The newly-built Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs — originally known as Sunset Amphitheater — is ready for its debut show. OneRepublic, which formed in Colorado Springs, was announced as the opening night headliner in January and will play three shows to officially christen the venue starting Friday.
VENU, the agency behind the amphitheater and previously known as Notes Live, and AEG Presents, the company managing and booking the facility, hosted an invitation-only soft opening on Tuesday.
Shawn Lucero, promotions coordinator and host for KRCC's sister station Indie 102.3, went to the event.
"The energy and buzz … fueled my excitement more about having a new world-class live music venue in Colorado Springs," Lucero said. "The amphitheater is more intimate than some of the bigger venues like Fiddler's Green (in suburban Denver). Sound from the stage was clear and audible from just about every seat and the lawn."
The 8,000-capacity venue in northern Colorado Springs was initially approved by the Colorado Springs City Council in November 2022, but the plans — and its construction — have not been without controversy. Council rejected an appeal from residents concerned about noise and parking issues in January 2023. A judge also later dismissed a lawsuit related to noise ordinances in January 2024.
Parking for the venue at Polaris Pointe off Voyager Parkway is a bit of a patchwork.
"Arrive early and give yourself plenty of time to park and walk up to the venue," Lucero said. "There was a little confusion on where and how to park, which caused slow-moving traffic pulling in."
A map on the amphitheater's website shows a preferred parking and carpool lot near the actual spectator area, bested only by a VIP and accessible lot. There's also street parking and shuttles connecting concertgoers from other parking areas.
The venue also boasts 90 privately owned VIP luxury fire pit suites. Lucero said most of the construction is complete as of the soft opening, save for the indoor concourse located behind the lawn. Developers expect to host fine dining in that area.
As for concessions, Lucero said to expect typical amphitheater pricing, "but a good selection of food, beer and alcohol/non-alcoholic beverages."
And what about the views at the venue, which largely has the audience facing west to the stage?
"The view of the stage is good from just about any seat and the lawn," Lucero said. "The best views of the mountain range are from the lawn and fire pit seating areas."
The 2024 inaugural season includes diverse acts like The Beach Boys on Friday, Aug. 16, Primus on Saturday, Aug. 24, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on Saturday, Aug. 31 and Godsmack on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Editor's Note: Colorado Public Radio operates both KRCC and Indie 102.3. AEG Presents is a financial sponsor of Colorado Public Radio. Financial sponsors have no editorial influence.
