Country Thunder spends $1.2M on new toilets, lawn at Craven festival grounds

The newly minted Country Thunder festival is spending a lot of money to upgrade its festival grounds in Craven, Sask.

More than 200,000 square feet of new sod has been laid in the main concert bowl. As well, 79 new permanent toilets have been brought in, along with renovated restroom and shower facilities.

Construction started this spring, and is expected to cost $1.2 million dollars.

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"I think it was important for us to make a bold statement during the first year of Country Thunder Saskatchewan," said executive producerTroy Vollhoffer in a news release.

"It had to be much more than just a name change the time was right to make these major improvements and this commitment to our fans."

The long-running Craven Country Jamboree changed its name last year after joining the Country Thunder festival tour.

The festival is also building a new food court area and an overhauled beer garden.

Keith Urban will headline Country Thunder this year, along with Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Old Dominion and Dallas Smith.

The festival runs July 13-16.