Presenter says Iowa Amphitheater on Schmidt Island will draw national acts, boost Dubuque tourism

A presenter at a Dubuque meeting said the planned Iowa Amphitheater on Schmidt Island will bring national concerts to Dubuque and bolster tourism and local businesses.

The presenter said the city partnered with "the Q" and the Dubuque Racing Association on the project and that the amphitheater emerged from the community's master planning for Schmidt Island. According to the presenter, "the city applied for a state tourism grant" and the amphitheater was viewed as a strong candidate during that application process.

On design, the presenter highlighted visible features intended to draw attention and visitors: an "artful canopy and stage," underlighting at night, sweeping views of the Mississippi River and a sloped lawn that offers good sightlines to the stage. "So having a modern venue like this in Dubuque, I just think it's something that Dubuque can be proud of," the presenter said.

The presenter argued the facility "it's gonna draw national acts to the city. So it's gonna boost tourism. It'll boost the local economy, small businesses as people come in." The transcript does not include estimated attendance figures, construction costs, a project timeline or a grant amount; those details were not specified.

No formal vote, motion or decision about funding or construction was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The presentation focused on project features, partners and the project's potential economic and tourism impacts; next procedural steps and funding specifics were not stated in this excerpt.