Sunlight Supply, a Vancouver manufacturer and distributor of specialty gardening supplies, is raising its profile, and Amphitheater Northwest — formerly known as the Sleep Country Amphitheater — is getting a new name: Sunlight Supply Amphitheater.
The two parties announced the new arrangement Thursday but did not disclose terms of the business deal. They said it’s an arrangement that suits them both well and that showcases efforts to support local nonprofits.
Attendees of events at the 18,000-seat, $40 million amphitheater in Ridgefield will be able to learn about a variety of nonprofit charitable organizations that will be housed in a structure with Sunlight Supply’s logo, said Kathy Russo, director of sales for Amphitheater Northwest.
Those nonprofits include the Clark County Food Bank and Share Vancouver, which serves the hungry and the homeless.
“It was important to us that our naming sponsor has strong ties to our local community,” Russo said in a news release. “Sunlight Supply is an ideal fit for the amphitheater.”
During an interview at the company’s headquarters, Trey Carskadon, director of marketing for Sunlight Supply, said the naming arrangement is an opportunity for the company, which is involved in philanthropic endeavors, “to do more of that.”
The amphitheater changed its name to Amphitheater Northwest on Jan. 1 when the sponsorship deal with Kent-based mattress retailer Sleep Country expired. That deal began in 2010. Before that, the venue, built on county land at the fairgrounds in 2002, was called Amphitheater at Clark County.
Ampitheater Northwest began the naming search in December. Russo said Thursday that “we had offers from other companies” but that Sunlight Supply, with its deep roots in the community, emerged as the best fit.
The outdoor music venue’s lineup this year included Tim McGraw, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Zac Brown Band, Aerosmith, Train and Kid Rock.
“Being associated with the caliber of talent the amphitheater draws and the opportunity to accelerate our philanthropic efforts to benefit worthy local nonprofits is energizing and important to our future and the community we work and live in,” Craig Hargreaves, founder of Sunlight Supply, said in the news release.
Founded in 1995, Sunlight Supply sells more than 5,000 products for indoor, outdoor, organic and greenhouse gardening. The company employs 265 people in Southwest Washington and more than 400 nationally.
Sunlight Supply is seeking to build more than 285,000 square feet of space at the Port of Vancouver’s Centennial Industrial Park for warehouse, office and manufacturing purposes.
Aaron Corvin: twitter.com/col_econ; 360-735-4518; aaron.corvin@columbian.com
