Live Nation has teamed up with the owners of the Seattle Mariners — the Major League Baseball (MLB) club whose home field is T-Mobile Park in the SoDo neighborhood — to build a major concert venue directly across from the ballpark. The new 5,500-capacity hall will be located in the Boxyard development on the site of the former Pyramid Brewery, which the team redeveloped in 2021. For Seattle, T-Mobile Park is not only a sports arena but also a cultural and economic hub: since opening in 1999 it has helped revive the neighborhood and today hosts major concerts, festivals and community events. The agreement, announced Thursday, calls for joint efforts by Live Nation and First Avenue Entertainment, which controls a stake in the Mariners.
The venue is slated to open in 2029 and will adjoin the existing Victory Hall space, where Live Nation’s subsidiary Insomniac Events already stages dance shows. Insomniac plans to increase programming at Victory Hall by launching a series of block parties this summer. Once construction is complete, Victory Hall will serve as the foyer and entrance to the new hall, which will be configured to host both seated concerts and standing-room shows. While design details are still being finalized, Live Nation spokesperson Jeff Trisler described the venue as “multi-level” with improved sightlines.
The new hall is aimed at artists who have outgrown theaters like the Paramount Theatre (roughly half the size) but aren’t yet ready for arenas. It fills the gap between intimate venues and huge stadiums. According to Trisler, the space will be designed so musicians can “use full sound and lighting rigs, leaving nothing on the trucks.” Design is being handled by Live Nation’s in-house team and the architecture firm LMN Architects, known for Benaroya Hall.
The venue could compete directly with the nearby WAMU Theater at Lumen Field. WAMU Theater holds more patrons, but many artists dislike its temporary “pipe and drape” construction of metal pipes and fabric panels that can be quickly assembled and disassembled. Unlike such mobile solutions, permanent stages with fixed architecture, professional acoustics and built-in lighting and sound equipment provide predictable quality and reliability, which is especially important for complex productions and major tours. The new hall could also attract performers who now do one or two shows at the Paramount Theatre, operated by the Seattle Theatre Group (STG) — a nonprofit that owns three historic venues: the Paramount, the Moore and the Neptune. Because of its nonprofit status, STG can offer more flexible terms to artists and promoters, support local talent and educational programs, and act as a bridge between big tours and the city’s cultural life. “The more venues like this, the more shows will come to Seattle,” Trisler hopes.
Beyond its cultural significance, the project promises substantial economic impact: it is expected to create more than 700 jobs. Plans and potential economic-impact data are already posted on SodoBallroom.com. The idea came to Trisler after seeing MGM Music Hall in Boston, which Live Nation opened near Fenway Park in 2022. “I was walking from the Mariners’ parking lot to the office and thought: why not do something like this in the Boxyard,” he recalled.
The new venue will be adapted to modern touring needs: artists will be able to bring a full complement of gear. However, the project is moving forward against the backdrop of recent litigation: last month a federal court found that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster monopolize the market for large venues. Despite that ruling, the company is continuing its expansion in Seattle.
A name for the new hall has not yet been announced, but it is expected to become an important draw for music fans. As Trisler noted, “the main thing is to better connect fans and artists, creating brighter experiences for both.” Its 2029 opening promises to reshape the city’s concert map by offering mid-level artists a long-awaited alternative.
Based on: New Seattle concert venue to open across from T-Mobile Park