Here's how changes at Thunder Ridge arena aim to improve concert experiences
Nearly two years after a weekend full of Garth Brooks concerts went awry, Bass Pro Shops is reopening its Ridgedale venue for a full season of nationally acclaimed performances.
Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, a 20,000-seat amphitheater located off Highway 86 in Ridgedale, is hosting its grand reopening Tuesday, May 21, with its inaugural Concert for Conservation. The concert, described as a "sneak peek" at the newly improved venue in a news release, will feature Chris Janson, John Anderson, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Clay Self and The Petersens. Tickets for the concert are available on Ticketmaster for $10.
The concert will be the venue's first major musical event since fall 2022, when country musician Garth Brooks performed at three sold-out shows for Bass Pro's 50th anniversary. The trio of concerts gained nationwide attention after social media posts showcased hours-long lines of traffic, parking issues and inadequate features for those with disabilities. Some ticketholders were unable to experience the concert altogether.
Over the past 17 months, Bass Pro has been busy improving the venue's infrastructure, most notably with the expansion of Highway 86 from two to four lanes.
Construction on the highway began in May 2023 and was completed in December 2023. The more than $22-million project was funded partly by Big Cedar Lodge ($12.9 million) and the Missouri Governor's Transportation Cost-Share Program ($9.54 million). In addition to the highway's lane expansion, the project included new turn lanes from U.S. 65, a new roundabout at Jones Road and a tunnel under Highway 86 between the north and south sides of Jones Road.
As for the venue itself, guest parking has been increased about 36%, a Thunder Ridge spokesperson told the News-Leader, with a total of about 6,500 parking spaces able to accommodate approximately 18,000 guests. The venue also features a RV/oversized vehicle lot and pick-up/drop-off location for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft.
Along with parking, one of the most common complaints from concertgoers during the Brooks' shows had to do with the venue's tram service. For the Brooks' concert, folks were encouraged to purchase a parking pass to the Fruit Farm Lot, which is located off U.S. 65, about 2.4 miles northeast of the venue. Concertgoers could then ride a free tram to the venue. Due to the sheer number of attendees, the tram service quickly became bogged down.
A Thunder Ridge spokesperson told the News-Leader that a tram service will still be offered moving forward. The number of shuttles and their capacity will vary per event.
Once at the venue, concertgoers can expect an expanded main entrance gate and two new secondary entrances to handle the anticipated heavy traffic, a Thunder Ridge spokesperson said.
Thunder Ridge also hopes to have improved the experience for attendees with disabilities, which was another complaint from those who attended the Brooks' concert.
Facebook user Teresa Merau was one of several people who shared her negative experience at the concert online in October 2022.
"You’d better be young, in top physical condition and no disabilities to attend there," Merau said in her post. "The hill to get down to it is very steep, so you must be sure-footed. What goes down must come up, so you need to have the physical ability to do some hefty climbing."
When asked about what improvements have been made for folks with disabilities, a Thunder Ridge spokesperson said "additional pathways, increased seating, as wall as increased dedicated parking" were among the renovations.
"We would like to take this opportunity to express our deep and heartfelt appreciation to the many talented people (currently more than 400), who are working hard to create this special place," a Thunder Ridge spokesperson said in an email to the News-Leader. "All in all, we are committed to making Thunder Ridge a remarkable, fun experience for our guests and a special place for our community."
Grand opening concert to benefit Bass Pro's conservation efforts
All proceeds from the inaugural Concert for Conservation will go "directly to conservation efforts to protect the land, wildlife and natural habitats of the Ozark region," a Bass Pro news release states. Specifically, the proceeds will benefit Bass Pro's Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to conserve wildlife and habitat, advocate for sportspeople and the outdoors, and connect new audiences to the outdoors, a Thunder Ridge spokesperson told the News-Leader.
The Conservation Foundation, which was established by Bass Pro's CEO Johnny Morris, stands alongside other nearby attractions like Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Audubon Signature Nature Golf Courses, The Ozarks Heritage Preserve Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail, Natural History Museum and the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.
Construction of 12-story Nature Tower underway
In addition to necessary improvements, Thunder Ridge also announced the construction of The Nature Tower, a 12-story luxury hotel. Each tower suite will feature five bedrooms, private bars, outside decks and fireplaces, a news release states. A Thunder Ridge spokesperson told the News-Leader that the venue hopes to unveil the tower in June.
More: Mr. Worldwide is performing at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena. Here's when tickets go on sale
Who is performing at Thunder Ridge this year?
Morgan Wallen: Saturday, May 25
Chris Stapleton: Thursday, June 13
Fuerza Regida: Saturday, June 15
Luke Bryan: Saturday, July 27
Slightly Stoopid & Dirty Heads: Saturday, Aug. 31
Imagine Dragons: Sunday, Sept. 8
Pitbull: Saturday, Sept. 21
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Thunder Ridge Nature Arena reopens with more parking, other changes
