T-L Photos/ROBERT A. DEFRANK St. Clairsville officials accept a donation from Gulfport Energy for new lighting at the amphitheater. Pictured are Gulfport personnel Robin Trahan, left, completions technician; Jessica Cook, land technician; Michelle Orum, production assistant; and Bob Whipp, senior road engineer; St. Clairsville Recreation Director Eric Gay; Mayor Kathryn Thalman; her dog Sammy; and Brett Marlow, field land manager with Gulfport.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Upcoming concerts and events at the city amphitheater will have top-quality lighting to set them off, thanks to a donation of $7,500 from Gulfport Energy.

Recreation Department Director Eric Gay said attendees will be wowed by the addition.

“We’re putting all new lighting down there, like professional lighting, stage lighting that has cool effects, that can shoot out into the crowd. Just doing some upgrades to it because we want to keep growing the amphitheater,” he said. “They give us the ability to change the color of the stage lighting, it’ll have special effects that can get the crowd involved.”

He said this could lead to a more successful series of summer concerts.

“Hopefully we’ll have those in by our first concert,” Gay said. “It’ll create a much cooler environment just because of all the things we’re trying to do down there. I know after talking to the performers last year, they thought it would be a cool idea to just jazz it up, and we’re thrilled that Gulfport Energy was willing to do this for us and looking forward to a good summer.”

Gay said the lighting will also be a welcome addition during other festivals and community events.

“We’re thrilled. I can’t wait to see what they look like,” Gay said.

Brett Marlow, field land manager for Gulfport, said this was a donation to a worthwhile cause.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to be involved and help the community,” he said. “Gulfport has a deep commitment to being involved with the local communities that we operate in, Belmont County being one of those, and St. Clairsville definitely has a lot of activity here, so we’re happy to be involved.”

Marlow added he looks forward to the upcoming concerts.

Several city officials were on hand to meet with Gulfport representatives Tuesday morning.

Mayor Kathryn Thalman said the new lighting would increase the number of times when the amphitheater can be used in the dark.

“It’ll be more exciting for the patrons,” she said.

Councilwoman Kristi Lipscomb, a member of the recreation committee, was also present.

“It’s just going to make this amphitheater even better. The city’s so grateful for the generosity of Gulfport,” she said.

She added that Gay has been active in building relationships with potential sponsors among businesses and organizations.

“It just makes it more exciting that a business was willing to do this for us,” Gay said.

Concerts are scheduled for the amphitheater and the gazebo beginning May 25.

“We just want to keep using the amphitheater for more and more events,” Gay said. “We just want to direct people to places in town that they are not accustomed to going to, so I think the more events we can have at different places lets us showcase more of our town to some people who have never seen some of the things.”