New open-air pavilion will replace Excelsior's familiar old band shell Fans, critics debate the aesthetic, acoustic and nostalgic qualities of the old and new designs. February 27, 2021 — 4:18pm Text size Copy shortlink: Excelsior's concrete band shell — a plain but popular outdoor music venue that held a prime spot in the city's big lakeside park since the classic-rock era — is gone. It will be replaced by an open-air pavilion designated for concerts and other gatherings, movie screenings and events. The $1.2 million pavilion is the first on a list of upgrades planned for the Commons, Excelsior's 13-acre public park on Lake Minnetonka. Construction is scheduled to start in March, with completion expected in July. The old band shell — which opened on July 4, 1976, celebrating the country's bicentennial — was demolished last week.