Thunder Ridge cancels concert due to weather

A May 21 concert designed to kick off an expansion at Bass Pro Shops’ Thunder Ridge Nature Arena was not held as planned.

The Concert for Conservation show, which was set to include Chris Janson, Country Music Hall of Fame member John Anderson and The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, was called off "due to severe weather warnings and concern for the safety of our guests," the Johnny Morris-owned venue announced yesterday afternoon.

"Tonight was about conservation and also saluting our Bass Pro outfitters," officials said in a news release. “We deeply appreciate the extraordinary work of the many talented craftsmen and women who spent countless hours in preparation for tonight’s special preview event. We look forward to honoring them at a later date and time."

Refunds are being offered, according to the release.

Officials said a grand opening concert with country music singer Morgan Wallen is still scheduled for May 25.

Springfield Business Journal previously reported that hundreds of construction workers are working around the clock on an expansion project at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena. Thunder Ridge, located off Highway 86 in Ridgedale, sits on 1,200 acres with views of Table Rock Lake and the Boston Mountains of Arkansas. The 20,000-capacity amphitheater is just over a mile away from the company’s Big Cedar Lodge property.

The May 25 event is one of several the venue has announced this year, as Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Imagine Dragons and Pitbull are among those set for concerts this summer and fall. A previously scheduled airshow for July 4-5 was canceled after two main aircraft assets – an F-22 Raptor and MQ-9 Reaper drone – became unavailable due to being deployed, according to past reporting.