The Pittsburgh Penguins NHL ice hockey franchise has reached an agreement with Live Nation Entertainment to build a new music venue on the site of the team’s former Civic Arena.
The arena would have a capacity of 6,600 and be constructed above an underground car park. The former Civic Arena site is located near PPG Paints Arena (pictured), the Penguins’ current home, which opened in 2010.
Work on the new arena is expected to begin in the summer and it is hoped the venue will open in 2022. Live Nation will run the venue, which will feature a seating area for club and theatre performances, as part of a 20-year deal.
“There will not be another venue like this in the region, and we expect it will become the entertainment anchor for the Lower Hill, drive significant business to nearby restaurants and contribute to the rich fabric of live music in Pittsburgh,” Penguins chief executive David Morehouse said in a statement reported by Patch.com.
Live Nation Pittsburgh president Tom Loudermilk added: “There is no better location for us and we could not have asked for better partners than we have with the Penguins.”
Plans are also in the works for the former Civic Arena site to incorporate new residential and office space, entertainment and food venues, retail parks and green space. Development rights to the site are owned by the Penguins.
It is hoped the arena will be similar to The Anthem in Washington D.C. and the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas, which can seat up to 6,000 and 8,000 people, respectively.
Image: Nick Amoscato
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