City of Aurora Selects World Festival Productions for New Site Development Project
MILWAUKEE – June 1, 2009 – Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) today announced its consulting division, World Festival Productions (WFP), has been selected to participate and consult in a major site development initiative to create a new multi-purpose park for the City of Aurora, Illinois. Under the agreement, World Festival Productions will serve the Aurora Park Collaborative, a design team consisting of public and private groups responsible for developing and implementing the RiverEdge Park Master Plan.
The RiverEdge Park Master Plan promotes redevelopment, recreation and resource restoration, using innovative design to address the City of Aurora’s needs while celebrating the Fox River. This future regional park, located in the heart of the city, will connect neighborhoods on both sides of the river and act as a catalyst to unify Aurora in a dynamic public gathering place. The park will be intertwined with the Fox River, flowing through the heart of Aurora. An outdoor performance venue will anchor the design as the primary functional element of the park. It will serve as a platform from which visitors can experience cultural events, the natural setting of the river and the vibrancy of downtown Aurora.
“RiverEdge Park will offer a music venue, a garden and natural areas,” Mayor Tom Weisner said, “But the primary goal of the park is to attract additional mixed use development to the area, similar to the impact Millennium Park had in downtown Chicago and Henry Maier Festival Park had in Milwaukee. As a result, we will improve our tax base and strengthen Aurora’s economy.”
WFP will focus its design expertise on the outdoor performance venue. The vision calls for two permanent buildings; a permanent stage with sound/video towers and an ancillary building with permanent bathrooms, vending and an upper level viewing area. The park grounds surrounding the venue will be designed to accommodate additional temporary stages, portable restrooms and vending to serve approximately 10,000 to 15,000 people.
“Milwaukee has something very unique and special that other cities and markets are recognizing. It is a compliment to our city, Summerfest and to Henry Maier Festival Park when other municipalities reach out, study and work to recreate attributes we have here in Milwaukee,” stated Don Smiley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “World Festival Productions allows us to maximize our resources and expertise in world-class site development, operations and event programming while generating incremental revenue for the organization.”
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., based in Rosemont, Illinois, is the lead engineering contractor for the Aurora Park Collaborative and selected WFP to provide consulting services for design of the outdoor performance venue as part of the plan. In addition, WFP is working closely with architects Muller + Muller, Ltd. (Chicago, Illinois) and the City of Aurora Community Development Department Planning Division.
World Festival Productions is the consulting arm of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., offering more than 40 years of experience in event strategy, management and production, as well as entertainment venue design services. Its proven record of success with Summerfest and the design and management of a multi-million dollar event facility, combined with its event production services for a wide range of corporate and community events, positions World Festival Productions at the forefront of the entertainment and event industry.
Summerfest 2009 will take place June 25 – July 5 from noon until midnight daily. The World’s Largest Music Festival and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration attracts the music industry’s hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites. The Marcus Amphitheater and 10 additional stages, along with a diverse selection of food and beverage vendors, marketplaces and interactive exhibits, are set against the Lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, creating a festival experience like no other. Patrons can also enjoy Miller Lite, the Great Taste of Summerfest. For more details visit Summerfest.com.
Aurora is Illinois’ second largest city with a population of nearly 185,000. Boasting diverse entertainment venues, various housing choices and easy access to multiple transportation options, Aurora was recognized by Money Magazine in 2006 and 2008 as a top 100 city in which to live, work and play. This summer, Aurora will host the 2009 Downtown Alive! festival series featuring four free weekend concerts: Blues on the Fox, Summer Jam, Rock on the Fox and Fan Favorites. For information on the festivals, go to DowntownAliveAurora.com.
The RiverEdge Park Master Plan promotes redevelopment, recreation and resource restoration, using innovative design to address the City of Aurora’s needs while celebrating the Fox River. This future regional park, located in the heart of the city, will connect neighborhoods on both sides of the river and act as a catalyst to unify Aurora in a dynamic public gathering place. The park will be intertwined with the Fox River, flowing through the heart of Aurora. An outdoor performance venue will anchor the design as the primary functional element of the park. It will serve as a platform from which visitors can experience cultural events, the natural setting of the river and the vibrancy of downtown Aurora.
“RiverEdge Park will offer a music venue, a garden and natural areas,” Mayor Tom Weisner said, “But the primary goal of the park is to attract additional mixed use development to the area, similar to the impact Millennium Park had in downtown Chicago and Henry Maier Festival Park had in Milwaukee. As a result, we will improve our tax base and strengthen Aurora’s economy.”
WFP will focus its design expertise on the outdoor performance venue. The vision calls for two permanent buildings; a permanent stage with sound/video towers and an ancillary building with permanent bathrooms, vending and an upper level viewing area. The park grounds surrounding the venue will be designed to accommodate additional temporary stages, portable restrooms and vending to serve approximately 10,000 to 15,000 people.
“Milwaukee has something very unique and special that other cities and markets are recognizing. It is a compliment to our city, Summerfest and to Henry Maier Festival Park when other municipalities reach out, study and work to recreate attributes we have here in Milwaukee,” stated Don Smiley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “World Festival Productions allows us to maximize our resources and expertise in world-class site development, operations and event programming while generating incremental revenue for the organization.”
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., based in Rosemont, Illinois, is the lead engineering contractor for the Aurora Park Collaborative and selected WFP to provide consulting services for design of the outdoor performance venue as part of the plan. In addition, WFP is working closely with architects Muller + Muller, Ltd. (Chicago, Illinois) and the City of Aurora Community Development Department Planning Division.
World Festival Productions is the consulting arm of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., offering more than 40 years of experience in event strategy, management and production, as well as entertainment venue design services. Its proven record of success with Summerfest and the design and management of a multi-million dollar event facility, combined with its event production services for a wide range of corporate and community events, positions World Festival Productions at the forefront of the entertainment and event industry.
Summerfest 2009 will take place June 25 – July 5 from noon until midnight daily. The World’s Largest Music Festival and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration attracts the music industry’s hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites. The Marcus Amphitheater and 10 additional stages, along with a diverse selection of food and beverage vendors, marketplaces and interactive exhibits, are set against the Lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, creating a festival experience like no other. Patrons can also enjoy Miller Lite, the Great Taste of Summerfest. For more details visit Summerfest.com.
Aurora is Illinois’ second largest city with a population of nearly 185,000. Boasting diverse entertainment venues, various housing choices and easy access to multiple transportation options, Aurora was recognized by Money Magazine in 2006 and 2008 as a top 100 city in which to live, work and play. This summer, Aurora will host the 2009 Downtown Alive! festival series featuring four free weekend concerts: Blues on the Fox, Summer Jam, Rock on the Fox and Fan Favorites. For information on the festivals, go to DowntownAliveAurora.com.
