Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion facts for kids
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The Woodlands Pavilion
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Entrance to the venue (c. 2012)
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| Address | 2005 Lake Robbins Dr The Woodlands, TX 77380-1136 |
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| Location | Greater Houston |
| Owner | The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Type | Amphitheatre |
| Capacity | 16,500 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 27, 1990 |
| Renovated | 2008-09 |
| Expanded | 1995 |
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is a super cool outdoor concert place in The Woodlands, Texas. People sometimes call it The Woodlands Pavilion or just The Pavilion. It's a special spot where you can watch amazing shows, from classical music to popular bands! It's owned by a non-profit group called The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands. This means they use their money to help the arts, not just to make a profit.
The Pavilion can hold a huge crowd of 16,500 people. About 6,500 seats are covered, so you're safe from the sun or rain. Plus, there's space for up to 10,000 people to relax on the grass. This makes it one of the busiest outdoor music venues in the world!
Contents
History of The Pavilion
How The Pavilion Started
Back in 1982, leaders from the Houston Symphony and other community members had a great idea. They wanted a summer home for the Houston Symphony in The Woodlands. They imagined a place where both classical music groups and popular artists could perform.
Building started in June 1989. The Pavilion officially opened in April 1990. The first weekend was a big hit! It featured concerts by the Houston Symphony, Frank Sinatra, the band Alabama, and country star Clint Black.
Growing Bigger and Better
When it first opened, The Pavilion had 3,000 seats under a roof. There was also space for 7,000 people on the grassy lawn. There were a few snack stands and restrooms. The main entrance was on the south side.
In 1994, the people in charge decided to make The Pavilion even better. They added 1,900 new seats that weren't covered. They also made more room on the lawn for 1,100 extra guests. New snack stands and restrooms were built in different areas. A bigger ticket office was added too, making it easier to get in.
In 1998, new offices were built for the growing staff. They also added a special VIP area called The Woodforest Bank Club. This club is a fancy spot for events and parties. On concert nights, members can enjoy an air-conditioned room with drinks.
After the 2000 concert season, The Pavilion grew again. The lawn area was made even bigger for 3,550 more guests. This brought the total capacity to almost 17,000 people! A large dressing room area with a kitchen was also added.
Parking and Hurricane Ike
In 2002, a five-story parking garage was built. This helped solve parking problems for concert-goers. A walkway connects the garage to a nearby hotel. This makes it easy for hotel guests to get to the shows.
On September 13, 2008, a big storm called Hurricane Ike hit the area. The Pavilion was badly damaged. Strong winds ripped the awnings and bent the steel roof supports. The stage was also hurt. Because of the damage, all concerts for the rest of 2008 were canceled.
It took nine months to install a new roof. This new roof has six peaks and is super strong. It can now handle winds over 175 miles per hour! During this repair, 2,000 more seats were added. This brought the total capacity to over 16,000 people.
Concert Events
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion hosts many different types of performances. You can see the Houston Symphony, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Houston Ballet here. Famous music tours, like the Cheek to Cheek Tour, have also performed.
For some of these performances, especially classical ones, you can get free lawn seating! This is thanks to special grants from different sponsors. It's a great way to enjoy a show outdoors.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
Images for kids
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The Woodlands Pavilion in 2012
