Here's the agenda for the meeting coming up on Dec 9 2013

Two things of interest to me. One is that the Promise will be leasing the amphitheatre for a buck a year, as well as having insurance, paying for grounds upkeep, utiltiies, etc and marketing shows. Presmably this means that there will no longer be any cost to the taxpayer. Yes?

The other is that we have feral hogs!

P.S. I was just thinking. Surely they put out this deal in a bid, right, in case there was some other entity that wanted to rent out the place for a buck? Such a deal!

Update 12/14/2014

Agenda Dec 9 2013 # 3 County Judge: Approve Amphitheater Lease with The Promise http://somervellcountytx.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1122&Inline=1

The lease agreement is in this agenda item –uses the terms “fully funding” implying that the county is still partly funding. 10 year lease. Section IV Rent is $1.00 a month.  “shall be used and occupied for the sole purpose of public events”

Minutes Dec 13 2013- Motion #3.  Motion was made by Commissioner Hulsey and seconded by Commissioner Wood to approve the Amphitheater lease with The Promise, effective today, and add an addendum to the contract pertaining to surplus equipment.

Motion carried. All voting aye. http://co.somervell.tx.us/images/commissioners_court/docs/minutes-2013/Regular_Meeting_Minutes_120913.pdf

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Sep 2014 says  http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/09/06/6097357/somervell-county-makes-cuts-as.html

In November, the county signed a 10-year-lease with the producers of a popular religious play, The Promise, to operate the Texas Amphitheatre. The show, which started in 1989, started its annual fall run Friday night and will have performances every Friday and Saturday night through Nov. 1.

Under the agreement, the county is still responsible for major expenses, such as a tear in the outdoor theater’s canopy that is scheduled to be repaired this fall. But Joe Ragon, The Promise’s general manager, said the organizaton has already spent around $100,000 painting buildings as well as improving lighting and sound.

“The place was in disrepair,” Ragon said.

Now that the producers control the facility, Ragon said, they are planning other events throughout the year, including a Living Nativity before Christmas and an arts and crafts festival in April. They hope to stage a play about the Old Testament in the spring of 2016 as a companion piece to The Promise.

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Somervell County didn’t put their budget online but the last page of the lease mentions an appropriation of funds to cover such obligations, plus as noted above, the county is still doing major expenses.

According to the Promise website, this is an exclusive lease.  http://thepromiseglenrose.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid=22

So, it was with prayerful consideration, the Board of Directors of The Promise drafted a proposal to lease year round, and take on theater operations of Texas Amphitheatre. On the morning of November, 18th the Somervell County Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of a proposal for a 10 year exclusive lease submitted by The Promise Board of Directors. Board President, Philip Hobson said "As business people, we understand what the commissioners are faced with, but also know what The Promise means to so many,” With this new lease, The Promise will look forward to sharing His story for many years to come, on the stage that He planned for it so long ago, on a hill in Glen Rose, Texas - one that The Promisewill now officially call “Home Sweet Home”!