Palm Springs parks commissioners favor modest downtown amphitheater upgrades after review of four concepts

Consultants hired to study an expansion of the downtown park amphitheater presented four conceptual designs and cost ranges to the Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Commission on May 18, 2026. The commission provided feedback that favored a minimal, preservation-minded approach over a full-scale rebuild.

Oscar Johnson of MIG, the landscape architecture firm retained for the feasibility study, said the firm was asked to range its recommendations from “a lightest touch” to a heavier rebuild. The options included: Option A, which keeps the stage in place, adds approximately 162 fixed seats, a small 8-by-10 green room/storage area and a fabric shade canopy (estimated $1.0–$1.5 million); Option B, a larger 30-by-50 stage and different seating arrangement (about $1.5–$2.0 million); Option C, which reconfigures the stage across Museum Way and increases capacity by roughly 461 seats (about $1.7–$2.5 million); and Option D, a more extensive relocation off the underground parking structure with maximum capacity near 626 and an estimated $3–$4 million price range.

“This is the lowest,” Oscar said of Option A’s cost estimate, adding the budget assumptions include prevailing wage, escalation and a 20 percent contingency typical for this level of conceptual design. Staff confirmed the city previously set aside roughly $750,000 from Measure J for initial work on the project.

Commissioners repeatedly stressed preserving the park’s current character and the canopy of trees. Several commissioners said they preferred options that increase seating without dramatically changing the existing stage location or the park’s intimate feel. One commissioner summarized common concerns by saying they did “not want to change the whole concept of the intimacy of the downtown park.”

Questions from commissioners focused on seat-count math, whether permanent AV infrastructure would be installed, storage solutions for AV gear, and whether moving the stage could cause sound issues for the nearby museum. Oscar and staff said the concepts anticipate modular AV capacity (Options B–D would provide built-in AV provisions) and that further technical studies—structural reviews and sound studies—would be required before design or construction.

Staff noted the Measure J allocation would not fully fund most concepts and that additional sources—grant applications, future Measure J requests or other funding—would be needed if the commission selected a higher-cost option. Commissioners asked staff to explore using the underground parking structure for some storage to limit surface impacts.

What happens next: staff will incorporate the commission’s feedback (a preference roughly aligned with Option A or a minimal upgrade), refine the selected concept, and return with a more detailed plan and potential funding pathways for future votes.