About the author  ⁄ Nick Ereckson, P.E.

Nick Ereckson is a Principal with Martin/Martin, Inc. and leads the firm’s Sports, Entertainment, and Commercial group (nereckson@martinmartin.com).

Red Rocks Amphitheater is considered one of the world’s premier concert venues. Located in Morrison, Colorado, the open-air concept was constructed between a series of sandstone rock formations, creating a natural amphitheater with some of the best acoustics and visuals in the world. When the amphitheater first opened in 1941, the stage was uncovered and exposed to rain and snow, which could arrive at a moment’s notice traveling over Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Front Range. The stage remained uncovered until 1989, when a steel space frame was constructed out of small diameter pipe sections. For 30 years, the original stage roof was functional to shelter performers from the elements. Still, over time, the roof was deemed structurally insufficient due to rigging issues inherent to its design and increased rigging demands as shows became larger from a production standpoint. Therefore, the facility owner and the City and County of Denver asked for the complete removal of the existing roof structure and a replacement structure with an increased rigging capacity, which was safer to use and complemented the surrounding setting.

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STRUCTURE magazine