MILWAUKEE (CelebrityAccess) The Milwaukee-based architectural firm has landed the contract to create the new American Family Insurance Amphitheater, a 23,000-capacity facility to replace Summerfest’s current shed of the same name, aka Marcus Amphitheater.
The new amphitheater, to be completed in 2020, will cost between $30 million and $35 million and will actually be about 2,000 smaller capacity compared with the current shed. The initial discover phase is to begin immediately.
“We are honored to be selected as the lead design architect,” EUA CEO Greg Uhen said in a statement, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “As the flagship venue for Summerfest, the amphitheater has played a huge role in shaping the Milwaukee music experience over its 31-year span; hosting some of the world’s best artists to sellout crowds. Production complexity and fan expectations have evolved, and I am personally excited to reimagine the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, exploring new possibilities to elevate the experience for decades to come. This is going to be fun.”
EUA has already worked with Summerfest, redesigning the festival’s south gate entrance and the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage, according to the paper.
The current, longtime amphitheater has on the books acts like Bonnie Raitt, Florida Georgia Line, Shawn Mendes, and Def Leppard and Journey. It opened on the grounds of Henry Maier Festival Park in 1984 with an infamous Huey Lewis and the News concert that drew 30,000 fans to a space that could only support 15,000. The festival will run June 27 to July 1 and July 3-8.
