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After pushback, developers of Osmond-backed music venue in Provo Canyon are starting over

Vesper has withdrawn its application with Provo after City Council members raised concerns over traffic safety and noise.

(VCBO/Horrocks) A rendering shows the proposed Vesper Amphitheater in Provo Canyon. The developers said they are withdrawing their application with the city and will start over with the proposal.

(VCBO/Horrocks) A rendering shows the proposed Vesper Amphitheater in Provo Canyon. The developers said they are withdrawing their application with the city and will start over with the proposal.

After weeks of fielding questions and criticism, the developers of a proposed 20,000-seat outdoor music venue near the mouth of Provo Canyon are starting over.

The Provo City Council announced Wednesday that the developers of the Vesper Amphitheater project have withdrawn their application for an agreement with the city and plan to restart the process.

Because of Vesper’s withdrawal, the proposal has been removed from the agenda of the council’s meeting on Tuesday — which would have been the first opportunity for city leaders to vote on the plan.

In a statement posted on the city’s website, the council wrote that “we can’t speak to precisely what that application will propose until it is submitted, but it is our understanding that they intend to address issues such as the application of the Critical Hillside Overlay Zone and parking requirements.”

A spokesperson for Vesper did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment.

The amphitheater proposal was made public in May, with an announcement led by David Osmond, a member of Utah’s famed Osmond family, who was spearheading the proposal with his uncle, entertainer Donny Osmond. The plan was to bring concerts and other live events to the 20,000-seat venue, whose capacity would equal that of the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.

To restart the process, the company would need to bring a new proposal and development agreement to the city planning commission before going before the City Council again.

“The city will continue to diligently review every aspect of this request including appropriate zoning, transportation modes, and economic impacts over this time as each councilor determines what the best path forward is,” the council said in its statement.

Residents have voiced concerns that the venue would promote commercial creep in Provo Canyon. One petition from Change.org said residents are worried about the “environmental impact on the land, river, air,” as well as congestion and traffic in the canyon.

In discussions with the developer, City Council members requested assurances that the project would comply with sound ordinances and ensure traffic safety around the venue. Vesper has not offered concrete answers to the council members’ concerns.

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