As the summer concert season approaches and marquee acts like Beyoncé, Metallica and Taylor Swift fill stadiums around the country, developers are casting their eye on a smaller type of entertainment venue: the concert hall.
With state-of-the-art design that allows for flexible configurations, these midsize auditoriums can accommodate 1,000 to 6,500 patrons, helping promoters broaden the definition of live entertainment to include concerts, D.J. sets, e-sports and raves, as well as launch parties and trade shows.
The versatility of concert halls has led developers to use them to anchor their projects and energize the surrounding neighborhood, a trend that is revitalizing many moribund markets, said Aaron Jensen, who heads commercial and mixed use at HKS, a design firm.
“The concert venues are part of a broader mix, conveniently located to transit and residences,” he said.