The Richard Rodgers Amphitheater re-opened to the public in 2011, following a major renovation. The original band shell was funded by a $150,000 donation from the composer Richard Rodgers, who wrote 900 songs and 43 Broadway musicals, and lived with his family in the Mount Morris Park neighborhood as a child.
Funding for the project came from a $1 million donation from the Rodgers Family Foundation, $4.9 million from mitigation funds provided to NYC Parks by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in connection with the Second Avenue Subway project, and an additional $1.2 million from the Manhattan Borough President's office and the City Council.
The amphitheater plays host to City Parks Foundation's annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, SummerStage, and many community events. The community contributed to the redesign, with the Marcus Garvey Park's Alliance playing a leading role.
