The Hodag is a staple of Midwestern folklore and official mascot of the City of Rhinelander. Full of grit, mischief and magic, the Hodag now inhabits a community gathering space and amphitheater on the shores of Boom Lake.
The Hodag Park Amphitheater is Phase I of an overall park improvement Master Plan with other improvements to follow. The project was inspired by the City’s vision and supported by local donors — it’s centerpiece an open-air amphitheater with stage performance area that can also serve as park shelter.
As lead architect and engineer, MSA designed this focal point in response to the park’s surrounding terrain. The steel structure supports sloped wood decking and a green metal standing seam roof. A stone masonry backdrop wall with heavy timber accents frames the performance area and resists the breezes off the lake with wood side-sliding doors crafted and donated by a local woodworking company. The amphitheater was designed with a dual orientation in mind — offering views of the park and green space from one side and amphitheater performers, water ski shows and the scenic lake from the other.
Associated site development included the reshaping of the grass-covered hillside for spectators with accessible perimeter sidewalks, bench pads and connections from the existing upper roadside parking area to the existing lakefront path below. The updated hillside area will also allow for tiered permanent stone seating, if desired, in the future. Electrical enhancements included routing electrical power to the stage for a variety of amphitheater performances as well as new stage lighting and pathway lights.
The Hodag Park Amphitheater opened to the public for an inaugural musical performance in September of 2022, with finishing touches to the project complete in 2023.