Lionel Richie officially opened Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Friday, May 15, marking the official completion of the Pioneer-Barton Malow-built venue. The 12,000-seat Live Nation venue along the Grand River was built over two years by 1,200 workers and featured a level of technical complexity rarely seen in amphitheater construction.
The signature engineering challenge was the canopy — a 2.2-million-pound steel structure spanning the length of a football field, 54% cantilevered, and supported by a set of specialized cast-steel nodes used on fewer than a handful of projects worldwide. The result is a venue designed to set the standard for amphitheaters across the country, where every seat offers an unobstructed view and concert-goers never have to leave the bowl to get food, refreshments, or use the restroom.
Key features include:
- 7,000 fixed seats and 5,000 lawn seats
- The canopy is clad in Zahner aluminum plate soffit panels, a material also used at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
- 1800-1900 light fixtures. Roughly 1100 linear feet of illuminated façade. Approximately 7000 dynamic lighting control points. 5 architectural lighting panels. Custom restroom stall occupancy system covering 150 stalls across 4 bathrooms.
- The canopy is clad in metal panels, a material also used at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
- Over 115 light fixtures are installed throughout the venue, including spotlights, site lighting, and translucent backlit panels
- Eight lawn delay speakers provide consistent sound across the entire bowl
Media Coverage
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business: Acrisure Amphitheater is ready. Meet the army of contractors who built it.
MLive: Opening night ends with crowds in the streets, rave reviews for Grand Rapids amphitheater
Detroit News: Grand Rapids, Lionel Richie say “Hello” to new downtown amphitheater
