Cincinnati's Commercial Construction Entertainment Venue

Commercial Construction Transforms Cincinnati's Live Entertainment Landscape Permanently

Construction and Interior Design

Commercial construction of Farmer Music Center signals Cincinnati's commitment to modernizing entertainment venues and cultural infrastructure significantly.

New amphitheater will replace aging Riverbend Music Center in spring 2027
$160 million project designed by local firm GBBN, constructed by Messer
Venue will accommodate 20,000 people with reserved and general admission seating
Modern amenities include four clubs, 25 bars, and improved acoustics throughout
Original Riverbend Music Center to remain for festivals and alternative programming

Cincinnati’s California district is undergoing significant changes as construction crews erect the steel framework of the Farmer Music Center. Located along Interstate 275, this new $160 million entertainment complex (informally called “Riverbend 2.0”) is a substantial investment into the local cultural infrastructure; when renovated it will be the new home for the nearly 42-year-old Riverbend Music Center and is expected to open in spring 2027. Architectural firm GBBN, based in Columbus, Ohio, designed the new outdoor amphitheater while construction company Messer constructed it. The goal: to build a modernized version of an older venue while retaining the elements that have made it special for many years. Development company Music and Event Management Inc., known as MEMI, is developing the new venue with a vision of paying homage to the past but also incorporating current entertainment expectations.

The new stage will hold more than 20,000 concert-goers with 8,000 reserved seats and a general admission area that accommodates 12,000 people on a synthetic lawn. According to GBBN project leader Scott Kyle, “The goal of the design was to have an experience that is both grand and intimate.” He went on to say, “We are creating something that is a hybrid of the most desirable parts of Riverbend and meets today’s requirements of a concert attendee: An arena-type atmosphere that is all-encompassing, yet offers an intimate environment.”

Through careful design, this commercial construction achieves a balanced architectural look and feel. The building's footprint offers an expanded base area, creating a stadium-like bowl-shaped footprint with the concrete defining the base level on all three levels. A metal canopy roof over the allocated seating areas keeps sightlines clear, while also providing protected areas for reserved seating. Dynamic colored lights are located within the concrete columns and will change throughout the evening performance, creating a vibrant skyline for the building.

In addition to the main performance space, there are four unique clubs in the center. Two of these clubs have controlled environments (heat and air conditioning) to provide a comfortable environment during hot weather months. The Center Stage Club is the largest of the clubs and will hold approximately 1,000 people with prime seating to see all performances taking place there. The vertical design of the facility was also done with acoustics in mind, allowing all audience members to have optimal sound experience no matter where they are seated and regardless of the tier level or location of their seat. Finally, the current state of food and beverage operations has been exponentially increased to satisfy modern-day expectations. A total of twenty-five full-service bars and food and beverage concessions will be located throughout the three levels of the facility, along with several grab-and-go food kiosks located at strategic positions to reduce patrons' time waiting for food and beverages before and during shows.

Business Honor is of the view that MEMI's $160 million investment represents a transformative shift in Cincinnati's entertainment venue capabilities and operational infrastructure modernization.