A new venture that would provide the opportunity to enjoy live music or an outdoor play amid the scenic beauty and fresh air of the mountains — while bringing in tourism and economic growth — may be coming to Buchanan County.
A 2,000-seat amphitheater would be built at Southern Gap Outdoor Adventures, a campground and visitor center at the trailhead for the Spearhead Trails Coal Canyon ATV/mountain bike trail system in Grundy.
Sunset Holler and Southern Gap are collaborating on the amphitheater and have entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding, according to a news release.
The project is expected to open in the fall of 2025 or early 2026, according to Asher McGlothlin, president of Sunset Holler. The nonprofit was incorporated to develop the project and then oversee its operations, he said.
“The county has really put a large emphasis on ecotourism and trying to draw people in because we live in such a beautiful place with such a beautiful landscape that we really want to take advantage of that with this performing arts facility,” said McGlothlin, an architect and musician who was raised in Grundy. “It’s a site that’s located right on top of the mountain, so the views up there, you could probably see 40 miles off in the distance.”
In 2018, McGlothlin said he and his brother, Alex, were approached by Craig Stiltner, a member of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, who had an interest in creating some type of large event space at Southern Gap that would be a catalyst for economic development. That’s when they came up with the idea for an amphitheater, he said.
They envisioned an outdoor facility that would primarily host concerts, theater performances and private events. They’ve also discussed the possibility of sports, particularly wrestling matches there, which he said seems appropriate given the popularity of the sport in the county. Grundy High School is famous for bringing home state championships in wrestling.
A feasibility study was conducted and its results were positive for a 2,000- to 4,000-seat amphitheater at Southern Gap, he added. A business plan was then put together and the nonprofit was formed at the request of the county’s industrial development authority.
Originally, the plan was for a 4,000-seat design at a larger site about a mile away at Southern Gap, but the plan was scaled back when fundraising fell short of the cost estimate of $5 million for the bigger project, McGlothlin said.
So far, $2.3 million has been raised, he added. Sunset Holler continues to seek federal, state and private grants and partnerships so construction can start as soon as possible, according to a news release.
Successful amphitheaters with seating that take advantage of the natural beauty of an area — like Red Rocks in Colorado or the Gorge in Washington sState — have been studied, McGlothlin said.
“We think there are similar great opportunities for Buchanan County,” he said.
The project will involve a land swap between Sunset Holler, the county’s IDA and Southern Gap, the news release states.
“It is exciting to see the proposed amphitheater project move forward with this step,” Southern Gap President Paige Campbell said in the release. “The collaboration on this project will help our mission of providing quality outdoor entertainment and adventure opportunities to all of Southwest Virginia.”
McGlothlin said he is particularly thankful for the support the project has received from the local government and donors.
“I just feel incredibly lucky to tell people I’m from Buchanan County,” he said.
