actually LIKE our area and don't want it ruined by people who dump their garbage all over the beach and roads. If you actually read my post, the very first thing I said was "love the idea". I'm not bitching about money coming in, quite the opposite, but I am bitching about traffic on the bridge, something all the tourists do as well. Something that has been a big enough issue they've opened up a train to Boston and are talking about putting a third bridge in, not to mention JetBlue now also flies to Hyannis. I see you're originally from Sandwich, of that I am truly sorry, but that makes me understand your comment a little more, as I worked in that town, with the town, for three and half years (probably the worst of my life). So, instead of trolling, do have any actual reasoning behind your asinine comments? "jobs" and "economic stimulus" (I do not think that means what you think it does) aren't good enough. If they put this in another town (say, Falmouth or Barnstable), the jobs will be there, no? If we built on the Melody Tent, would that not stimulate the economy still by getting bigger artists in. What is your argument that Sandwich should be the place? Because there is nothing to do but heroin? I'm from Harwich, ever been? I mean to do anything besides, maybe, play sports in high school? No, there's "nothing" to do there either, but, you see, with any small amount or research, you'll see there's always something to do, but alas, that may cut into the drug use you're obviously very used to seeing. Which, by the way, won't magically stop because there's an amphitheater in town, it will probably increase drug abuse. So, please, enlighten me as to why you're shaking your head at my personal opinion?
Andrew F. Eaton If you hate living in an area that has traffic for 3-5 months of the year and if this is your sole argument why no commercial development should happen in Sandwich then move off cape or further down….Yes if you move the plans to other locations the jobs and capital created would be in a different community, and Sandwich won't benefit from any of the increased tax revenue, hospitality influx (this is economic stimulus: I.E. causing the economy growth). Sandwich is a prime location A) the real estate is available and is easily accessible by both land and sea B) Sandwich has very little to offer tourists and is often overlooked for "real cape cod" down cape experience, C) This dreaded proximity to the high way and bridge make it easier for people to come for just the shows or to the pavilion D) I don't know what you do, but people just don't go throwing there money into other peoples property, so this developer isn't going to say sure I'll just pay for the Melody Tent renovations. People like you are who ruined cape cod, who got early last calls and noise complaints galore, now majority of night spots are gone and turned into seaside mansions and towns full of ordinances and rules.
One thing I think the Cape does not have enough of is music. We have the same guys at the local bars, town bands in the summer, and music at the Melody Tent (haven't been there in years cuz I've already seen Frankie Valli and The Beach Boys, thank you very much). Don't get me wrong our local music is fun but we could use some more variety. I think this would be a great idea. I don't know anything about the project but from the article above I don't think you can compare it to Great Woods. It say it is a 1.19 acre parcel. That people, is quite small. So I don't think the Stone's or Bey and Jay will be headliners. Maybe that's a misprint but its just over an acre, that's not that big of a space.
Yes traffic on the Cape in the summer is heavy but learn the back roads, go to the grocery store on Wednesday evening, and be happy that so many people love the Cape and keep our favorite restaurants, bars, galleries, stores, ice cream places and such in business.
I'm no longer a Sandwich resident but way to many tourists pass Sandwich by, the go over the bridge and keep going, it's lovely town, with lots to do and this might get it more noticed. Anyhow I love music and especially outdoors. Wow I'm going to open a bug spray stand, the no seeums in Sandwich are ravenous!!
Brian Cusick You bring up valid points, congrats. Now we can have a discussion. First, I don't hate the traffic enough to move because, as you stated, it's only 3-5 months out of the year, and it's only mind-numbingly bad for 3, tops. I'm merely stating that traffic is a major concern, and I bitch because that's what anyone and everyone does about traffic, I don't know anyone who LIKES traffic. I wouldn't say it's my sole argument, but it is the major one, as it should be. Traffic can cause injury or death which would add expenses to the public. I don't care about one town getting any benefit vs another, I am more interested in the Cape as a whole benefiting. Sandwich already has one of the highest tax rates on the Cape, so I don't believe they're struggling with tax revenue. An economic stimulus is, and I quote, "Attempts by governments or government agencies to financially stimulate an economy. An economic stimulus is the use of monetary or fiscal policy changes to kick start a lagging or struggling economy. Governments can use tactics such as lowering interest rates, increasing government spending and quantitative easing, to name a few, to accomplish this", but I understand what you're saying. Now to your points; A.) Yes, real estate is available, and has been for many years. This is why our arguing is probably done in vain as it's unlikely to ever actually happen because Sandwich seems very happy being a mostly residential town and probably won't give up land for anything (except maybe another golf course). The land may be "prime", but Sandwich is no easier to get to than Falmouth, and not significantly easier than Hyannis by land or sea. B.) Yes it is, because the town doesn't make owning business worthwhile and there's no "wow" factor. I agree an amphitheater would probably change that, but it would also cost the town and townspeople a good chunk of change first on account of the fact there'd be nowhere to put anyone visiting overnight. A risk, again, the town is unlikely to take on. You have a good point, regardless. C.) You're absolutely right, the proximity would make it very convenient, and if they do build a third bridge, the traffic issue might be a smaller one, but what's the likelihood of that happening? D.) Again, you're right! The developer will not pay for Melody Tent renovations, that was strictly a suggested alternative instead of sinking a bunch into a new venue while we already have a great one that just needs a little fixing up (starting with the seating, I felt like a sardine, but I'm also fat, so that's whole different subject). The Real Cape has a saying "Don't Jersey the Cape", I take that as not wanting to make it so touristy that it's not worth living in year-round. Part of that would be trying to turn it into so many other beach towns by building monstrous eyesores that nearly all fall to the wayside, or creating too much of party-first attitude. This is all just an opinion, of course. And you're entitled to yours as well. In fact, despite your personal attacks, I can see that Sandwich wouldn't be the worst place to build this on Cape, but I still feel it's just not the right time. I guess it's all moot anyway, since, as The Real Cape said themselves, the "fun police" (aka the town of Sandwich) will likely shut it down before it starts. Until next time, have a great week!
yaaa !
How about moving it 100 yards to the left and knock down the power plant? Lots more room there!
There's not enough traffic?