RICHMOND, Va. -- Live Nation, Red Light Events, and City of Richmond officials broke ground Wednesday on Riverfront Amphitheater, a new music venue that will be built along the James River in downtown Richmond. The 7,500-capacity venue is expected to open in time for the 2025 summer concert season.
Virginia-based Red Light Events and Live Nation are the driving forces behind Riverfront Amphitheater. Red Light manages dozens of musical acts including Dave Matthews Band, Chris Stapleton, Lionel Richie, and Phish. Live Nation officials also mentioned Sarah McLachlan, Tyler Childers, and Lainey Wilson as examples of acts that could be booked at the venue.
“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,” Live Nation Co-President of U.S. Concerts Jordan Zachary said. “The Riverfront Amphitheater will be a premier outdoor destination bringing the best artists to the wider Richmond community.”
"We looked at a lot of sites throughout the Richmond area and ultimately this was the perfect site," Red Light Events founder and CEO Coran Capshaw said at the groundbreaking. "I’m confident this will be a venue that will benefit the whole city and the metro area."
Riverfront Amphitheater will host around 30 concerts a season.
“Years ago, we did shows at the [Richmond] Coliseum, and ever since that closed, we haven’t really had the opportunity to bring in the talent that requires big stages, big sound all of that," Live Nation Capital Region President Kelly Flanigan said at the ceremony.
The venue will also be used for graduation ceremonies and city festivals.
It is located where the annual Folk Festival takes place and near Brown's Island where Friday Cheers and other concerts are regularly held. It is likely Riverfront Amphitheater will be incorporated into those events.
When Richmond BizSense broke news about the venue plans in 2022, some people worried about transportation and parking at the Richmond venue.
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Richmond could get a new concert venue along the James River
Both issues were addressed at the groundbreaking.
"Thousands of downtown parking spaces are within walking distance, along with public transit accessibility, bike and scooter parking, easy ride-share access, and close proximity to Interstates 95, 64 and the Downtown Expressway which makes the venue a convenient destination for fans from across the metro region," a statement from the company read.
The company added the venue is expected to create around 300 jobs and pump $30.6 million into the Richmond economy based on operational spending and money from concertgoers visiting Richmond.
"This project benefits every Richmonder, and not just music lovers. Richmond’s thriving economy continues to support our efforts to care for every resident in every neighborhood," Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said.
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