XPOSURE Exclusive: Live Nation’s 5,300-Seat Centennial Yards Venue Could Bring a New Era of Artist Residencies to Atlanta

At an Atlanta entertainment industry gathering, Live Nation’s Peter Conlon and Mayor Andre Dickens discussed the downtown development, the city’s evolving live music economy, and the possibilities for keeping major performances closer to home.

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta’s entertainment landscape is preparing for another significant transformation, and the conversation surrounding the city’s next major live music destination is beginning to reveal possibilities that extend well beyond traditional concerts.

During Training Day: Back to Business on October 7, Xposure Magazine was on hand as Live Nation’s Peter Conlon and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens discussed a forthcoming 5,300-seat music and entertainment venue at Centennial Yards, the ambitious redevelopment reshaping a substantial portion of downtown Atlanta.

The conversation took place during an Atlanta entertainment industry gathering that also marked the announcement of Korey Felder Sr. as the city’s new Manager of Nightlife. Felder, whose work has long connected Atlanta’s nightlife and entertainment communities, introduced Conlon, who reflected on the city’s live music history and outlined plans for the new Centennial Yards venue. Mayor Dickens followed, expanding the conversation to the possibilities for artist residencies, economic development and Atlanta’s future as a live entertainment destination.

The remarks offered a closer look at how the venue could contribute to Atlanta’s expanding entertainment infrastructure while creating additional opportunities for artists, audiences and the surrounding community.

From the Gulch to a New Entertainment District

For decades, the area once known as the Gulch represented one of downtown Atlanta’s most recognizable stretches of underdeveloped land. Today, that same footprint is undergoing a multibillion-dollar transformation through Centennial Yards, a 50-acre mixed-use development intended to introduce new residential, hospitality, retail and entertainment experiences to the heart of the city.

In May 2025, Centennial Yards Company announced that Live Nation had signed a long-term lease for a 5,300-seat live music and entertainment venue within the development. The project is expected to open in 2027, adding another major performance destination to a downtown district already anchored by Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.

The venue’s significance extends beyond its seating capacity. Its location places it within walking distance of two of Atlanta’s most prominent sports and entertainment facilities, creating opportunities for a more connected downtown entertainment experience.

As Centennial Yards continues to take shape, the addition of a purpose-built music venue could help broaden the range of performances and events hosted in the district throughout the year.

Peter Conlon on Atlanta’s Entertainment History and Its Future

During his remarks, Conlon reflected on Atlanta’s longstanding relationship with live entertainment and the city’s evolution as a destination for major artists and touring productions.

Atlanta’s music history is deeply connected to the development of its performance venues, promoters and entertainment businesses. From intimate stages that helped introduce emerging talent to larger arenas and amphitheaters that welcomed established acts, the city has continually expanded its place within the national touring landscape.

Conlon’s discussion of the forthcoming Centennial Yards venue placed the project within that broader history.

With approximately 5,300 seats, the new destination would occupy a different position in Atlanta’s venue landscape than its largest arenas and stadiums, potentially accommodating performances that call for a substantial audience without requiring an arena-scale production.

The anticipated 2027 opening also arrives during a period of considerable investment in downtown Atlanta, with new developments and major international events bringing renewed attention to the city’s entertainment economy.

Could Atlanta Become a Destination for Artist Residencies?

One of the evening’s most interesting discussions came when Mayor Dickens considered how the new venue might create opportunities for artists to perform multiple shows in Atlanta rather than treating the city as a single stop on a national tour.

Artist residencies have traditionally been associated with destinations such as Las Vegas, where performers schedule extended engagements that attract audiences from across the country and around the world.

Dickens raised the possibility of bringing a similar approach to Atlanta, a city already home to an extraordinary concentration of recording artists, producers, songwriters and creative professionals.

“You can stay right here where the talent is already cooking in the studio. They can just go straight from the lab to downtown Atlanta and book out a week or whatever.” — Mayor Andre Dickens

The observation pointed to an advantage Atlanta already possesses: an established music industry whose artists frequently live, record and conduct business within the metropolitan area.

Rather than requiring an artist to travel elsewhere for an extended performance engagement, a venue of this scale could potentially accommodate a series of hometown performances, offering audiences multiple opportunities to experience an artist within the city where much of the music is created.

Such programming could also attract visitors who travel specifically to attend performances, supporting nearby hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

No artist residencies or extended engagements were announced during the discussion. However, the possibility introduced an additional dimension to the conversation about what the Centennial Yards venue could eventually become.

A Partnership That Extends Beyond Entertainment

The discussion also highlighted the relationship between Atlanta’s entertainment industry and the broader civic community.

Mayor Dickens referenced the role that established performance destinations, including Chastain Park Amphitheatre, have played beyond hosting concerts. The venue’s connection to community improvements and scholarship support illustrates how entertainment operations can contribute to initiatives outside the performance itself.

That perspective is particularly relevant as Atlanta considers the long-term impact of new entertainment development.

Concert venues generate activity that extends beyond ticket sales, bringing audiences into surrounding neighborhoods and creating demand for hospitality, transportation, dining and related services. Their contributions can also include employment opportunities and partnerships that connect entertainment businesses with the communities in which they operate.

For Centennial Yards, the opportunity involves more than adding another stage to Atlanta’s existing collection of venues. The development is part of a larger effort to reshape how residents and visitors experience downtown.

The city’s preparations for Super Bowl LXII in February 2028 add another layer of significance to the timing. With the venue anticipated to open in 2027, the project could become part of Atlanta’s expanded entertainment landscape ahead of the international event.

Atlanta’s Next Stage Is Taking Shape

Atlanta has never lacked musical talent or cultural influence. The question increasingly centers on how the city continues building the infrastructure to support that influence, create new experiences and retain more of the economic activity generated by its entertainment industry.

The forthcoming Centennial Yards venue represents one part of that evolution.

Conlon’s remarks connected the project to Atlanta’s history as a live entertainment market, while Dickens introduced the possibility of a future in which artists could build extended performance engagements around the city they already call home.

Together, their comments offered a glimpse into the thinking surrounding one of downtown Atlanta’s most closely watched entertainment developments.

As construction and planning continue toward the anticipated 2027 opening, the details of the venue’s programming, artist partnerships and eventual impact remain to be seen.

What is already clear is that the conversation about Atlanta’s next chapter in live entertainment is underway, with Centennial Yards positioned to become part of that story.