BRIDGEPORT — Picture a warm summer evening with thousands of music lovers packing the new amphitheater to enjoy their favorite musical act. They sing along, cheer, dance, sip cold local beer and munch on concessions from area vendors.
That scene, despite the year-old global coronavirus pandemic, is what the men behind Bridgeport’s 5,700-seat outdoor concert venue are envisioning as they ready to finally open after missing the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
But is it realistic?
Developer Howard Saffan and concert promoter Jim Koplik of Live Nation recently said they need Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration, which has set strict regulations for doing business during the health crisis, to allow them to operate at 100 percent capacity this summer to host an estimated 20 concerts.
“It’s not about us. It’s about the entertainer,” Saffan said Thursday. “Live Nation will book entertainers based on a certain level of income they can expect.” And that talent will not tour without full capacity crowds, Saffan said.
Health experts are skeptical there will be such a rapid return to normal, even with vaccines to combat COVID-19, because of lingering questions about whether those inoculations prevent asymptomatic spread, the amount of time it will take for the population to develop widespread immunity, and because of the unknowns posed by coronavirus variants.
“One hundred percent (outdoor concert capacity) for this summer, at least for the beginning of the summer, is not realistic,” said Dr. Zane Saul, an infectious disease specialist with Bridgeport Hospital. “I think we have to open the world back up in a much more slow fashion. I think 50 percent is realistic.”
Fifty percent outdoor audiences is the goal Lamont’s Department of Economic and Community Development has set for the spring/early summer, depending on Connecticut’s coronavirus infection and vaccination rates.
Dr. Karl Minges, chairman of the University of New Haven’s department of health administration/policy, said “50 percent could be realistic” but cautioned “I don’t know if that’s too high or too low.
“So much of it is really unknown at this point,” Minges said. “If we’re talking the 35 (years old) and up community being vaccinated by May, there’s a good chance we could snuff out these variants before they are widespread. I think colleges are talking open-air (graduation) ceremonies, and that’s a realistic conversation to be having. They will have to look different. ... Concerts and what not will look different.”
Minges emphasized that even if the state is doing great controlling coronavirus’ spread during the warmer months, people attending large events still should take precautions like wearing masks and social distancing.
But spacing out the audience at Bridgeport’s amphitheater means that even if the facility is allowed to operate at full capacity, it could not because of the need to keep ticket-holders the recommended six feet apart.
“You’re talking about a venue that would have to be five to six times the size of ours” to separate 5,700 stadium seats, Saffan said.
Saffan said he and Koplik will present their coronavirus prevention protocols to the state, which will require their audience members show proof of vaccination or that they recently tested negative for COVID. On-site rapid coronavirus testing will be provided. And everyone must continue wearing masks.
Saffan noted that Hartford HealthCare, which owns St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport and recently purchased the naming rights to the amphitheater, “have made themselves available to us to review health protocols throughout the season.”
Minges, however, said: “I do not think it’s at all realistic to have people bring their COVID vaccine cards and negative COVID tests. For a public function where you’re bringing in thousands of people, there’s no way to make that work logistically.
“What needs to happen is complete reliance on wearing face masks and social distancing and sanitization and changing the physical structure of venues,” Minges said.
And Saul noted even with the best plans to stop the virus’ spread in place, the concern is “young people that kind of feel omnipotent and you start including other things like alcohol and people let their guard down. That’s how we get the virus transmitted.
“I would love to go to an outdoor concert myself. Everybody’s been cooped up way too long and all want to get out and start getting our lives back to normal,” Saul continued. “But we’ve got to do it in a slow, regimented way.”
Minges said perhaps by April 1 the state should have a better sense of Connecticut’s vaccination rate and of the spread of coronavirus variants.
But Saffan hopes to announce the amphitheater’s opening concert in late March with, ideally, the first performance in June: “If the governor and Department of Economic Development give us the green light to open up our venue 100 percent, we’ll announce the opening act on or before March 26th. ... In a perfect world we’d like a commitment by March 15 for June for 100 percent capacity.”
And he has no doubt he will, if allowed, be able to fill those seats: “The community is very anxious to get out. And we would love to show off our new amphitheater.”
Bridgeport’s amphitheater is hardly the only outdoor venue in limbo, though there is much at stake for Saffan, Koplik and the city given the project is already two years behind schedule and over its initial $15 million budget.
Similar capacity discussions are being held, for example, about the Hartford Yard Goats minor league baseball team.
“Given the trajectory we’re on in terms of (COVID) transmission, we’re confident there will be fans in the stands,” said Vas Srivastava, a spokesman for Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “But it’s too soon to give an estimate.”
On Feb. 19 Saffan and Lamont appeared briefly on 99.1 PLR radio’s Chaz & AJ show. Saffan was promoting a coat drive in Bridgeport, and the governor was on air to discuss various issues.
Saffan noted Lamont’s favorite band is Lynyrd Skynyrd and the governor asked if the group will be “coming around some day?”
“Yes they will if you’re kind enough to open up our amphitheater,” Saffan said.
“Outdoors, I think we’re gonna be in pretty decent shape by June, July. I gotta believe that,” Lamont responded, though neither he nor Saffan discussed crowd sizes.
Reached for this story, Max Reiss, Lamont’s communications director, responded, “I’m not going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’” when asked about allowing outdoor entertainment venues to host 100 percent of their normal audiences.
“I think it’s very difficult to look into a crystal ball and predict what June, July or August look like,” Reiss said. “We’re optimistic we can continue to ease restrictions. I think the governor has been pretty clear about that. ... It’s very difficult for me to say to you, ‘Yes, we can get to 50 percent (audience size) on ‘x’ date.’”
Reiss added: “But there’s nothing Governor Lamont wants more than for this to feel like a normal summer as much as possible. ... But we need to keep our (infection) rates low, get them lower, and need people to get vaccinated.”
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