Ground broken on 6,200-person Cleveland Riverfront Amphitheater
Venue on the Cuyahoga River is scheduled to host its first act in May 2028
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Officials broke ground Tuesday on the Cleveland Riverfront Amphitheater, a 6,200-person venue on the Cuyahoga River.
Bedrock and Rock Entertainment Group are building the amphitheater. Live Nation will operate it.
Location and economic impact
The amphitheater is going up next to the new Cleveland Clinic Peak Performance Center, with skyline views.
Live Nation says the venue will add $59 million to the economy each year, including $5.4 million in state and local taxes. The amphitheater is also expected to bring 350 jobs.
Jared Fleisher, chief executive officer of Bedrock, said the project is more than a development.
“An investment like this, a project like this, is not just a development. It is truly creating a civic asset, a civic jewel that will become part of the very culture and identity of this city, an icon in this city,” Fleisher said.
Blaine Griffin, Cleveland City Council president, said the amphitheater will be part of a broader entertainment district along the riverfront.
“We know that this will be a core pillar for the broader experience-driven entertainment district we are building right here along the riverfront,” Griffin said. “Highlighting this venue means highlighting jobs, small business growth, and neighborhood vitality that comes with it.”
Part of larger riverfront project
Over the next two years, Bedrock and Rock Entertainment Group are bringing the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center, Cosm, and the Sirens, a WNBA team, to Cleveland.
The amphitheater adds another venue to Bedrock’s 35-acre riverfront redevelopment project.
Nic Barlage, chief executive officer of Rock Entertainment Group, said the projects are tied to the city’s economy.
“Bringing our community together, uniting our community around sports and in this case, entertainment and music is so important. It’s important for the psyche of the city, but even more importantly, it’s important for the economic impact of the city,” Barlage said. “We want to make sure that everything we do drives an economic heartbeat back into our downtown.”
Barlage said the amphitheater will host its first act in May 2028.
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