EAGLE, Idaho — Eagle City Council members voted Tuesday to approve a conditional use permit for live entertainment at Woodstone at the Flats, a new restaurant and event venue planned for the former Flats 16 site on Highway 16. The property will include restaurants, event spaces, pop-up shops and outdoor gathering areas.
Watch to learn more about the city's live entertainment approval for 'Woodstone on the Flats.'
The site sits on the west side of Highway 16 and is surrounded by what will become a future residential subdivision. Bobbie and Steve Cooper, who also own Goodwood Barbecue, have spent the past year restoring the grounds, which feature two ponds, a waterfall and open landscaped gathering areas.
The site consists of several existing buildings that will be repurposed and renovated. Woodstone Craft Kitchen will be oriented toward lunch service with a focus on clean foods and regional sourcing. Woodstone 99 Dinnerhouse — named for 1999, the year Goodwood Barbecue opened — will offer an elevated dinner experience with a bar presence and a menu that builds on the Goodwood legacy while evolving toward a more upscale western dining concept. A pavilion and circular courtyard serve as the central outdoor gathering space.
The River Birch subdivision, which surrounds the property, provided a letter of support for the project.
No members of the public signed up to speak at Tuesday's public hearing. The public comment portion was closed without opposition before the council moved to a vote.
Council Pro-Tem Craig Kvamme raised the question of what would happen if the property were sold to a future owner with a different vision — one who might want to host loud concerts or large events. The Coopers said they view the project as a legacy endeavor, with plans for their older son to eventually take over, but acknowledged that life is unpredictable. The council amended the motion to include a condition that the permit applies exclusively to the current owners and that any change in ownership would require the application to return to the city for review.
Bobbie said the project has been years in the making.
"We've had our eye on it for about 10 years and had a vision for it."
She described the planned programming as community-centered and family-oriented, with an emphasis on connection and wellness rather than large-scale concerts.
"Many community events, with an emphasis on bringing people together, having a sense of belonging."
Planned events would include live music, wellness programming, flower making, jewelry making, culinary demonstrations by chefs, book clubs, local artisan showcases and community celebrations. Bobbie said the team would locally source ingredients for the restaurants and partner with local businesses to showcase their goods.
On the mental health and wellness side, Bobbie said they've partnered in the past with Jay's Foundation, a Twin Falls-based nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and plan to continue that work at Woodstone.
"We will be doing a lot of philanthropy-type work with people that are already doing great things in our community and beyond," Bobbie said.
Steve addressed the council on the music question, drawing on the couple's 45 years of restaurant experience.
"We're conscious because we're 2 miles down the street about being a good neighbor. When there's a patio setting, to speak to the music question, there's always consciousness about you have to be able to have conversation. It's background, not foreground," Steve said.
"We're not talking big concerts. It's just live entertainment for up to 200 people, and that includes families. It's very family-oriented, very community-driven," Bobbie said.
Steve also noted that the site has seen seven previous failed attempts at development and that the live entertainment component is critical to the business's viability.
"There's been 7 previous failures in that site. It's a very complicated site and as a small business, this piece, this entertainment piece is critical for the business to simply make it," Steve said.
Eagle City Council member Robert Gillis said the project could have a significant impact on the surrounding area.
"Revitalizing that area would be a huge thing for our city."
Gillis said the project would benefit not only Eagle but also neighboring communities like Star and Emmett, and pointed to the lack of public opposition as a meaningful signal.
"Nobody signed up to oppose. I saw the news coverage of it when they talked to a couple of residents over there. They were very supportive."
Idaho News 6 will continue following the development as more details about the project move forward.
