Richmond's new music venue officially has a name
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A rendering of the amphitheater. Image: Courtesy of Richmond Amphitheater LLC
Richmond's newest 7,500-seat riverfront amphitheater will be named — drumroll, please — Riverfront Amphitheater.
Why it matters: The official, albeit extremely predictable, name was revealed as the city broke ground on the site Wednesday — putting the venue on track to open in summer 2025.
What's new: Live Nation, one of the world's largest entertainment companies that manages musicians like Bad Bunny, Drake and Madonna, will be bringing "top touring artists" to the venue, per a release.
- The venue is expected to host 30-ish shows per season and generate nearly $31 million per year of economic impact through visitor spending and operating expenses.
What they're saying: "We've wanted to bring more shows to Richmond for a long time, and this venue will expand the city's reputation as a great destination for live music," said Jordan Zachary, Live Nation's co-president of U.S. concerts, in a statement.
The big picture: Coran Capshaw, a Charlottesville music exec who manages Dave Matthews Band and Phish, first proposed the estimated $30 million project on the Tredegar hillside behind the Virginia War Memorial in the summer of 2022.
- The plan, which includes the owners of the 4-acre site NewMarket Corp., was given the green light from City Council last June.
- Richmond is partnering with Capshaw's Richmond Amphitheater group through a 20-year grant agreement.
Between the lines: Richmond is riding the high of Iron Blossom Festival, which sold out and saw major acts like Noah Kahan and Hozier headline.
- But some residents have sought to delay the new amphitheater due to concerns over noise, parking and historic land preservation.
- They raised similar issues over a decade ago over the Folk Festival's amphitheater plans.
Karri Peifer's thought bubble: I wonder if the amphitheater folks tapped the team behind "Richmond Real" to come up with the name.