Could an amphitheater be coming to Chattanooga?

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- With warmer weather here, many are thinking about the shows they’re going to catch over the next few months.

Chances are however, Chattanoogans will need to hit the road to have that special moment with their favorite artists.

The amphitheater at Chastain Park in Atlanta before a Phoebe Bridgers concert in 2022.

A music needs survey conducted last year by the Chattanooga Tourism Company showed that 76 percent of all concerts attended by Chattanoogans were outside of the Scenic City.

One Chattanooga resident, Leah, said, “I think the last two concerts I went to were in Atlanta or Nashville.”

With that money flowing out of the city, how does Chattanooga make its own kind of music?

Would an amphitheater change the tune of touring artists who currently fly over Chattanooga?

The CEO of the Chattanooga Tourism Company, Barry White, said, “The Music Venue Needs Assessment makes the case for an amphitheater to accommodate 6,000 people. That will not only drive visitation, but also enhance the lifestyle of our residents.”

Large outdoor amphitheaters have become a preferred venue for many touring acts.

Take the impact of the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville as an example, which recently opened in 2022.

The city of Huntsville says in 2023, the venue sold 187,000 tickets across 32 separate events, and attendees from out of state bought nearly half of the tickets.

The venue has attracted starpower such as Lana Del Rey, Snoop Dogg, and Weezer.

Other amphitheaters in the Nashville and Atlanta areas attract similar bigtime acts, of which many are not currently planning to pay Chattanooga a visit anytime soon.

Currently, the most prominent music venues that the city has are smaller venues such as Memorial Auditorium or The Signal, as McKenzie Arena and Finley Stadium do not host concerts on a regular basis.

This led to 75 percent of respondents in that music needs survey saying that the city needs a new outdoor venue.

However, don’t expect a new venue anytime soon.

White said, “Our next step is to bring awareness of that, to communicate, to try to find investors. I have spoken with a developer that did some work down in Huntsville, but that’s going to be our next step is to try to take these studies and try to accomplish what’s recommended in each one.”

For the time being, both Moon River and the long running Riverbend Festivals will not happen this year.

Residents hope that one day events like that can return to the Scenic City.

Leah said, “Yeah I think that can be a really great idea for an overall sense of community which is a really high priority for Chattanooga as a collective.”

We will host the World Bluegrass Festival this September along with Riverfront Nights and Nightfall.