Temp Shed To Rise In Irvine

Live Nation and development manager FivePoint announced a partnership Oct. 18 to construct an interim shed, pending issue of a conditional use permit by the City of Irvine, Calif., on 45 acres next to Great Park and 2 miles from the present Irvine Amphitheatre site.

Irvine Meadows will likely meet the bulldozers soon after the final show, to be replaced with apartment buildings. “Since the early 1980s, music lovers in Orange County and beyond have made Irvine their summer home, coming to see some of the greatest musical talents of all time,” said FivePoint Chairman/CEO Emile Haddad. “We’re determined to keep this tradition alive by working with Live Nation to develop the next-generation, outdoor music venue in Irvine…. Live, outdoor music is part of Orange County’s heritage and it is essential to its future.”

According to its CUP application, FivePoint and Live Nation will construct and operate the shed for up to three years. Under the plan, Live Nation will design, construct and operate the facility and adjacent parking lot, as well as concessions and hospitality, with the goal of opening in time for the 2017 summer season, according to the announcement.

“Orange County has become a major concert stop for touring musical acts and Live Nation is committed to keeping the long tradition of live summer concerts alive and growing in this region,” said Bret Gallagher, president of Live Nation Southern California. “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with FivePoint and build the highest quality interim amphitheater venue with all of the comforts and conveniences today’s guests are seeking.”

If the idea of a temporary concert facility sounds familiar, it should. The proposed Irvine building is modeled after the America’s Cup Pavilion in San Francisco, an outdoor facility Live Nation built in summer 2013 near the San Francisco waterfront for concerts during the international sailing competition.