Madison Square Garden’s ambitious Las Vegas Sphere continues to be one of the most anticipated music venues in the world, with a price tag of $1.8 billion. Set to open in 2023 following pandemic-related construction delays, the structure will be anchored by what is touted as the largest and highest-resolution LED screen on earth, which will cover an area larger than three football fields. The screen is intended to create an immersive, virtual reality-style experience for ticket holders. In June, MSG completed the construction of the Sphere’s steel frame, while the exosphere is still under construction.
Nashville Yards (Nashville)
Concert capacity: 4,000
Developed by Southwest Value Partners, the 18-acre Nashville Yards complex will include a 1.3-acre park, two office towers for Amazon Nashville and hotels including a luxury Grand Hyatt and the converted landmark train terminal, Union Station. In June, SVP announced a long-term joint venture with AEG to co-develop the entertainment district’s planned 4,000-capacity concert venue, as well as a movie theater, restaurants, shopping, office spaces and residences, with construction to begin in early 2022.
PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh)
Concert capacity: 19,578
The NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins partnered with concessionaire Aramark for the renovation of its PPG Arena, which will be completed for the start of the 2021 hockey season in October and first concerts with Alabama, MercyMe and Genesis. Designed to create a safe and efficient environment for fans, the overhaul included adding new features with social distancing in mind, from touch-screen self-ordering kiosks and mobile ordering through the Penguins app to self-checkout scanners powered by Mashgin artificial intelligence.
PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation (Newport, Ky.)
Concert capacity: 7,000
The first phase of a $1 billion, 25-acre revitalization of downtown Newport, the pavilion opened in August with concerts by Taking Back Sunday, Bleachers, Polo G and Angels & Airwaves. The facility’s new elements include an interior mezzanine and two raised stages that can accommodate 2,700 fans for indoor shows and 7,000 outdoor. The venue also boasts a 550-car parking garage and a new bus dock for touring performers.
