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PRESONSBURG, Ky. — The Jenny Wiley State Resort Park Amphitheater is officially reopen.

The amphitheater was closed in January due to safety concerns. State officials and local leaders immediately began collaborating on plans to rehabilitate the facility with the goal for repairs to be completed by the start of the production season.

Last month, the Department of State Parks agreed to lease the amphitheater to the City of Prestonsburg. The strategic partnership accelerated the opportunity for renovations at the amphitheater.

“It’s a five-year lease,” said Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton. “Basically, we run it and take care of it.”

Mayor Stapleton says revenue while the theater is open is too high for it to be closed throughout the Summer months.

“When I first found out there were some issues, I contacted our tourism department and I had them look at the numbers when the theater’s open. There was about a $450,000 rise in money spent during that time.” added Stapleton.

The Jenny Wiley State Resort Park Amphitheater is 65 years old. 

“The city is very excited. The council is excited. By working with the Mountain Arts Center in the Fall and in the Spring, prior to the theater during their productions, we’re going to have a concert series. We have other theater groups that have contacted us and they want to do shows in the Spring and the Fall. We hope to get more use out of the entire theater. We looking at trying to get nine months of use out of it.”

The 2018 production season begins the first full week of June.