The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Needs a Retractable Awning

It seems that 75 percent of the "urban" shows booked at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater coincide with a forecast for rain, almost as if planners looked at an almanac, saw a date where rain was likely, paid up the insurance, and decided to put a show on that date. That's hardly the case, but it certainly seems that way.

Never the less, the shows still go on unless there's a severe hazard like lightning. Otherwise, attendees are expected to wear ponchos or simply deal with being drenched.  You can't even take an umbrella inside.  So, forget carrying one in the walk from your car to the gate, unless you want to risk leaving it outside the gate with the potential for someone else to pick it up.

However, the roofless venue is nice on clear nights. So, can we have a happy medium?

The Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston, West Virginia (pictured above) has an amphitheater with a retractable awning (though it only sits about a third of what ours sits). Click here for more pictures.

There are numerous other venues with retractable tops, such as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Here's another massive structure with a retractable roof.

If it can be done on smaller and larger scales, why can't it be done in Tuscaloosa?  It would definitely help with advance  ticket sales for local concerts.