Live Nation Minnesota outdoor venue

Photo Credit: Swervo Development Corp.

Live Nation has won a bid to operate a 19,000-seat outdoor amphitheater that will open in Shakopee, Minnesota in 2025. The new venue is expected to create 700 jobs and will serve as an anchor for the Canterbury Commons—a $400 million entertainment district near Canterbury Park.

Swervo Development Corp. is behind the project and provided the render seen above as a peek at what the facility will look like once built. The venue includes a sloped, artificial turn lawn with space for more than 5,000 people to spread out, two elevated beer gardens with standing room, and several VIP skyboxes for up to 500 people.

“This partnership is an incredible opportunity to create a venue that meets the needs of artists and fans,” says Ned Abdul, President & CEO of Swervo. “Live Nation supports artists with deep expertise that will bring many more amazing shows to our region.”

Live Nation currently owns or operates more than 265 concert venues across North America. That figure includes 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters in the United States. This new Shakopee venue is expected to host more than 30 events each summer with “breathtaking 360-degree views of the Minnesota River Valley.” The venue will become the second venue operated by Live Nation in Minnesota, behind the Fillmore Minneapolis, which opened in 2020.

Jason Haugen, Canterbury Park’s Vice President of Real Estate told WCCO that the project also includes nearly 1,000 apartment units, a brewery, restaurants, and a 28,000 square-foot office building for tons of commercial space.

Live Nation is facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice over “illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry to the detriment of concertgoers and artists alike,” the DoJ filing from May reads. Though it’s unclear if this antitrust action will continue under the incoming Trump administration. Live Nation executives themselves believe the Trump DoJ will be more friendly towards the company.