Coachella On The Beach? Goldenvoice In Talks With Santa Monica Officials To Host A Beachfront Music Event

Goldenvoice may soon expand its presence in Southern California. The promoter behind Coachella and Stagecoach, two of the biggest festivals in the music business, is reportedly negotiating with the Santa Monica City Council to lease land on the beach and host an event on the sand, according to EDM.com.

City officials spoke with various entities, including ESPN and Silverback LLC, during a closed session on Tuesday, and Goldenvoice requested to use 550,000 square feet of sand south of the Santa Monica Pier, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. Closed session items are not discussed in public.

Goldenvoice has not responded to Pollstar’s request for comment on the meeting.

Local housing activist Joseph Cohen May, who is also director of the Los Angeles Housing Production Institute, stated on X that Goldenvoice is looking to host a music festival on the beach. “Santa Monica appears maybe close to a deal with Goldenvoice to host a major beachfront music festival next year,” he wrote.

Goldenvoice and other entities seeking spaces on the west side of Los Angeles should come as no surprise with major sporting events coming to SoCal in the next few years. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will host eight FIFA World Cup matches, including the U.S. national team’s opening game against Paraguay, next summer, and the stadium is also tapped to host the Super Bowl in 2027. It’s going to be even busier in 2028 with the Olympics, which means that millions of tourists will make their way to L.A. over the next two years, creating opportunities for event producers like Goldenvoice to deliver some additional entertainment.

The Santa Monica Pier is an iconic L.A. attraction that has been featured in countless movies, television series and music videos, which is why it draws many out-of-towners. The NFL used the pier for events in 2022 when L.A. hosted the Super Bowl

Goldenvoice celebrated its 30^th birthday in the beach city back in 2011, hosting the three-day GV30 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium with punk rock acts like Bad Religion, X, Adolescents, Vandals and Descendents.

In addition to producing Coachella and Stagecoach at Empire Polo Club in Indio, Goldenvoice puts on events outside the Rose Bowl at Brookside in Pasadena. The promoter, which is part of AEG Presents, produces Cruel World, a favorite among goth and new wave fans, and Just Like Heaven, which features indie and alternative acts.

Note: The story has been updated to include links to original sources