West Des Moines amphitheater to be named after developer's daughter; construction to begin in September
A planned amphitheater in West Des Moines will be named after a West Des Moines woman who died in 2009.
The amphitheater will be named the Jamie Hurd Amphitheater after developer Richard Hurd's daughter, who died from a lung aneurysm after a battle with stage four Hodgkin's Lymphoma, according to a news release.
The West Des Moines City Council approved an agreement between the city and Hurd, allowing him to provide in-kind funding of $850,000 for the amphitheater. In recognition of the donation, the city granted the Hurd family naming rights for the project.
"The Hurd family told us that Jamie loved music and she loved West Des Moines, often taking walks around the pond," City Manager Tom Hadden said.
A part of the city's Five Waters Project, the $2.4 million outdoor amphitheater will be located next to a pond near West Des Moines City Hall and the library. The location will host musical performances as well as other community events, the release said.
Construction on the amphitheater will begin next month and should be finished in September 2020, Lucinda Stephenson, a communications specialist for the city of West Des Moines, told the Register.
Microsoft is also donating $868,000 in surplus funds from its Alluvion Data Center to assist with the amphitheater's construction. The remaining costs will be paid for by the city.
The city's parks and recreation department will be responsible for managing and programming the Jamie Hurd Amphitheater.
Gage Miskimen is a news reporter mostly covering West Des Moines, Waukee, and Clive for the Register. Reach him at gmiskimen@dmreg.com or 515-284-8234. Follow him on Twitter @gagemisky.
Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.
Correction: The headline on this story previously incorrectly identified the cause of Jamie Hurd's death.