AUSTIN, Texas — In the next two years, another live music venue will make its home in southeast Austin, adding to the city’s list of places that make it the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
“Austin has never seen anything like this,” said Robin Phillips, the vice president for the Southwest Region for AEG Presents.
By 2027, AEG Presents plans to open the 65,000-square-foot indoor live entertainment venue on the northwest corner of East Riverside Drive and Crossing Place.
What will the venue look like?
The venue will hold up to 4,000 people, which is in between the size of smaller clubs like Emo’s, which can hold up to around 2,000, and larger arenas like the Moody Center, which hold more than 15,000.
“This was what we felt like Austin desperately needed,” Phillips said. “It needs an indoor, 4,000-cap room to bridge the gap between Emo’s and the arena. And I think that’s the sweet spot.”
While the venue will be larger for the area, Phillips said featuring local artists is a priority for the company in both the venue’s design and the musicians who play there.
“I would love to have local nights or, you know, put as many local bands on larger bills that I can,” Phillips said. “I just want it all to be showcased in this venue. I want it to basically be a greatest hits of Austin venue.”
She is also hoping to feature more local Latino musicians and Tejano music.
“We just want to embrace everybody and represent Austin,” Phillips said.
Connection to River Park development
AEG says the venue is a part of River Park, a planned 109-acre mixed-use development that is expected to cost around $4 billion.
Back in 2019, attempts to redevelop the area were met with criticism from college students who were worried about losing affordable housing. But the Austin City Council approved zoning changes, allowing the development to move forward, with the whole project wrapping up in anywhere from 10 to 20 years.
What do neighbors think?
Since the initial pushback to the development, a lot has changed. One local business said this new music venue would actually be a positive for them.
“I think it’s the thing where it’s just going to bring more people in,” said Martin Henn, an employee with the Buzz Mill.
Buzz Mill is a local bar and coffee shop down the street from where the new venue will be. Henn said it’s a local neighborhood favorite that hosts free live music. He said whenever there are nearby shows, it’s always good for business.
“Anytime they have events over at those bars, we’re just blowing up,” Henn said. “If you’re going for a smaller show that’s free, that feels like a neighborhood thing, we’re already here for you. And if you need a place to go before the venue opens … we’re here for that too.”
The multi-million dollar live music venue is expected to open in early 2027. AEG Presents could not give a specific timeline but said construction will start in a few months.
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