Global live entertainment company AEG Presents broke ground on a 65,000-square-foot indoor music venue in Southeast Austin on Sept. 24, kicking off the first phase of construction on the expansive River Park mixed-use community.

The big picture

The 109-acre River Park project from developer Presidium will bring 10 million square feet of residential, commercial and open space to Riverside. AEG's live music and event venue coming to 4700 E. Riverside Drive will anchor the project.

"It is the hub, it is the energy, it is the culture," Presidium Principal Gian Michael Piano said. "We’ll also be building housing, office, ... restaurants, retail, parkland and open space all mixed into a dynamic development. That’s all being provided here, and all going to be centered around what we’re doing with AEG."

Robin Phillips, AEG's Southwest vice president, said the venue will serve as a new option for a variety of artists to perform in and complement the city's many existing, iconic live music spots.

“This indoor ... 4,000-capacity, purpose-built, state-of-the-art space fills a real gap in the Austin market, especially for mid-sized shows," she said. "We plan on booking everything from country to rock, rap, blues, electronic, Latin. You name it, we’re going to book it."

Construction is already underway, and the currently unnamed venue's doors will open in early 2027. While it'll mainly serve as a live music hub, the space will also host community and private gatherings like corporate events, weddings, conferences and fundraisers.

Put in perspective

AEG Chief Operating Officer Shawn Trell said the company now views mid-sized venues like the one coming to Austin's River Park or its new event space in Nashville as "the future of the concert experience," in between more intimate spaces and larger arenas or stadiums.

"It’s going to sound great, it’s going to look great, it’s going to fit in this community. All of those things are important attributes anytime we’re looking at a project, and this one’s going to check all of those boxes," he said.

Mayor Kirk Watson previously said the project would boost the local economy while creating new opportunities for musical artists and fans. And council member José Velásquez, who represents District 3 including River Park, said the venue fills a gap in Austin's live music scene and will support a wider range of performers in the city.

"It’s going to host artists that actually look like Austin, sound like Austin and feel like Austin. This venue is also going to help create jobs, attract visitors and be a beacon for live music in District 3 and for the city," he said. "It’s also a promise that our stages reflect our people, that our culture will remain vibrant and visible, and that music—live music—will continue to be the heartbeat of Austin, Texas.”

Zooming in

AEG's venue is located in River Park's "Block D" between Wickersham Lane and Crossing Place, and will be the first piece of the development open. Alongside the new event space in Block D, Presidium is also planning to build:

• Two apartment buildings with around 600 total units
• A hotel with 150-200 rooms
• 25,000-30,000 square feet of retail space
• A public plaza and park space
• A new roadway through the site

Following the venue launch, Piano said the rest of Block D will be built out in phases over several years. He also noted that changing market conditions led to the addition of AEG's space and other features in what had been a more commercially oriented portion of the project.

"Like anyone, we looked at the market, we pivoted. And frankly this is a better outcome, to have a music venue as opposed to office buildings. Way better placemaking, more gathering," he said. “We’re very excited to be pad ready now. Infrastructure is in the ground, that’s a huge step. And we’re just excited to be part of the community and keep this thing going."