Pacific Amphitheater to unveil renovation plans Thursday

With an $18-million renovation of the Pacific Amphitheatre planned over the next few years at the Orange County Fairgrounds, the public is getting a chance to learn about the first phase this week at an open house.

Scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the fairground’s administration building off Arlington Drive, Fair Board members will be on hand to meet and answer questions from the public.

The board approved the first phase of the project, a $4.5 million improvement, late last year.

Work isn’t expected to begin until summer 2013 and will include cutting through the open-air venue’s berm and relocating the Memorial Gardens.

The board is approving the project piece by piece and said it will take into account neighbors’ concerns about noise and traffic. A rendering of the venue’s remodel includes a new entrance accessible from the inside of the fairgrounds and new box offices and a party deck of concertgoers.

— Joseph Serna

Twitter: @JosephSerna