McLean Groups At Odds Over Amphitheater In McLean Central Park

MCLEAN, VA — The McLean Community Center board expressed support for a proposed amphitheater as part of Fairfax County Park Authority's revitalization plan for McLean Central Park. That puts MCC at odds with the McLean Citizens Association board, which opposes the proposed ampitheater.

The park authority's board approved a revision to its Master Plan in 2013, providing a conceptual vision for the 28-acre McLean Central Park. New facilities envisioned in the Master Plan include an amphitheater at Ingleside Avenue and Dolley Madison Boulevard, parking lot, dog park, seating areas, a bridge replacement, and trail improvements. Now that $2.2 million construction funding became available with an approved park bond in November 2020, the park authority is planning to add new facilities.

The McLean Community Center is based near McLean Central Park and runs programs in the park. MCC's governing board chair Barbara Zamora-Appel sent a letter to the park authority to share support for the amphitheater, accessible drop off point, and public art display at McLean Central Park.

MCC believes the amphitheater could become a core part of the park and provide entertainment space beyond the current gazebo. The gazebo hosts MCC's Sunday Summer Concert Series and other programming, but MCC believes the facility is too small for current and future programming. The gazebo does not also come equipped with adequate electricity or technology, and the seating area is not wheelchair accessible.

"A flexible design of the amphitheater will help us present a variety of activities beyond the musical concerts, with outdoor classes, functions, and a gathering place specific to McLean, supporting its future density growth," the letter states.

The McLean Citizens Association board, however, adopted a resolution in July sharing concerns about the development concept for the park. The board believes an amphitheater would be redundant due to other nearby amphitheaters and performance venues such as Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center. The resolution notes that Capital One Hall will soon open and include a rooftop amphitheater.

The citizens association is also concerned about the environmental impacts of loss of green space and trees, as well as neighborhood impacts from noise, traffic and parking demand due to amphitheater events. Instead, the association wants to see maintenance of existing park facilities and green space, including improvements to the gazebo.

See the full letter from the MCC board chair and resolution from the McLean Citizens Association.

To submit comments on the development concepts for McLean Central Park, visit the project web page.