WASHINGTON — The National Park Service’s popular Carter Barron Amphitheatre will be closed for the 2017 season —and probably more after that.
The amphitheater stage has structural deficiencies and can’t safely support the weight of performances, the Park Service has determined.
It’s news that cancels a summerlong series of concerts and performances at the venue, located near the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center off 16th Street NW.
“As soon as we learned about the stage, we halted scheduling any performances to protect performers, our staff and the public,” said acting Rock Creek Park Superintendent Frank Young.
“We’re doing everything we can to fix the Carter Barron stage as quickly as possible,” he said.
The Park Service has considered several options, including temporarily shoring up the stage; a carbon fiber wrap that would extend the amphitheater’s life to 25 years; or a complete rehabilitation, which could extend its life for another 100 years.
Complete rehab of the stage is considered to be the best choice, and the Park Service is seeking funding options for potential solutions.
See pictures of the structural deficiencies on the Park Service website.
