Live Nation Plans $1 Billion Push to Build 18 U.S. Music Venues
The concert giant aims to bring large-scale performances to smaller cities as fan demand climbs and ticketing reforms take hold.
(Photo: SBR)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 11, 2025 — Live Nation Entertainment said Tuesday it will invest $1 billion to develop 18 new live music venues across the United States, responding to rising demand for concerts and recent momentum from ticketing reform efforts.
The company, based in Beverly Hills, said it plans to either break ground or open new facilities, ranging from intimate clubs to expansive amphitheaters—within the next 18 months. Many of these venues will be located in smaller cities, part of a broader strategy to extend high-profile performances to areas traditionally overlooked by large tours.
“This investment reflects the strength of the live entertainment market and our commitment to expanding access to live music,” Chief Financial Officer Joe Berchtold said in May, noting the company expects two-thirds of its fan growth to come in the second half of the year.
Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, already operates 150 venues across the country, representing about 4% of all U.S. music venues. The company said 2024 is on track to be its biggest year ever for live performances.
“To support this historic run, Live Nation venues have hired 37,000 U.S. workers to help deliver unforgettable experiences,” the company said in a statement.
The announcement comes as Live Nation faces intense regulatory scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of state attorneys general sued the company and Ticketmaster in 2023, accusing them of monopolistic practices that allegedly harm artists, venues and fans.
In addition, the Justice Department is conducting a criminal antitrust investigation into Live Nation and rival AEG, examining how both responded to concert cancellations at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Live Nation has denied any wrongdoing.
Separately, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March aimed at cracking down on ticket scalping and enforcing greater transparency in the U.S. ticketing industry.
To support this historic run, Live Nation venues have hired 37,000 U.S. workers to help deliver unforgettable experiences.
