The Lawrence mayor said Jan. 14 that soil testing came back negative for a proposed amphitheater site and the city is moving into surveying and lease negotiations with state and redevelopment partners.

"Everything came back negative so that we can move forward," the mayor said, adding that the city has engaged an engineering firm for a land survey and that the Department of Natural Resources and the redevelopment authority are involved in drafting a lease. The mayor said the city requested a 100‑year lease initially but negotiated toward a 10‑year term with automatic renewal provisions.

City officials said the amphitheater would remain city property under the planned lease and that the parks department would be responsible for maintenance and programming. Staff described multiple funding paths under consideration, including title or corporate sponsors, donor-driven capital campaigns, bonds and a mix of FHRA and redevelopment resources; no firm funding commitment has been made and council action would be required if the project needs city budget allocations.

Speakers raised logistics including parking near Ivy Tech, which city staff said expects to vacate its nearby lot by late summer, creating potential temporary parking capacity. The mayor described the effort as "in the infancy stages," saying the city would explore production companies and sponsors to program events and offset operating costs.

Officials emphasized that hiring and maintenance decisions are subject to current budget constraints, including a hiring freeze, and that the city is considering phased implementation to spread costs. Staff said they hope to make a formal announcement by the end of the first quarter but cautioned that design, lease finalization and funding remain unresolved.

Next steps include completing survey work, finalizing lease language with legal counsel and DNR, pursuing fundraising conversations with potential donors and sponsors, and returning to the board and city council as needed for budget approvals.