On a breezy stretch of Southern California shoreline where cruise ships dock and tourists stroll, city leaders are betting big on live music to power the next chapter of waterfront revitalization.
Developers broke ground this week on the $21 million, 11,000-seat Long Beach Amphitheater, an outdoor venue set to open this summer near the iconic Queen Mary ship in downtown Long Beach.
The city of Long Beach is partnering with New York City-based venue operator Legends Global to develop and manage the project on a site that has been used for the Queen Mary’s parking and events since a 1972-era Old English-style retail village was demolished.
The amphitheater is slated to open in late summer. Musical acts have been lined up, including Mötley Crüe, Toto, Christopher Cross and The Romantics.
The project is part of a broader push by local officials to reposition Long Beach as a must-visit entertainment destination as traditional revenue streams soften and cities compete harder for tourism dollars and major events in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outdoor amphitheaters have surged in popularity nationwide, with large-scale venues underway or recently opened in such cities as Austin in Texas, Chicago, Denver and Minneapolis as fans gravitate toward open-air concert experiences.
Demand for live events has rebounded from pandemic lows, with the entertainment industry “recovering its balance in 2023,” according to a report from PwC that predicts industry revenue to top $3.4 trillion in 2028, compared with $2.8 trillion in 2023. In 2024 alone, the top 100 touring artists in North America brought in $6.1 billion, a 3% increase from the previous year, according to industry tracker Pollstar.
“This groundbreaking represents a powerful step forward in shaping Long Beach’s future as a global destination for arts, entertainment and economic opportunity,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement.
Backers say the venue will be the largest waterfront amphitheater on the West Coast. It is expected to host up to 40 concert-scale events annually.
A new tourist attraction
Long Beach, home to about 466,000 residents, is the second-largest city in Los Angeles County and has been promoting its waterfront as a regional attraction over the past few decades.
Failed proposals for the area around the Queen Mary have included redeveloping it into a Disney-owned theme park called “Port Disney” and an entertainment district called “Queen Mary Island.”
The current push to develop the amphitheater has been underway since 2015.
That effort aligns with the city’s role in the 2028 Olympics, where five of the 22 announced competition venues will be in Long Beach, including sites for swimming, rowing and sailing.
The groundbreaking of Long Beach Amphitheater coincides with city efforts to spend $45 million upgrading the Queen Mary and add more attractions to the 41 acres surrounding the docked ocean liner.
Like other new entertainment venues, the Long Beach Amphitheater will include VIP spaces with premium food and beverage concessions to tap big-spending patrons, along with shuttle service and dedicated rideshare areas aimed at improving accessibility and reducing congestion.
Construction is being funded by the city’s Tidelands Funds Group, with costs expected to be repaid through the amphitheater’s projected operating profits. Once open, the venue is forecast to generate $2.5 million to $3 million in net operating income annually without relying on taxpayer subsidies.
The Port of Long Beach has signed on as the amphitheater’s founding sponsor, committing $650,000 annually over five years to support branding, marketing and community activations.
Legends Global, which operates or manages more than 450 venues worldwide, will oversee daily operations under an initial five-year agreement.