Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater

With so many vibrant music, theater, ballet and other performing arts groups in New Albany, as well as several community events that would benefit from an outdoor community venue, the Foundation led the effort to build an outdoor amphitheater in New Albany. The project moved closer to reality when a respected New Albany family generously stepped forward to donate $600,000 toward the amphitheater. Thus, the venue is called the Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater.

Charlie Hinson was a close friend and associate of Limited Brands founder, Les Wexner. Known as “Doc” Hinson to family and friends, he helped ready Wexner’s first Limited store in Kingsdale Shopping Center in Upper Arlington in 1963. As the President of Store Planning and Construction, Mr. Hinson helped grow the business to more than 5,000 stores during his 38 years with the business.

Charlie and Char Hinson built their home in New Albany in 1992. Although Charlie passed in 2004, Char still lives in the home they created together. Several of their children also chose to make New Albany home and raise their families there.

The Hinson family is excited about the many enriching opportunities the amphitheater brings to New Albany and the surrounding community. It undoubtedly will host resident arts groups, such as the New Albany Symphony Orchestra, New Albany Community Chorus, Community Band, dance and ballet groups, as well as many student/school groups. Additionally, the amphitheater can host central Ohio organizations such as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, CATCO and more. And finally, the amphitheater can host national and international performers, complimenting the outstanding programming offered at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts.

The Foundation worked with the McCoy Center and CAPA to develop a plan for the future, including summer programming. Concepts included hosting festivals in which programming could occur in multiple venues concurrently, i.e. a Shakespeare Festival, Music Festival or perhaps a Film Festival.

The Foundation envisions a cultural district, situated in close proximity to the Rose Run Park. The City of New Albany has developed an exciting plan for the Rose Run Corridor that would provide a strong connection between the school campus, cultural district and the Market Street district. The master plan also links these to the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, the “learning community (school) campus,” the environmental district (60-acre nature preserve & wetlands) and a restaurant/retail district.